Attorney General Kris Mayes has issued a strong condemnation of the recent actions by the Trump administration, describing them as "dictatorial and authoritarian." According to Mayes, these actions have been frequent and pose a threat to the rule of law and the Constitution.
"The actions of the Trump administration in the last three weeks can only be described as dictatorial and authoritarian. Every day – nearly every hour – there is some new action or executive order that makes a mockery of the rule of law and the Constitution itself," said Attorney General Mayes.
Mayes emphasized the importance of an independent judiciary as a counterbalance to executive power, stating, "The independent judiciary acts as a check on executive overreach. In the United States, we appeal rulings we disagree with – we don’t ignore court orders or threaten judges with impeachment when a ruling goes the way we don’t like."
She further warned about what she perceives as an undemocratic shift in governance: "There is an undemocratic administration in power, and they appear to be hell bent on undoing 250 years of adherence to the rule of law in this nation. It is an incredibly dangerous moment. And it is all the more dangerous if people don’t understand what is happening."
In her remarks, Mayes accused former President Donald Trump of transferring congressional powers improperly: "Donald Trump has grabbed the power of Congress and handed it to an unelected billionaire and a group of teenage hackers. The richest man in the world is now running roughshod over the authority of federal agencies in violation of the rule of law and the Constitution."
Mayes vowed continued legal challenges against what she deems illegal actions by Trump's administration: "I will continue to challenge the illegal actions of the Trump administration in court. And we will continue to win," she said.
Finally, Mayes called upon Americans to defend democratic processes: "It is time for every American patriot to stand up, speak out, and defend our democratic processes. Because the moment we allow them to be eroded is the moment we risk losing freedoms and justice they were built to protect—and that countless Americans have fought and sacrificed to defend."
A video statement from Attorney General Kris Mayes can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrE0DOEcbRE.