Dear Friends –
Many of you reached out to my office this week in response to the President’s social media messages on Easter and Monday regarding the war with Iran. I want you to know that I hear your concerns, I share them, and I take them seriously. President Trump has repeatedly exceeded the powers of his office, showing a reckless disregard for constitutional limits and the rule of law.
His latest statements, openly proposing actions that could amount to war crimes and suggesting the destruction of an entire civilization, have crossed a line that cannot be ignored. I am not ignoring these threats or the concerns you’ve shared with me, but my power to do anything is the same as every other citizen. Only the Vice President and Cabinet can invoke the 25th Amendment, and only Congress has the power to pass a War Powers Resolution to end the conflict.
Yesterday, House Republicans blocked a Democratic effort to limit President Donald Trump's ability to continue the war. Senate Democrats are expected to push for a vote on a similar resolution next week.
If you are concerned about what’s happening, I urge you to continue contacting your federal representatives, continue demanding action, and urge the Cabinet, the House, and the Senate to show courage and do what is right, not what is easy. Your advocacy is essential.
In my role, I am continuing my efforts to push back against federal overreach that directly impacts Pennsylvanians. Including my legislation to require federal law enforcement, including ICE, to follow the same rules as state and local police at polling places, to ensure that every voter can cast their ballot free from intimidation or interference.
At every level, this work is about protecting rights, defending democratic institutions, and ensuring that government is accountable to the people. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to contact my office this week. Please continue to stay engaged, speak out, and make your voices heard, especially with your federal representatives during this critical moment.
On a brighter note, I am proud to share that my House Bill 1247 passed out of committee by a vote of 16–10. This legislation confronts a serious and well-documented flaw in our criminal justice system: deceptive interrogation tactics too often produce false confessions, particularly among vulnerable populations.
House Bill 1247 would prohibit law enforcement from knowingly using deception during custodial interrogations of individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism and establishes a presumption that any confession obtained through those tactics is inadmissible in court, while still allowing judges to consider the totality of the circumstances.
While many struggle to believe that someone would confess to a crime they did not commit, it happens—and it happens far too often, with devastating consequences. Across the country, more than 360 wrongful convictions later overturned by DNA evidence have involved false confessions.
One of the most well-known examples is the Central Park Five, teenagers who were subjected to hours of interrogation, misled by law enforcement, and pressured into confessing to a crime they did not commit. Those false confessions cost them years of their lives.
The risks of false confessions by individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism are even greater. These individuals are often more vulnerable to suggestion, confusion, and coercion, making them significantly more likely to provide false or unreliable statements under pressure.
The bill is not about limiting law enforcement’s ability to do their job. In fact, many experts and training organizations have moved away from deceptive tactics because they are unreliable. Proven, non-deceptive interrogation methods are more effective at eliciting truthful information and building stronger cases.
This bill is also about accountability and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars. According to the Department of Corrections, the detention of individuals with autism and intellectual or developmental disabilities costs taxpayers millions annually.
The Department’s creation of a Neurodevelopmental Residential Treatment Unit underscores that we recognize these individuals have unique needs. That recognition should extend to every stage of the justice system, including interrogation.
At its core, HB 1247 is about fairness, accuracy, and public safety. False confessions do not just harm innocent individuals; they allow the real perpetrators to remain free. As legislators, we have a responsibility to ensure that our justice system produces reliable outcomes, especially for those who are most vulnerable. I will continue working to move this bill forward in the House.