1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Today I take pen in hand to write and urge you in the strongest possible terms to reject the profoundly undemocratic PEPPER Act H.R. 1789 that would further erode executive accountability, especially on criminal activity and un-Constitutional action. This extremely dangerous legislation would essentially grant sweeping immunity to the president, vice president, and executive branch officials from civil and criminal prosecution. They literally could “shoot someone on Fifth Avenue” and get away with it. The PEPPER Act represents an unacceptable erosion of checks and balances by shielding these officials from accountability to the law. The PEPPER Act goes far beyond codifying existing judicial precedent. It would allow the automatic transfer of state cases against executive branch leaders to federal courts, which would then face severe restrictions on what evidence could even be considered. Essentially, it mandates blanket dismissals of nearly all cases against current and former presidents and vice presidents. This represents an extreme overreach eroding the ability of states to enforce their laws against the highest federal officials. Such expansive immunity upends the vital separation of powers enshrined in our constitutional republic. It would empower the executive branch to act with impunity, undermining the role of the judiciary and states in providing oversight. After nearly 250 years of constitutional governance, we cannot discard this foundational system of checks and balances. The PEPPER Act is a threat to democratic accountability and the rule of law. I implore you to reject this destructive legislation.