Presidents Should Not Be Kings

August 1, 2024

Presidents Should Not Be Kings

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) today introducedthe No Kings Act, which would reaffirm that presidents and vice presidents do not have legal immunity for actions that violate federal criminal law and clarifies that Congress, not the Supreme Court, determines to whom federal criminal laws may be applied. Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, released the following statement:

"It is critical that we undo the damage caused by the overreaching Supreme Court decision in the presidential immunity case and ensure that no person - including the president - is above the law. We applaud Senator Schumer and the Senate democratic caucus's efforts to undo the decision. The framers of the Constitution never intended the executive branch to be immune from legal recourse, and they would have seen this decision as an invitation for presidents to become tyrants. Congress has an obligation to act as a check and ensure that the president does not become a king."