Congressman Cohen says President Trump’s Executive Orders Show he neither Understands nor Respects the Constitution

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, today discussed President Trump's efforts to upend the judicial system at a hearing entitled "Judicial Overreach and Constitutional Limits on the Federal Courts." Trump's efforts include extorting law firms, damaging independent agencies, and proposing to end national injunctive relief, and impeaching judges who make rulings with which he disagrees.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"The judicial branch in our country plays a critical role in checks and balances, which the Constitution mandates. Our president doesn't understand that or respect it. In my opinion he is, accordingly, the one doing the 'overreach,' not the judiciary…He can't with an executive order - a press release on nice stationery - overrule the Constitution. Nor can he declare a third term for himself, which he'll probably do eventually…

"He's also gone after lawyers and law firms and it's no mystery why he did it…If lawyers are afraid to bring actions against the administration or the president, then the courts won't be able to do anything…I'm a member of the bar. I respect the bar and I understand its importance to the American jurisprudence system…"

See his entire statement and questions to hearing witnesses here.

Witnesses at today's hearing were:

• Kate Shaw, Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School;
• Newt Gingrich, former Georgia Congressman (1979-1999) and former Speaker of the House (1995-1999);
• Paul J. Larkin, Senior Legal Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation; and
• Cindy Romero, former resident of Aurora, Colorado

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