What makes me human scum? Evidently, a belief in enduring American ideals, like the rule of law and the value of a free press. A belief in a system of governance that enshrines the principle of checks and balances in our Constitution—a system in which Congress and the judiciary serve as limits on authoritarian executive overreach.

Many conservative lawyers have been too quiet for too long. Now, in the wake of recent revelations, it is all the more important for us to speak up: First, to make our concerns and objections to Trump—already felt among conservatives devoted to the rule of law—more public, and second, to make sure that crucial legal principles do not get swamped in the counterreaction to Trump.

So I gladly step forward to reaffirm important American norms. To paraphrase the mission statement of Checks and Balances: I believe in the rule of law, the power of truth, the imperative of individual rights, and the necessity of civil discourse. I believe these principles apply regardless of the party or persons in power. I believe in “a government of laws, not of men.” I believe in free speech, a free press, separation of powers, and limited government.