Editor, Gazette-Journal:

“Article I, Section 9, Clause 2: The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.”

“Habeas Corpus” means ‘you should have the body,’ meaning government must have clearly defined reasons to detain a person, with that person present in front of a judge so the accused can challenge the legality of their detention. There must be a “body of evidence” supporting the claim against them. Evidence must be factual and provable. This is due process.

The current administration, including the Oval Office, the majority members of Congress, members of the Cabinet, and Project 2025 authors who’ve been seeded throughout the upper levels of our government, is lobbying to suspend the Writ, which has been common law since 1166 and foundational to the Bill of Rights.

Removing the “Privilege” of the Writ will remove the rights of citizens, non-citizens, and States currently in the Bill of Rights. Removal of your right to be able to speak in your own defense, enable provision of evidence and present witnesses is how we defend ourselves in civil society. Without the rule of law, we devolve into anarchy.

Without the Writ, without the Bill of Rights, our Constitution begins to fail because the rights of the people represented will not be supported.

When asked if he should support the Constitutional right to due process under the law, the President replied, “I don’t know.” Is he violating his oath of office to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” or is he stating it’s beyond his Ability to do so?

We the People have the responsibility to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. If those we’ve elected to represent us are unable or refuse to fulfill their oath of office, then they must be removed from office.

Sarajane Troxel
Gloucester, Va.