The elephant in the room that nobody dares mention
Articles
From the President’s Desk
The elephant in the room that nobody dares mention
As an age-old expression, “the elephant in the room” is a metaphorical idiom frequently used to describe an obvious problem or issue that everyone is plainly aware of but prefers not to discuss for fear of stirring controversy, causing embarrassment, or ruffling a few feathers.
In recent weeks, it seems that our collective “room” has been overrun by elephants that threaten to crush the Constitution, destroy the rule of law, and upend the world order unless we as a society decide to say enough is enough.
If all that sounds like mere hyperbole, then consider the fact that the current presidential administration has waged a frontal assault on virtually all federal agencies, slashing thousands of jobs and defunding programs that protect our health, the environment, and our educational system. The President has done so with the help of the world’s richest man – acting like an unelected “co-president” – who has boasted about putting certain federal agencies “through the woodchipper.”
Among those agencies reeling from the cuts is the National Park Service, whose ranks have been decimated by mass firings on the eve of the busy travel season when millions of visitors are expected to visit the Grand Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, Yellowstone, and other iconic American treasures. In short, good luck trying to find a park ranger or a tour guide – or a clean restroom facility – this year.
And that’s just for starters, as the President – as promised – has devoted much of his attention on provoking a constitutional crisis by undercutting the separation of powers that is at the heart of our system of government. His executive edicts now fuel government policy – even when they lack a legal or constitutional basis.
A flashpoint occurred recently when the Trump administration ignored a federal judge’s order not to deport a group of Venezuelans, contending that the jurist had no authority on matters involving national security and that he should be impeached, describing the judge on social media as a “Radical Left Lunatic.”
The comment prompted a response from Chief Justice John Roberts, who pushed back at any impeachment effort.
“For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” the Chief Justice said. “The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.”
The statement from the Chief Justice was welcomed by all who cherish our justice system and served as a much-needed show of strength against attempts to subvert the rule of law and to lay waste to the legal process.
Lawyers Defending American Democracy (LDAD), a Massachusetts-based organization, has been at the forefront of efforts to preserve the judicial guardrails that ensure our representative form of government.
“And now we are seeing an unprecedented strike against the only sector that can hold lawless behavior to account: the legal profession,” officials from the LDAD recently wrote. “The baseless and unconstitutional attacks against law firms and judges are an affront not just to the profession, but to a country that relies on the justice system to work.
“Lawyers must now choose between silence or action,” the LDAD noted. “Their decision will affect the course of history.”
In a recent article addressing the many ways that the tsunami of executive actions has undermined the Constitution and the rule of law, LDAD Board member Kelly Sheridan wrote: “Tragically, for our country, the President has intentionally chosen to pursue his agenda in a manner that is unconstitutional or unlawful. The risk to our democracy is compounded by Congressional complicity and inaction.”
Primerus attorneys have the opportunity to make their opinions known at a pair of upcoming meetings that can serve as watershed moments in the history of our organization.
The 2025 Primerus Defense Institute Convocation will take place April 10-12 at the Omni Amelia Island Resort north of Jacksonville, Fla. Three weeks later, the Primerus Business Law Institute International Summit will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta from May 1-3. Both events will bring together members and clients who can share their thoughts on the current legal landscape.
Registration is still open for both meetings, and we strongly encourage each Primerus firm to send a representative for the good of the legal profession.
As lawyers, we use words to resolve conflicts and to diffuse troubling situations such as what we are experiencing now.
In this day and age, there are now words that have been deemed inappropriate, terms such as “diversity” and “inclusion.” The word “equity” has survived the verbal onslaught but only if it is attached to such terms as “fund” and “partner.” Geographically speaking, “Mexico” – as in the Gulf of – has been banished from our daily lexicon by the stroke of the presidential pen. It won’t take long for the letters “A.P.” – which is short for Associated Press – to be banned from daily usage, just as the storied news organization has been blocked from attending White House press briefings because of its continued usage of the “Gulf of Mexico.” Pettiness has reached a new and particularly dangerous level.
This is the state of modern-day America, as envisioned by the new political order in Washington, D.C. It is a place where countries that traditionally have been our loyal allies are now subject to crippling tariffs that could spark a potential trade war, wreaking havoc on the world economy. Is it any wonder that those residing in Canada – which is being eyed as America’s “51st state” – are aghast at such treatment, retaliating by cancelling trips to the U.S., boycotting American goods, and even booing our national anthem at sporting events?
Is this the kind of nation we aspire to be – a vindictive villain on the world stage?
For those of us who think not, it’s time to make your presence known, to stand up for the principles of honesty and integrity in government, otherwise your silence is just as telling as the continued attempts to cripple our justice system.
Best regards,
Jack Buchanan, President