Washington, DC – In a statement at the Rose Garden this morning, President Barack Obama responded to the increasing prevalence of special interest pledges by reaffirming that the constitutional oath of office is paramount for elected officials in the United States, saying, “the last time I checked, the only pledge that really matters is the pledge we take to uphold the Constitution.”

Last week, Constitutional Accountability Center launched a new initiative called Constitutional Progressives, and has been urging elected officials to reaffirm their commitment to support the whole Constitution and to place this obligation over any pledges to special interests. In response to the President’s statement today, CAC President Doug Kendall said,

“We are delighted that during Constitution Week, President Obama has reminded all other elected officials in the United States of the paramount importance of their constitutional oath. We hope politicians from across the political spectrum will join the President in pledging to the Constitution, not to Grover Norquist, or to any other pressure group.”

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Resources:

Sen. John Kerry “Dear Colleague” letter celebrating National Constitution Day: http://theusconstitution.org/sites/default/files/briefs/Kerry%20Constitution%20DC.pdf

“Constitutional Progressives: Taking America’s Charter Back From The Tea Party:” http://constitutionalprogressives.org/media/94-constitutional-progressives-taking-americas-charter-back-from-the-tea-party

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Constitutional Accountability Center (www.theusconstitution.org) is a think tank, public interest law firm, and action center dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of the Constitution’s text and history.

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