Attorney General Mayes has issued a strong condemnation of recent actions by the Trump administration, describing them as "dictatorial and authoritarian." According to Mayes, the administration's activities over the past three weeks have been characterized by a disregard for the rule of law and the Constitution.
Mayes emphasized the importance of an independent judiciary in maintaining checks on executive power. "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 stated.
Expressing concern about the current administration's impact on democratic principles, Mayes remarked, "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." She warned that it is a dangerous time if people do not recognize what is occurring.
Mayes also criticized former President Donald Trump for consolidating power inappropriately. "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," she claimed.
Asserting her commitment to legal challenges against these actions, Mayes declared, "I will continue to challenge the illegal actions of the Trump administration in court. And we will continue to win." She called upon Americans to protect 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 the freedoms and justice they were built to protect—and that countless Americans have fought and sacrificed to defend."
A video statement from Attorney General Mayes can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrE0DOEcbRE