In an unprecedented move, a group of twelve influential Republican lawyers who served in the administrations of former Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush have publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in her race against former President Donald Trump. Their endorsement, detailed in a letter released on Friday, underscores the growing rift within the Republican Party as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
The letter, first shared with Fox News Digital, emphasizes the signatories’ deep concerns over the potential consequences of a Trump presidency. “We endorse Kamala Harris and support her election as President because we believe that returning former President Trump to office would threaten American democracy and undermine the rule of law in our country,” the lawyers wrote.
This endorsement comes just a day after Vice President Harris delivered a powerful acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, marking a pivotal moment in her campaign. The Republican lawyers, many of whom held senior legal positions in previous GOP administrations, urged Americans across the political spectrum to prioritize the nation’s well-being over party loyalty. “We urge all patriotic Republicans, former Republicans, conservative and center-right citizens, and independent voters to place love of country above party and ideology and join us in supporting Kamala Harris,” the letter states.
The signatories include notable figures such as Michael Luttig, a retired federal appeals court judge and a respected right-of-center legal scholar who served as assistant counsel to the president during the Reagan administration. Luttig, who had already made headlines earlier in the week by endorsing Harris, is joined by other prominent legal minds from past Republican administrations.
The letter does not mince words in its critique of Trump, highlighting the profound risks the lawyers believe his return to office would pose. “Donald Trump’s own Vice President and multiple members of his Administration and White House Staff at the most senior levels – as well as former Republican nominees for President and Vice President – have already declined to endorse his reelection,” the letter notes.
The lawyers’ concerns are rooted in Trump’s actions following his 2020 election loss to President Biden. “Trump’s attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after losing the election proved beyond any reasonable doubt his willingness to place his personal interests above the law and values of our constitutional democracy,” they argue. They further criticize former Republican officials who, despite condemning Trump, are reluctant to support Harris, stressing that the election presents a “binary choice” and that Trump is “utterly disqualified.”
The letter also alludes to the multiple legal challenges Trump has faced, which have only solidified his support among many Republican voters. Despite these challenges, Trump secured the GOP nomination for the 2024 election, outpacing over a dozen challengers, including former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
The Harris campaign has strategically targeted Republican voters disillusioned with Trump, a tactic that was evident during the Democratic convention in Chicago. Among the Republicans who have publicly supported Harris are former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger.
Trump’s influence has dramatically reshaped the Republican Party since his initial presidential run in 2016, shifting it from a traditionally conservative base to one dominated by populist MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters. The lawyers who signed the letter represent a faction of the GOP that remains committed to the party’s pre-Trump values.
Besides Luttig, the letter’s signatories include a distinguished list of legal professionals who served in previous Republican administrations, such as John B. Bellinger III, Senior Associate Counsel to the President under George W. Bush, and Alan Charles Raul, Associate Counsel to the President under Reagan and General Counsel under Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
As the 2024 election draws nearer, this endorsement by a dozen Republican legal heavyweights adds a significant dimension to the ongoing political battle, highlighting the deep divisions within the Republican Party and the broader American electorate.
Credit: FOX News
