Every elected official is required to take an oath of office. The sworn oath publicly binds them to the Constitution, laws and the people they were elected to represent. Taking an oath is an act of accountability and a moral commitment that is not optional. It is a statement that should remind the official that their power in office is a privilege with limits and moral boundaries. 

Therefore, disloyalty or any abuse of power is an unethical breach of their sworn obligation to the people. Elected officials are servants of the people, rather than rulers above the law. It is safe to say there is not a day that goes by that the current “servant” in the White House does not compromise his sworn oath of office by surrendering morals and integrity in maintaining political power and personal loyalty. But the president is not alone. Every day, children and teens face compromising situations that tempt them to do what they know is wrong. By doing wrong, they can fit in and be accepted. Lawmakers can be the same way. They are faced with similar situations in which their personal desire to maintain political power overshadows character and moral standards. 

The choice is clear: They can stay true to their sworn oath or compromise the oath to “fit in.” Many lawmakers, like children and teens, choose the path of compromise to keep their political positions and stay in the good graces of President Donald Trump. Our Constitution has a system of checks and balances that many lawmakers choose to compromise and ignore. Until recently, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was one of those compromised lawmakers. 

It didn’t take long for the feud between Greene and Trump to result in her resignation from the House of Representatives. The relationship between the president and his longtime MAGA ally fell apart after Greene’s public criticism of Trump’s policy positions, her advocacy for Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse survivors and her support for the discharge petition forcing a House vote on releasing the full Epstein files. Despite being one of Trump’s most ardent supporters, Greene challenged the president when she spoke out against Trump’s global tariffs and sided with Democrats on extending the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits. 

“Now that the [Affordable Care Act] tax credits are expiring, which Democrats did put in place — and they set the expiration date for this year — I see a financial crisis for Americans,” Greene told CBS Mornings. “And so, on this issue, I don’t see political party lines.” While Greene’s blind loyalty to Trump has run its course, Trump responded in typical fashion by calling her a “lightweight congresswoman,” a “traitor” and a “disgrace” to the Republican Party. Since her public feud with the president, Greene said the threats against her have increased. On Truth Social, the president wrote that he was “withdrawing” his “support and endorsement” of Greene, indicating that he might back an opponent in her effort to win an upcoming primary. 

Overall, Greene was not a popular figure with many Democrats. Much of the toxic politics from the past can be easily traced back to her antics. Therefore, it remains a shock to see her, a powerful and influential MAGA official, speak up and join Democrats when defending the ACA and seeking presidential transparency and accountability over the Epstein files. Trump, a onetime friend of Epstein, has gone as far as to call the controversy a “hoax.” 

Greene was correct as a member of the legislative branch to request full transparency from the executive branch. 

Like former Vice President Mike Pence and former Rep. Liz Cheney before her, Greene chose not to compromise and became the “enemy” to many throughout the MAGA base, leading to her resignation. I felt that Greene should have remained in office and run for reelection even if it meant facing a Trump-backed primary challenger. If Greene won the tough battle, it would have sent a powerful message to other GOP lawmakers who struggle to follow their convictions and their oath. 

Compromised Republicans who govern under the fear and intimidation of the president are not true representatives of the people they were elected to serve. They are not the voice of the people when their fear keeps them silent. As a result, the nation as a whole suffers as they fail to uphold their constitutional responsibility of oversight and accountability. Cheney did not give in to the fear and intimidation of Trump. 

She became a Trump critic and was removed from Republican leadership. She agitated Trump nonstop, and Wyoming voters chose a Trump-backed candidate to replace her. Although Cheney lost her seat, she did so by fighting to the end and standing up against a political bully. Where Cheney allowed Wyoming voters to decide her political fate, Greene chose not to. When it comes to the economic and health care issues Greene spoke about, the GOP voters of Georgia’s 14th Congressional District have a clear choice. They can still vote for a candidate who will defend the ACA and affordability issues by voting Democratic in the general election. 

The writer is the author of “God Bless Our Divided America.”