Washington, D.C.—Today, Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Robert Garcia (CA-42) and Joseph Morelle (NY-25) introduced legislation to strengthen the legal infrastructure of our democracy against presidents or other officials who abuse their power for personal gain. The Protecting Our Democracy Act (PODA) would oppose executive corruption, promote transparency and accountability, and reassert the principle that no president is above the law.
Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
“President Trump and his cabinet are committing daily shocking violations of the Constitution, putting billions of dollars in personal profit, rampant political corruption and the designs of billionaire oligarchs before the basic needs of the American people,” said Rep. Raskin. “I’m introducing the Protecting Our Democracy Act with Representatives Garcia and Morelle to reassert the rule of law, revive congressional power and get our democracy back on the growth track.”
“The blatant corruption we've seen from Donald Trump and the Trump Administration is exactly what this bill is going to crack down on," said Rep. Garcia. “This bill will close glaring loopholes and makes it clear that no president can run a pay-to-play scheme from the Oval Office. No one should be able to buy a pardon, a cabinet seat, or favor from the President of the United States, and this bill will make sure it can't happen.”
“Corruption in government doesn’t start all at once—it grows when leaders believe the rules don’t apply to them,” said Rep. Morelle. “I’m proud to join Ranking Member Raskin and Ranking Member Garcia in introducing the Protecting Our Democracy Act to restore accountability, strengthen oversight, and ensure no president is above the law. At a moment when Donald Trump and his allies continue to test the limits of our democracy for their own political gain, Democrats are fighting to protect the checks and balances that safeguard the American people.”
“Since returning to office, Donald Trump has accelerated the process of tearing down our system of checks and balances and weakening our democracy,” said Senator Schiff. “His presidency at its core has been about consolidating power and eroding the rule of law, to enrich himself, his family and friends. When his tenure in the Oval Office comes to an end, we must reinforce the separation of powers and ensure that no President can again bring us so close to one-man rule. I am proud to have led this legislation as both a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and now in the Senate, and I’m glad to have Congressman Jamie Raskin—a champion of democracy—join me in this effort.”
“Trump’s pay-to-play presidency putting his personal self-enrichment ahead of lowering costs for everyday Americans demands accountability and reform,” said Lisa Gilbert, Co-President, Public Citizen. “The President’s norm-breaking and illegal actions have shown us all that he believes he is unfettered by and above the law. Americans deserve a government bound by law, not enemies lists, as well as constitutional protections that secure justice beyond the reach of any single administration. The Protecting our Democracy Act—which has been put forth during both Republican and Democratic administrations alike— would reign in an out-of-control executive and begin to rebuild the shattered public trust our democracy requires to function.”
“For too long, Congress has given away too much power to the executive branch and the American people have suffered as a result. We’re currently seeing unprecedented abuses of presidential authority as the Trump Administration uses the vast powers of government to enrich themselves and attack their perceived opponents,” said Justin Vail, Counsel and Head of the Washington Office at Protect Democracy. “The Protecting Our Democracy Act is an important step towards reining in executive overreach and ensuring that government serves the people, regardless of who the president is.”
"We now all know how fragile our democracy really is," said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). "President Trump's return to the Oval Office has been marked by unchecked abuses of presidential power and the destruction of the institutions meant to protect American values and security. From the weaponization of the Department of Justice to the destruction of the civil service and manipulation of government functions to line the pocketbooks of this administration's allies, the need for democracy reform has never been greater. That is why CREW is proud to enthusiastically endorse the re-introduction of the Protecting our Democracy Act (PODA). PODA isn't only about the abuses of Donald Trump—it is about ensuring no president, including the current one, can destroy our democracy on a whim. CREW urges Congress to swiftly pass this legislation as a necessary first step to repairing our democracy."
“Now more than ever it is critical to strengthen democratic guardrails and institutions,” said Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Acting Vice-President of Policy and Government Affairs at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO). “Corruption and abuse of power are running rampant right now. Gaps and weaknesses in the law are part of the reason for that. The strong, commonsense reforms contained in the Protecting Our Democracy Act are precisely what this country needs at this essential moment in our history. Rep. Raskin and his colleagues should be commended for introducing this vital legislation and congressional leadership should move swiftly to pass it and send it to the president’s desk.”
The Protecting our Democracy Act will:
- Codify constitutional prohibitions on foreign and domestic emoluments to prevent the President from profiting off foreign influence or public office at the expense of the American people.
- Increase transparency surrounding the Executive Branch’s implementation of spending laws, prevent the politicization of the civil service and strengthen protections for whistleblowers who play a crucial role in Congressional oversight by exposing wrongdoing, often at great personal and professional risk.
- Protect elections from foreign interference, require presidential candidates to submit their tax returns to the Federal Election Commission and increase disclosure requirements for online political advertisements.
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Prohibits the President from accepting, including through a Presidentially owned business, payments from pardon recipients or presidential appointees to prevent corrupt “pay-to-play" schemes (and prohibits said individuals from making such payments).