Degradation of American values demands dramatic Democratic response

In a blistering condemnation of what she calls “a grotesque parody of presidential power,” progressive firebrand and former U.S. Senate candidate Lisa McCormick today denounced Donald Trump’s announcement that he would award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the architect of his failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

McCormick, who nearly upset disgraced former US Senator Bob Menendez in the 2018 Democratic primary, characterized the award as “a medal for treasonous behavior” that fundamentally degrades the value of America’s highest civilian honor.

“Donald Trump is awarding America’s highest civilian honor to a man who orchestrated the most dangerous attack on American democracy since the Civil War—a convicted liar, disgraced attorney, and election saboteur who peddled conspiracy theories that put election workers’ lives at risk,” said McCormick. “This isn’t just inappropriate; it’s a deliberate middle finger to every American who believes in the rule of law.”

McCormick’s comments reference Giuliani’s recent disbarment in New York and Washington, D.C., for his unethical behavior during Trump’s failed legal challenges to the 2020 election results, as well as his $148 million liability for defaming two Georgia election workers.

Giuliani’s law license was revoked after courts found he had “knowingly and intentionally” spread lies about widespread voter fraud that multiple judges determined had no basis in fact.

“The Presidential Medal of Freedom should honor those who strengthen our democracy, not those who try to burn it down for personal power,” McCormick continued. “Giuliani didn’t defend America—he attacked its foundational principles by trying to disenfranchise millions of voters and overturn a free and fair election.”

McCormick saved particular fury for what she called the “spineless, do-nothing strategy” of establishment Democrats who have failed to mount meaningful opposition to Trump’s normalization of corruption and authoritarianism.

“While Trump rewards his cronies for their loyalty to his authoritarian agenda, Democratic leaders are asleep at the wheel—waiting for some mythical future election to save us rather than using every tool at their disposal to fight back now,” McCormick said. “We have military occupations in American cities, rampant illegality emanating from the White House, and now a medal for the architect of the election subversion plot—and where is the urgent response from Democratic leadership?”

McCormick pointed to emerging primary challenges against aging Democratic incumbents as evidence of growing grassroots fury with the party’s establishment wing.

“A new generation of Democrats understands that we cannot simply wait our turn while democracy is dismantled before our eyes,” she stated, referencing primary challenges against long-term Democrats like Jerry Nadler and David Scott.

The timing of Trump’s announcement—just days after Giuliani was hospitalized following a car accident in New Hampshire—raised additional suspicions from McCormick, who suggested it was a calculated political move rather than a genuine honor.

“Let’s be clear: this medal isn’t about honoring public service,” McCormick said. “It’s about rewarding loyalty to Trump’s authoritarian agenda and creating a distraction from the administration’s failures—including gas prices that remain historically high despite White House claims to the contrary.”

Gas prices, with an average of $3.21 per gallon, remain a sore spot for Americans also bogged down by inflation on groceries, housing costs, and healthcare.

McCormick noted that while Trump boasts about his record, many Americans are struggling with a chaotic economy, food insecurity, and soaring costs for other essentials like housing and healthcare.

McCormick argued that bestowing the medal on Giuliani represents a new low in Trump’s pattern of degrading American institutions and values:

1. Celebrating Lawlessness: “This award celebrates a man who systematically violated the ethical standards of his profession and encouraged threats against election workers.”

2. Rewarding Corruption: “Giuliani isn’t a patriot—he’s a perfect example of the corruption and moral bankruptcy that defines Trump’s inner circle.”

3. Attacking Democracy: “The same man who once was praised for his leadership after 9/11 has become known for his attempts to undermine the peaceful transfer of power—the bedrock of American democracy.”

McCormick called on Democratic leaders to immediately denounce the award and use every available mechanism to challenge what she called “an insult to every legitimate recipient of the Medal of Freedom.”

“This isn’t just about Giuliani—it’s about what kind of country we want to be,” McCormick said. “Do we honor truth, justice, and democratic values, or do we reward lies, corruption, and authoritarianism?”

She demanded that congressional Democrats hold hearings on the abuse of presidential honors and introduce legislation to prevent the medal from being awarded to individuals convicted of ethics violations or engaged in efforts to subvert elections.

“If Democratic leaders won’t fight this, they should step aside for a new generation that will,” McCormick said, pointing to primary challenges against establishment Democrats across the country.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 to recognize individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, or cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

Past recipients include civil rights leaders, scientists, astronauts, and philanthropists. McCormick argued that awarding it to Giuliani “places him in a category he does not belong and dishonors every previous recipient who earned the medal through genuine service to America.”

“Rudy Giuliani doesn’t deserve a medal—he deserves accountability,” McCormick concluded. “This disgraceful decision must be met with unwavering opposition from every American who cares about the soul of our nation. The resistance starts not tomorrow, but today.”