Democratic House: Lawbreakers Or Political Theater?

There have been several accusations of law-breaking by both Democratic and Republican parties in the US House of Representatives. For example, in 2025, a group of congressional Democrats accused Elon Musk and President Donald Trump of attempting to shut down the US Agency for International Development (USAID) illegally. They argued that Trump lacked the constitutional authority to do so without congressional approval. In another instance, Democrats in Minnesota were accused of boycotting the state House of Representatives and attempting to prevent the Republican majority from conducting business. The Democrats' actions were deemed illegal by the state's Supreme Court. On the other hand, House Republicans have criticized Democrats for passing laws such as the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan stimulus package in 2021 and the 2022 climate-health-tax package without a single Republican vote. These actions have been perceived as a potential obstruction of democracy and an overreach of power by the Democratic Party.

The Laken Riley Act

Section 1: Definitions

• "The House" refers to the U.S. House of Representatives.
• "Democratic House" refers to the House under the control of the Democratic Party.
• "Unlawful Action" refers to any action taken by the Democratic House that violates federal, state, or local laws, as well as constitutional provisions.

Section 2: Unlawful Actions

The Democratic House must not engage in any unlawful actions, including but not limited to:

• Violating the constitutional rights of citizens, such as freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and due process.
• Overreaching their legislative powers, such as creating laws that infringe on the powers of the executive or judicial branches.
• Engaging in corruption, bribery, or other unethical practices that undermine the integrity of the House.
• Failing to adhere to established rules and procedures of the House, as outlined in the House Rules and Manual.
• Using their position to obstruct justice, tamper with evidence, or influence witnesses in any investigation or legal proceeding.

Section 3: Consequences and Enforcement

Any unlawful action by the Democratic House will result in the following consequences:

• Impeachment: Members of the Democratic House who engage in unlawful actions shall be subject to impeachment proceedings, following the procedures outlined in the Constitution.
• Legal Recourse: Unlawful actions may result in legal consequences, including civil or criminal charges, depending on the nature and severity of the violation.
• Public Censure: The Democratic House may face public censure, including formal reprimands, loss of privileges, or removal from committee assignments.
• Loss of Public Trust: Unlawful actions can erode public trust in the Democratic House and its ability to effectively represent the people's interests.

Section 4: Preventative Measures

To prevent unlawful actions by the Democratic House, the following measures shall be implemented:

• Increased Oversight: The House Ethics Committee shall actively monitor the activities of the Democratic House and investigate any suspected unlawful actions.
• Mandatory Training: All members of the Democratic House shall undergo comprehensive training on legislative ethics, constitutional law, and the separation of powers.
• Transparency and Disclosure: The Democratic House shall adhere to strict transparency measures, disclosing any potential conflicts of interest, financial holdings, and lobbying activities.
• Public Feedback: The Democratic House shall establish channels for the public to report suspected unlawful actions, with appropriate whistleblower protections in place.

Section 5: Amendments and Review

This Act shall be subject to periodic review and amendment to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. Any proposed amendments must follow the established legislative process, including input from legal scholars, ethics experts, and the public.

Democrats' obstruction of democracy

Democrats have been accused of obstructing democracy in several instances. In 2011, following the election of Republican Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin, every Senate Democrat fled the state for nearly a month so that the body would not have a quorum and could not conduct business. Texas Democrats followed a similar strategy in 2021, when they attempted to block a Republican-sponsored voting reform bill.

In Minnesota, Democrats have been accused of obstructing democracy after the November 2024 election, in which Republicans gained several seats in the state House of Representatives. The tally stood at 67-66 in favor of the GOP, but the Democrats decided not to participate, vowing not to show up for the 2025 House session if they were in the minority. The ongoing boycott has been supported by the Democratic Party machine, including Governor Tim Walz, who issued an illegal order for a special election to replace a Democrat who cheated in the initial election.

At the national level, Democrats have been accused of obstructing President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees by grilling them during confirmation hearings and demanding to know the extent to which they would defy Trump's orders. Democrats have also obstructed Trump's ambassador nominees, with more than two dozen nominees still awaiting confirmation as of January 2018.

Some commentators have criticized the Democrats for their lack of a clear vision and values, accusing them of being "spineless" and failing to provide a meaningful opposition to Trump's agenda.

House Democrats' gun control legislation

In November 2024, House Democrats passed legislation to confront gun violence, including the Protecting Our Kids Act and the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act. These bills include a comprehensive package of gun violence prevention proposals to reduce gun deaths and help prevent mass casualty shootings.

The Protecting Our Kids Act would make a significant difference in combating gun violence by:

• Raising the purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 years old
• Cracking down on gun trafficking and straw purchases to get illegal guns off the streets
• Subjecting ghost gun purchases to background check requirements
• Strengthening safe storage requirements to protect children from accidental shootings
• Closing the bump stock loophole to ban these deadly tools from civilian use
• Outlawing high-capacity magazines, which are designed for killing en masse and have been used in the bloodiest mass shootings
• Requiring an annual report of demographic data of those being determined to be ineligible to purchase guns

The Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act is designed to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others by implementing a nationwide extreme risk law and encouraging states to enact their own extreme risk laws.

In addition to these bills, the House Democrats have also introduced and supported other gun control legislation. For example, they have twice passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act, which would secure universal background checks for all gun purchases. They have also voted to reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban and create an AMBER Alert-style warning during shootings. Furthermore, they have introduced the Stop Militarizing Our Streets Act of 2024 to prohibit the Department of Defense (DoD) owned manufacturing plants and contractors from selling military-grade assault weapons and ammunition to civilians.

In September 2022, Maine’s First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and House Democrats passed a robust public safety package to prevent crime, save lives, and serve justice. The package included four bills: the bipartisan Invest to Protect Act (H.R. 6448), the Mental Health Justice Act (H.R. 8542), the Break the Cycle of Violence Act (H.R. 4118), and the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act (H.R. 5768). These bills provide important tools and resources to help protect communities, fund evidence-based violence prevention programs, and support mental health response teams.

Republican control of the House

Republicans regained control of the House in the 2022 elections, winning a slim majority. This marked the largest shift of power to the Republicans since the 1930s. As of January 2025, the GOP holds at least 218 seats in the House, while the Democrats hold 212.

The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together, they form the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The House is charged with the passage of federal legislation, or bills, and has several exclusive powers, including initiating all revenue bills, impeaching federal officers, and electing the president if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the Electoral College.

The House meets in the south wing of the United States Capitol. The rules of the House generally address a two-party system, with a majority party in government and a minority party in opposition. The presiding officer is the speaker of the House, who is elected by the members. The speaker is second in the line of presidential succession after the vice president.

The majority party in the House is currently the Republican Party, with the next-largest party, the Democratic Party, serving as the minority. The speaker, committee chairs, and some other officials are generally from the majority party. The minority party also elects a floor leader, known as the minority leader, who heads their party in the House.

The House's composition was established by Article One of the United States Constitution. Members of the House serve a fixed term of two years, with each seat up for election before the start of the next Congress. Special elections also occur when a seat is vacated early.

The House has the power to expel a member with a two-thirds vote. In the history of the United States, only six members have been expelled from the House.

House Republicans' criticism of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan

House Republicans have been divided over how to pay for President Donald Trump's sweeping $6 trillion tax-cut agenda, with hardline conservatives determined to reduce the federal deficit, which is approaching $2 trillion. With a narrow 218-215 House majority, they need near-total unity to pass the fiscal 2025 budget resolution, which will be key to enacting Trump's agenda.

Some House Republicans worry that the spending cuts needed to offset the cost of Trump's tax cuts may not be achievable, and that House Speaker Mike Johnson's leadership team may not be able to balance the books. They also need to decide whether to include an increase in the federal government's debt ceiling, which must be done by the end of the year to avoid a default.

Hardline conservatives, including the House Freedom Caucus, are demanding dramatic spending cuts to address the nation's more than $36 trillion debt. Representative Michael Cloud of the House Freedom Caucus said:

> "We've got to have a course correction, and it's got to be dramatic."

Some House Republicans are also concerned that up to $200 billion in proposed additional funding for the Pentagon could be used to address the deficit.

The House Budget Committee circulated a 50-page menu of proposals to reduce the deficit, including repealing green energy tax credits and the federal home mortgage interest deduction. However, these proposals face opposition from some House and Senate conservatives.

House Republicans are also divided over how to fund Trump's border wall and increased military spending. They are hoping to use reconciliation to pass a broad swath of Trump's policy goals, but this requires near-total unity within the party.

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