The New York City Bar Association lambasted President Donald Trump and his administration Thursday for abuses of power and breaching public trust, including by deploying troops to U.S. cities without justification, attempting to strip citizenship from people born in the U.S. and selling his own meme coins in exchange for private White House visits.
While NYC Bar stopped short of calling for Trump’s impeachment, the city’s attorney trade group said Congress should use its constitutional power to hold the president accountable for misconduct.
The organization detailed its findings in a 33-page report, highlighting six categories of conduct:
- Trump’s deployment of federal troops and federalized National Guard forces into American cities “without lawful justification,” in defiance of both court orders and state and local officials’ objection
- Efforts by the White House to strip citizenship from people born in the U.S.; restrict voting; and suppress free speech
- Attacks on the judiciary’s independence, including vilifying judges, failure to follow court orders and attempting to intimidate private law firms and attorneys whose clients oppose the administration
- Attempts to undermine Congress through military strikes abroad without its authorization; delegating broad powers to the “Department of Government Efficiency;” and rolling back environmental protections, among other efforts
- Compromising national security by using force that contravenes U.S. treaty obligations
- Using the presidency for personal enrichment by supporting the crypto market; selling personal meme coins in exchange for exclusive dinners at Mar-A-Lago and exclusive guided tours of the White House; selling presidential pardons; and accepting a gift airplane from Qatar, among other deals
“It is for Congress, exercising its constitutional role, and for the American people, exercising their democratic right to vote, to determine whether the conduct described herein warrants Congressional oversight, investigation, legislative response, impeachment and removal, or other action,” NYC Bar wrote in an executive summary of its report.
Besides impeachment, the report notes, Congress has the option to increase oversight, formally censure the president or appoint special counsel to investigate the executive office.
“The most potent option available to Congress is impeachment, either of the president or senior officials guilty of misconduct,” the organization wrote.
The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.
