Immediately after being inaugurated for his second term, President Trump began issuing the first of his 269 (and counting) Executive Orders. The purpose of many of these orders is not in doubt: they are frequently to reward political allies (e.g., pardoning the J6 rioters), to target personal and ideological enemies (e.g., sanctioning the law firm Paul Weiss), and most crucially to wield legislative power that is constitutionally held by Congress (e.g., the establishment of DOGE).

I called Rep. Lynch's office in February 2025 after a series of new orders had come out that illustrated beyond a doubt that the administration had fully embraced overreach and unconstitutionality as a governing strategy. I spoke to one of his staffers and asked what my representative's strategy was to push back against this blatant rule by decree.

The response: "Have you seen what he posted on socials?"

No other strategy was forthcoming and, in the year-and-a-half since, Rep. Lynch has not shown that any will be forthcoming. Posting on socials is not taking action. Rep. Lynch is operating on the back foot, responding to the President rather than standing up as a leader of a co-equal branch of government. I want someone to represent me who promises to use the office to lead the charge for accountability and consequences.

Patrick Roath says he will. Maybe he won't. But I know Stephen Lynch hasn't. I'm voting for Mr. Roath.

Patrick Griffin

Norwood

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