West Virginia AG leads group in urging Biden to show restraint
(The Center Square) – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey put new President Joe Biden on notice when it comes to federal overreach and state’s rights.
In a letter Morrisey wrote with five other state attorneys general, Morrisey and the others urged Biden to stick close to the U.S. Constitution when it comes to his policies and priorities.
“The President cannot cut constitutional corners or shirk statutory strictures without inevitably doing more harm to our country than good,” Morrisey led in writing. “The foundations of our republic and American life are embedded within our Constitution’s carefully crafted design. Accordingly, today by this letter we respectfully urge you when pursing your policy priorities to honor the core constitutional tenets which should be appreciated and respected by every person entrusted with the honor and burdens of the presidency.”
The six-page letter pressed Biden to respect individual constitutional rights and limit the federal government and president’s power. In particular, the attorneys general focused on religious liberty and gun rights.
“Rights enshrined in the Constitution are not up for debate. Yet two of those fundamental rights have been under assault in recent years – the right to free exercise of religion and the right to keep and bear arms,” the letter read. “We strenuously urge you to respect these rights as President.”
The group expressed concern that Biden used his first week in office to issue executive orders and act unilaterally, rather than create unity.
“We are concerned, however, that your first week as President appears to indicate your Administration may be following the unfortunate path of executive unilateralism,” the letter read. “We respectfully submit that unity requires more restraint, cooperation and consensus than the first days of your Administration have demonstrated.”
Challenging what he calls federal overreach isn’t new to Morrisey, who also took issue with some of former President Barack Obama’s actions. Morrisey led an effort to successfully block Obama’s Clean Power Plan and Waters of the United States rule.
According to a news release from Morrisey, the move to stop those policies saved an “untold number of jobs.”
Attorneys general from Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana and Texas joined Morrisey in signing the letter.
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