The GOP is Stripping Judges of Power to Enforce Contempt of Court in Reconciliation

Phone scripts and emails to demand we not give a free pass to lawlessness and Trump's abuses

Contact all members of Congress:

• By phone: (202) 224-3121

• By email: Congress.gov

• By US mail: Representatives / Senators

• By fax: Representatives / Senators

• By Resistbot: Resist.bot

Image courtesy of @Arty-San on Bluesky

The nonprofit killer isn’t the only authoritarian weapon the GOP is cramming into their reconciliation bill. As flagged by

Walter Olson

and Notre Dame law professor Sam Bray, the House Judiciary Committee added a provision banning federal judges from enforcing contempt of court rulings over a wide range of court orders.

This measure, Section 70302, comes as the administration repeatedly defies the judiciary and at least two federal judges are actively suggesting they’ll hold Trump officials in contempt. Instead of standing up against Trump’s dictatorial power grabs, Republicans like Jim Jordan are trying to make it harder for those who believe in democracy to stop him.

This is an affront to the rule of law and to checks and balances, a free pass for Trump to act like a king. Let’s reach out to our members of Congress and demand it be removed. We can find scripts and language to use here, or send this message via Resistbot by texting SIGN PFJMNX to 50409.

Last updated 6/4/25.

PHONE SCRIPTS

You can find your rep’s contact info here. Please adjust, add, and reword as you would see fit - you will be most effective speaking in your own words!

Hi, my name is _________, and I’m a constituent from (city, zip). (If voicemail, leave street address).

I am calling to demand _________ act to remove bans on federal judges enforcing contempt of court rulings from the reconciliation bill. Section 70302 is a free pass to lawlessness and defies fundamental American principles.

(FOR SENATORS): It must be challenged and removed under the Byrd Rule.

(FOR GOP SENATORS, ADD): And you must let leadership know you will not vote for this bill if it’s included.

(END CALL OR GO ON TO:)

This is very simple. In this country if you lose in court you don’t just get to ignore it. You obey judicial orders, especially if you’re part of the government, or you pay the price. We have a president who thinks he’s a king and judges shouldn’t be able to enforce the law or the Constitution if it’s inconvenient to him. Section 70302 is meant to let him get away with it. It cannot go forward.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

EMAIL LANGUAGE

You can either send this message through the standard congressional email system, or forward it direct to your members of Congress by texting SIGN PFJMNX to 50409.

I am one of the eight in ten Americans who believes that if a federal court rules the White House has done something illegal, the administration must accept the judiciary’s ruling and stop its illegal acts. Checks and balances among the three branches of government have been a fundamental principle in this nation since its founding.

Section 70302 of the Judiciary Committee’s section of the reconciliation bill, the ban on federal judges enforcing contempt of court rulings over a wide range of court orders, is an attack on that principle and gives a free pass to lawlessness. It must be removed, and I am calling on you to take whatever action is necessary to ensure it is.

We have a president who thinks he is a king and he may ignore the law and the Constitution when they are inconvenient to him. Section 70302 is written to allow him to get away with it. It is un-American and it cannot go forward.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

---