Local and Tribal Elected Leaders Sign On Letter Defending the Constitution and Rule of Law
Local and Tribal Elected Leaders: This letter will be used by local and Tribal leaders across the nation to urge state and federal elected leaders and local government associations to defend the Constitution and rule of law, and help local and Tribal elected leaders keep their oath of office. Sign on to this letter here.
April, 2026
Dear Members of Congress, State Legislators, and Local Government Associations,
As Americans, we share certain values no matter where we sit on the political spectrum, including a commitment to our nation’s ideals of self-government, integrity, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. We also share a commitment to ensuring that elected leaders are able to implement the policies the voters elected them to implement, providing those leaders stay within the bounds of the law.
As local and Tribal elected leaders, we have all taken an oath of office to support and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, as have all members of the armed forces and many civil servants. The concept that the law applies equally to all people regardless of their personal characteristics is a fundamental value identified in the Constitution and made manifest by our steadfast commitment to the rule of law.
We, the undersigned local and Tribal elected leaders, are profoundly concerned by actions taken by the Trump Administration that are generally understood to violate the Constitution, federal law, and long-standing principles of separation of powers. We are equally concerned by the tepid response we have seen from many state and federal elected leaders as well as professional associations that support local leaders.
Public reporting, legal challenges, congressional investigations, and concerns expressed by legal scholars, support the assertion that certain actions taken by the administration are not consistent with the Constitution, federal law, and established norms governing executive authority. Examples cited by critics and oversight bodies include, but are not limited to:
● Misusing the power of the presidency to build significant personal wealth in violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which is designed to prevent foreign interests from having undue influence in the affairs of the US Government. Estimates indicate that President Trump has enriched himself and his family by $1-$4 billion since taking office.[i] [ii] [iii] [iv] [v]
● Failing to comply with congressional directives including the Epstein Files Transparency Act approved by the U.S. Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. Refusal to comply with lawful congressional directives in such matters undermines public trust that the justice system holds perpetrators accountable under the law regardless of status or power.[vi] [vii] [viii]
● Deploying the military to U.S. cities in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act[ix] [x], attacking foreign boats in international waters without legal justification[xi] [xii], and attacking other nations without authorization by Congress in violation of Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11 of the Constitution and international law.[xiii] [xiv] [xv] [xvi]
● Diverting federal funds appropriated by Congress, and already contracted to local governments and private and nonprofit corporations, in violation of the Appropriations Clause of the Constitution and the Impoundment Control Act.[xvii] [xviii] [xix]
● Eliminating federal programs, such as USAID, undermining Congress’ ability to exercise the authority granted to it by the Constitution.[xx] [xxi]
● Allowing an unelected, and unappointed civilian (Elon Musk) to breach data systems across the federal government resulting in significant national security risk and the capture of the personal data of millions of U.S. citizens by private enterprises in violation of the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (44 U.S.C. § 3551) and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a).[xxii] [xxiii] [xxiv] [xxv] [xxvi]
● Implementing immigration enforcement policies that minimize or remove due process for individuals as guaranteed by the 5th Amendment to the Constitution, including rapid deportations without hearings, detention of legally present individuals, indiscriminate arrests, prolonged detentions, and deporting individuals to incorrect countries.[xxvii] [xxviii] [xxix] [xxx]
● Severely limiting access to the workings of the administration by certain members of the media and arresting and prosecuting reporters in violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution.[xxxi] [xxxii] [xxxiii]
● Directing federal government resources to target critics and former officials in a campaign of retribution.[xxxiv] [xxxv] [xxxvi]
● Illegally enacting tariffs against our nation’s trading partners resulting in significant disruption of the U.S. economy.[xxxvii] [xxxviii]
● Threats or attempts by the administration to condition or withhold federal funding from states and local governments based on policy disagreements, raising constitutional concerns regarding federal authority, the separation of powers, and limits established by Congress on how federal funds may be administered.[xxxix]
● Defying court orders in violation of the Constitution, breaking the oath to faithfully execute the law and undermining the separation of powers.[xl] [xli] [xlii]
This is not about a single situation in which a constitutional line might have been crossed, but is instead a wide range of violations, some of which have already been confirmed by the courts, that together reveal a pattern that poses a significant threat to the foundation of the system by which the American people govern themselves.[xliii] [xliv]
Moving Forward
This list is not exhaustive. However, any one of these activities would, in principled times, be enough to compel Congress to take decisive action to ensure an administration stays within the bounds of the Constitution and federal law - regardless of the political party affiliations of the President or congressional leaders.
We, the undersigned local elected leaders, represent diverse political perspectives and as such, represent a wide range of policy goals and opinions, some of which align with the stated goals of this administration. But our commitment to the Constitution and rule of law is unwavering. As local leaders and patriots, we stand firmly united in keeping our oath of office. However, for this oath to protect the American people as designed, leaders at all levels of government must do the same.
Members of Congress and state legislatures across the political spectrum, we call on you to keep your oath of office by:
● Asserting the authority granted to you by the framers of our Constitution to meet your sacred obligation to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic by addressing the current constitutional and federal law violations and preventing this administration from committing further violations;
● Honoring the sacrifice of military men and women who have fought and died to protect individual liberty and our right to govern ourselves; and
● Putting country before party to be the leaders the American people need in this critical moment in time.
At the Local Level
Local elected leaders are working across the nation to honor their respective oaths of office given the many challenges to the Constitution at the federal level. We call on national and state-level associations of local governments to understand that what is happening at the federal level is not a difference of political opinion, but rather a direct assault on our Constitution, the rule of law, and separation of powers - and that those actions are creating significant challenges for local leaders who are working hard to lead their communities through these unprecedented times.
State and national associations of local governments, we call on you to:
● Speak out about this administration’s overreach and effort to consolidate power in the executive branch; and
● Help local leaders understand options to lawfully respond to violations of the Constitution and rule of law committed by the federal government within their jurisdictions.
In Closing
Protecting the U.S. Constitution from all enemies and defending the rule of law that brings the Constitution to life are the most important obligations of all elected leaders in the United States. Please keep your oath - and help us keep ours.
Sincerely,
Tonya Graham – Mayor, City of Ashland, Oregon
Donna Gustafson – City Councilor, City of Forest Grove, Oregon
Catherine McMullen – Clerk, Clackamas County, Oregon
Gladys Rivera – Council President, City of Hood River, Oregon
Alex Johnson II – Mayor, City of Albany, Oregon
Donna Bowen – Mayor, City of Jacksonville, Oregon
Cecelia Koontz – Mayor, City of Monmouth, Oregon
Matt Keating – City Councilor, South Eugene Ward 2
Jason Freilinger – Mayor, City of Silverton, Oregon
Bryan Cutchen – Mayor, City of Oakridge, Oregon
Nancy Bell – Mayor, City of Coburg, Oregon
Christopher McMorran – Mayor, City of Philomath, Oregon
Kate Schwarzler – Mayor, City of Independence, Oregon
Lisa Batey – Mayor, City of Milwaukie, Oregon
[i] Fox News: Whatever Happened to: The Qatar Air Force One jet: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/whatever-happened-to-qatar-air-force-one-jet
[ii] Reuters: How Reuters tallied the Trump Organization’s crypto income: https://www.reuters.com/investigations/how-reuters-tallied-trump-organizations-crypto-income-2025-10-28/
[iii] Wired: Trump’s Quest for Crypto Riches Is a Constitutional Scandal Waiting to Happen:
[iv] The New Yorker: Trump’s Profiteering Hits $4 Billion: https://www.newyorker.com/news/a-reporter-at-large/trumps-profiteering-hits-four-billion-dollars
[v] The New York Times: How Trump has Pocketed $1,408,500,000: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/01/20/opinion/editorials/trump-wealth-crypto-graft.html
[vi] The Wall Street Journal: Justice Department Told Trump in May That His Name Is Among Many in the Epstein Files: https://bit.ly/4s0CH9r
[vii] Reuters: US Justice Department handling of Epstein file release sparks backlash: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-justice-department-handling-epstein-file-release-sparks-backlash-2025-12-22/
[viii] Forbes: Rep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna Hold a Press Briefing After Viewing Unredacted Epstein Files: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf6fw66aXM4
[ix] Time: Judge Rules Trump’s Deployment of Troops to Los Angeles Violated Federal Law:
https://time.com/7313929/trump-national-guard-la-los-angeles-marines-judge-ruling/
[x] Fox News: Supreme Court rules on legality of Trump National Guard deployment to Illinois:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/supreme-court-rules-legality-trump-national-guard-deployment
[xi] Fox News: US conducts strike on another boat carrying suspected narco-traffickers, killing 6 people:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-military-strike-suspected-narco-boat-eastern-pacific
[xii] War On The Rocks: Attacking Drug Boats: Bending or Breaking the Law? https://warontherocks.com/2025/12/attacking-drug-boats-bending-or-breaking-the-law/
[xiii] Just Security: Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers, Operation Southern Spear, Operation Absolute Resolve: https://www.justsecurity.org/120753/collection-u-s-lethal-strikes-on-suspected-drug-traffickers/
[xiv] National Constitution Center: Does the War Powers Resolution debate take on a new context in the Iran conflict? https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/does-the-war-powers-resolution-debate-take-on-a-new-context-in-the-iran-conflict
[xv] Stanford Law School: Stanford’s Allen Weiner on the Constitutional and International Law Questions Raised by the Iran Attack: Stanford’s Allen Weiner on the Constitutional and International Law Questions Raised by the Iran Attack - Legal Aggregate - Stanford Law School
[xvi] University of Oxford: Expert Comment: The illegality of the US attack against Venezuela is beyond debate - how the world reacts is critical: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-01-07-expert-comment-illegality-us-attack-against-venezuela-beyond-debate-how-world-reacts
[xvii] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: New Data Show Trump Administration’s Illegal, Targeted Withholding of Funds: https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/new-data-show-trump-administrations-illegal-targeted-withholding-of-funds
[xviii] Stanford Law Review: Trumpian Impoundments in Historical Perspective: https://www.stanfordlawreview.org/online/trumpian-impoundments-in-historical-perspective/
[xix] Reuters: Trump administration cannot implement 'sweeping' funding freeze, US court rules:
[xx] Fox News: Judge orders reinstatement of USAID functions, says DOGE effort to shutter agency likely unconstitutional: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-orders-reinstatement-usaid-functions-doge-effort-shutter-agency-likely-unconstitutional
[xxi] ABC News: Judge says dismantling of USAID was unconstitutional, orders Musk to restore access for employees: https://abcnews.com/Politics/judge-dismantling-usaid-unconstitutional-orders-musk-restore-access/story?id=119923733
[xxii] Reuters: Judge extends ban on Musk's DOGE access to private Social Security data: https://www.reuters.com/legal/judge-extends-ban-musks-doge-access-private-social-security-data-2025-04-18/
[xxiii] Wired: Not Even DOGE Employees Know Who’s Legally Running DOGE: https://www.wired.com/story/doge-elon-musk-leadership-administrator/
[xxiv] The Conversation: Efficiency − or empire? How Elon Musk’s hostile takeover could end government as we know it: https://theconversation.com/efficiency-or-empire-how-elon-musks-hostile-takeover-could-end-government-as-we-know-it-249262
[xxv] Economic Policy Institute: Report reveals how Musk and DOGE could profit from access to personal data and federal contracts—and potentially cost working people billions of dollars: https://www.epi.org/press/report-reveals-how-musk-and-doge-could-profit-from-access-to-personal-data-and-federal-contracts-and-potentially-cost-working-people-billions-of-dollars/
[xxvi] Wired: The 50-Year-Old Law That Could Stop DOGE in Its Tracks—Maybe: https://www.wired.com/story/privacy-act-doge-lawsuits/
[xxvii] Fox News: Biden-appointed federal judge rules Trump's 'third country' deportation policy is unconstitutional: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-rules-trumps-third-country-deportation-policy-unconstitutional
[xxviii] Associated Press: Migrants languish in US detention centers facing dire conditions and prolonged waits: https://apnews.com/article/immigration-migrants-detention-trump-deportations-c8bfb50adac8fe9554f4d5aeefbe30cf
[xxix] Associated Press: ICE agents can’t make warrantless arrests in Oregon unless there’s a risk of escape, US judge rules: https://apnews.com/article/immigration-warrantless-arrests-ice-oregon-lawsuit-f21f3856e3c60e283e7be4bac1f04272
[xxx] The Wall Street Journal: Americans Are Now A Target in Trump’s Immigration Crackdown. https://bit.ly/4sI9ilt
[xxxi] Fox News: Was Don Lemon's arrest driven by bias? 'The View' hosts weigh in:
https://www.foxnews.com/media/don-lemons-arrest-driven-bias-the-view-hosts-weigh
[xxxii] LA Times: Don Lemon’s arrest escalates Trump’s clashes with journalists: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2026-01-30/don-lemon-arrest-escalates-trump-clashes-with-journalists-ice
[xxxiii] The Guardian: Press freedom groups denounce arrests of two journalists including Don Lemon after Minnesota anti-ICE protest: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/jan/30/press-freedom-journalist-arrests-ice-don-lemon
[xxxiv] Reuters: Trump’s campaign of retribution: At least 470 targets and counting: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-trump-retribution-tracker/
[xxxv] NPR: Trump has used government powers to target more than 100 perceived enemies:
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/29/nx-s1-5327518/donald-trump-100-days-retribution-threats
[xxxvi] The Wall Street Journal: Trump Administration Drops Defense of Law Firm Sanctions: https://bit.ly/4th2FX9
[xxxvii] CNN: Supreme Court rules that Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs are illegal: Supreme Court rules that Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs are illegal | CNN Politics
[xxxviii] Fox News: Supreme Court blocks Trump tariffs in major test of executive branch powers:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/supreme-court-decision-donald-trump-tariff-powers
[xxxix] Reuters: Trump threatens funding for states over AI regulations: https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-says-he-will-sign-order-curbing-state-ai-laws-2025-12-11/
[xl] Fox News: Trump admin defies court over Maryland deportation, ignites legal showdown:
[xli] Fox 9 – KMSP: Judges called ICE operations ‘Orwellian' and 'craven'. What else did they say?
https://www.fox9.com/news/judges-called-ice-operations-orwellian-craven-what-else-did-say
[xlii] Associated Press: A chief judge warns Minnesota’s top prosecutor and ICE: Obey court orders or face contempt: https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-crackdown-chief-judge-prosecutor-15aeb88128432ad899e1f0c9ae039464
[xliii] Center for American Progress: The President and Constitutional Violations: Will the Federal Courts Contain the President’s Power Grabs? https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-president-and-constitutional-violations-will-the-federal-courts-contain-the-presidents-power-grabs/
[xliv] Fox News: Chief Justice Roberts warns against personal attacks on judges as ‘dangerous’ after Trump's court tirade: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chief-justice-roberts-warns-against-personal-attacks-judges-dangerous-after-trump-court-tirade