WaPo Board Calls For Trump-Proofing Insurrection Act

From the editorial board of the Washington Post:

Having gone unused since 1992, the Insurrection Act is perhaps obscure to the public today. It deserves more attention, given that there could be a second term for former president Donald Trump, who not only lacks respect for democratic norms but also actively encouraged a mob to descend on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The law grants a president the power to “take such measures as he considers necessary” to suppress “any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy.” It does not define those terms. Nor does it require the president to get permission from state leaders.

The best vehicle would be an amendment to the must-pass national defense reauthorization bill, as Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.) have discussed. It would be wise to modernize this law even if there were no chance of Mr. Trump’s election. Since there is a chance, it seems essential.

Read the full editorial. Gift link here.

There’s still time for Congress to Trump-proof the Insurrection Act
A dormant law is a ticking time bomb ripe for abuse. But there are easy fixes that can be bipartisan.
Opinion by the Editorial Boardhttps://t.co/V6l5My8LlP

— Barton Gellman (@bartongellman) May 5, 2024