EJ Haust Says DSA Platform Is ‘Not Compatible’ with U.S. Constitution, Questions Whether Members Can Truthfully Take Congressional Oath

Kaitlin Housler
EJ Haust

EJ Haust, official guest host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, said Republicans should be prepared for an expected legal battle if House Republicans attempt to block Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed candidates from being seated in Congress over questions about whether they can truthfully take the congressional oath of office.

Haust made the remarks during Friday’s show while discussing comments made earlier this week by Newsmax host Tom Basile, who argued Republicans should examine whether lawmakers advocating policies that seek to fundamentally alter the U.S. constitutional system can legally take the oath required of congressional members.

After replaying a portion of Basile’s interview, The Tennessee Star‘s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy summarized the argument that candidates who have publicly called for dismantling the nation’s constitutional republic could not honestly swear to support and defend the Constitution.

Haust agreed and pointed to U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) as an example, arguing that criticism of constitutional structures differs from simply advocating policy changes.

“Even someone like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has said the U.S. system is broken and needs to be changed, but she says it specifically about constitutional things that she doesn’t like. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it needs to be changed,” Haust said.

She added, “It is categorically false to say that the Democratic Socialists of America have a platform that is compatible with the U.S. Constitution.”

Leahy then suggested that if Republicans retain control of the House, Speaker Mike Johnson could refuse to administer the oath of office to DSA-backed lawmakers, predicting such a move would immediately prompt litigation.

Haust acknowledged that lawsuits would be inevitable.

“Of course. But we have to be ready for that,” she said.

Haust argued Republicans should anticipate legal challenges in advance rather than respond after they are filed.

“Unfortunately, we have to be prepared now to fight these battles in the courtroom because that’s all the Democrats know how to do. That is their game plan,” Haust said, adding how she believes the Constitution supports Basile’s argument.

“I think the Constitution is pretty clear, and so I would hope that they would have to,” she said.

As Leahy suggested opponents would likely argue such a refusal violated free speech protections, Haust maintained that lawmakers who advocate eliminating constitutional institutions cannot simultaneously swear to uphold them.

“When they say it’s a living document, we want to change everything about it, you can’t take an oath to uphold it if you also say you want to get rid of it,” Haust said.

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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.

 

 

 

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