House Democrats Are Moving Forward with Legislation to Limit Presidential Powers

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Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 08:59 pm

Former President Donald Trump was often criticized for both representing and exhibiting an unprecedented extension of presidential power and now House Democrats are looking to curtail presidential powers in the post-Trump era.

The group Protect Democracy, formed by former members of the executive branch who are dedicated to ensuring that the United States government doesn’t slip into a more authoritarian form, is advocating for a measure to curtail presidential power, and House Democrats have responded favorably to the proposal.

NBC News notes that the legislation would “limit a president’s pardon power, require presidential candidates to be transparent with their tax records, and extend a deadline for prosecuting former presidents and vice presidents for federal crimes committed before or during their time in office,” and would “ensure that incoming presidents have access to resources for the transition period following an election” as well as “require the disclosure of contacts between the White House and the Justice Department.”

“The proposals respond to longstanding vulnerabilities in our democracy that have allowed for the aggrandizement of presidential power, many of which have been exploited over decades by presidents of both parties, and some of which reached new heights through the actions of the Trump administration,” Protect Democracy says on its website.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will speak about the Protecting Democracy Act at a press conference. She will be joined by Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who chairs the House Intelligence Committee and is the legislation’s chief sponsor.