Press Release: 2025-02-12 00:00:00
Statement from BBA President Matthew V.P. McTygue
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Richard M Page Jr.
BBA/BBF Executive Director
Over the past three weeks, our 236-year-old constitutional system of governance has strained under the weight of executive orders and directives from the new Administration, many of which undermine—if not violate—norms, laws, and the Constitution:
1. Acts that circumvent Congress’s constitutional authority to legislate and appropriate, including an attempt to withhold funds allocated in the budget process and to refuse to enforce or abide by previously enacted laws.
2. An executive order that purports to rewrite the Constitution through what a federal judge has already deemed a blatant misreading of the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship.
3. The removal of 17 inspectors general at a variety of federal agencies, in apparent contravention of the statute governing them, thereby removing independent watchdogs overseeing the conduct of government.
This list is not comprehensive. It grows each day, disrupting the lives and well-being of countless people in Massachusetts, in our country and around the globe. The ongoing closures of institutions and summary removal of government officials, including at the DOJ, demonstrate a lack of regard for, if not outright hostility to, the rules and processes that we as lawyers view as integral to the rule of law and the health of our constitutional democracy. Equally troubling, Administration officials have indicated they may disregard court orders, directly undermining the judiciary’s role as a coequal branch of government. These actions test the checks and balances that keep our government, its separate branches, and their leaders accountable to the public and each other.
When we took our oath to become lawyers, each of us swore to support and defend the Constitutions of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the United States. That oath is not a mere formality; it is the foundation of our profession. Today, the rule of law itself is in peril and it is our duty to defend it —whether it’s through supporting our legal community, volunteering our time, or committing to the small, everyday steps that make a difference. The Boston Bar Association is ready to help you make an impact and stand up for the values we hold dear.