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House Judiciary Subcommittee Hears Competing Views on Bill Letting Federal Officials Move State Cases to Federal Court
Summary
Witnesses, members and witnesses debated a proposal to expand the federal-officer removal statute and create an immunity pathway for presidents, vice presidents and other federal officials, with proponents urging change to stop partisan prosecutions and opponents warning the measure would undercut federalism and exceed constitutional limits.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government held a hearing on legislative proposals intended to curb so-called "lawfare" — the use of civil or criminal proceedings to harass political opponents — focusing on a bill described by proponents as the "Promptly Ending Political Prosecutions and Executive Retaliation Act of 2025." Subcommittee members and expert witnesses debated whether Congress should expand the federal-officer removal statute to allow current and former federal officials, including presidents and vice presidents, to move state cases to federal court and whether to codify a form of immunity for official acts.
Proponents said the bill would protect federal officials from politically motivated prosecutions. "I have three suggestions for your consideration to curb state lawfare targeting federal officials," said witness George Terwilliger, a former U.S. attorney and deputy attorney general, urging Congress to amend the removal statute to expressly cover former officials, broaden…
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