Discover video-sourced quotes by politicians

Ed Case: “Abuse of power to intimidate opponents and leverage others…”

Featuring: Ed Case, Democratic | U.S. House Hawaii, 1st Congressional District

@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law

Published September 29, 2025 | Video Starts at 20:39

And he agreed, and the next day he was fired. Now, I think that's contrary to the foundations of our country. Abuse of power to intimidate opponents and leverage others to fall in line. We've seen this repeatedly. We saw this over the weekend with, with the Federal Communications Commission. (20:39–20:44)

CLAIM

Asserts that there is an abuse of power to intimidate opponents and force compliance.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

Discover more from

Ed Case

“We got rid of all those inspectors general under this president.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 16:38-16:42
“The press is now excluded largely from covering the Defense Department.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 21:13-21:18
“We've seen over 406 lawsuits to date against the administration federal court now.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 23:43-23:49
“The administration has lost most of these [lawsuits].”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 23:58-24:02
“The rule of law is a durable system of laws, institutions, norms, and community commitment that delivers four universal principles…”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 06:02-06:16
“The system itself survives, and it has survived for 250 years.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 06:36-06:40
“Congress makes our laws.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 08:54-08:57
“The President executes our laws and has other very specific powers, including Commander in Chief of our Armed services.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 08:56-09:03
“The Supreme Court and the federal courts are the final decider on whether Congress or the President are following the Constitution and laws.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 09:03-09:12
“All of the leaders of our country swear to abide by the rule of law.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 09:34-09:39
“My first role is to support and defend the Constitution.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 10:40-10:44
“Congress is not the President. It is independent of the President. It is not a subsidiary branch of government.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 11:02-11:09
“My loyalty is to the Constitution, to the country and to my constituents, and not to any particular president.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 11:17-11:25
“I believe that this president is not complying with the rule of law in our country.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 13:11-13:16
“The president commenced eliminating some federal agencies, significantly eroding other federal agencies and curtailing funding across the…”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 14:45-14:56
“Billions and billions of dollars, much of which impacted us very severely here in Hawaii.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 14:55-15:00
“The president is trying to [withhold already appropriated funds] right now. This is referred to as a pocket rescission.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 15:35-15:47
“This has now gone up to the U.S. Supreme Court.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 15:47-15:47
“The firing or the attempted firing of those officials, I believe is contrary to the rule of law.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 17:48-17:55
“This President has consistently flaunted federal orders.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 18:11-18:17
“The Department of Justice has clearly now been substantially co-opted by this President.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 19:29-19:53
“Removal of dissenting or independent opinions... where board members speak up, they're fired.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 19:59-20:14
“The press is significantly restricted from covering the State Department.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 21:17-21:21
“The press is crowded out, at least dissenting opinions from the White House press conference.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 21:20-21:27
“This is coordinated across government to maximize power in the executive branch generally.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 21:51-21:57
“President Trump specifically to eliminate dissent and independent voices and to neuter Congress and the federal courts.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 21:56-22:05
“The federal courts are really the only real check and balance currently.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 23:40-23:44
“Some of these [lawsuits] are on their way up to the Supreme Court if not already decided in the Supreme Court.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 24:02-24:08
“Birthright citizenship, that should have been a no brainer. Whether you like it or not, it's in the Constitution.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 24:17-24:24
“The vote on Congress is next year. And certainly in the midterms.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 24:51-24:56
“There's no plausible legal argument for [Trump to run for a third term].”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 30:00-30:04
“For him to gain a third term, it would either be a complete overturning of our, the foundations of our, of our country, including our…”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 30:06-30:27
“Countries like us have fallen. We sometimes think as the United States that because we've been around 250 years and because we just, you…”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 30:55-31:06
“Hitler took power through a vote. It wasn't like he took over government. He got a foothold and then he started to expand it through the…”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 33:20-33:35
“We have to reject [political violence].”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 33:51-33:53
“We've certainly seen some gaps in our ethics and ownership and financial interest laws governing public officials.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 36:00-36:14
“The Supreme Court needs a code of ethics because we are too often losing faith in the Supreme Court.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 36:40-36:58
“Congress authorizes programs, sets the conditions for those programs, locks it into law with the President's signature.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 40:09-40:20
“My appropriations Committee...has control of all federal spending.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 40:28-40:33
“We divide the federal government up into 12 buckets...one bill or measure for the Department of Defense and the intelligence community.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 40:56-41:01
“The federal government is not funding programs that are funded by law.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 42:26-42:31
“NOAA programs are being eliminated, and NOAA personnel laid off.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 45:21-45:31
“The Mauna Loa Observatory is facing significant curtailment.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 45:31-45:54
“Minority disadvantage programs are at risk and facing cuts.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 45:53-46:05
“Native Hawaiian programs have been targeted for cuts.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 47:55-48:05
“Social services programs are particularly hard hit by underfunding.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 48:12-48:20
“Congress passed and the President either signed them or his veto got overridden to create these Independent agencies to insulate them from…”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 52:47-52:59
“In the case of the FCC, Federal Communications Commission, which regulates broadcast licenses in this country, the reason for the…”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 52:58-53:19
“I fear the most is an acceptance of a highly expansive view of executive power and a marginalization of legislative power.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 57:25-57:38
“Legislatures are just far closer to the people. They're capable of compromise.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 57:41-57:47
“It's harder to abuse power inside a legislature because you got 535 voting members of Congress.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 57:47-57:53
“I hope I go back, because if I go back, it's because we avoided shutting down this government.”
@RepEdCase testifies at Hawai'i Senate hearing on Trump admin threat to rule of law | Uploaded September 29, 2025 | 59:15-59:20