Library of Congress site ‘coding error’ wipes out Constitution parts, including one tied to Trump aide

WASHINGTON, DC: Many were left scratching their heads this week after major chunks of the US Constitution quietly disappeared from the Library of Congress website. It happened just months after President Donald Trump fired the library’s longtime boss, Carla Hayden.

There were reportedly major erasures from Article I, which lays out Congress's powers and limits. Gone were Sections 9 and 10 as well as part of Section 8, mysteriously wiped from the library’s Constitution Annotated page. It's worth noting that the page was totally intact earlier this summer, according to archived snapshots of the site.

Library of Congress blames 'coding error' as key clauses go missing

Users started calling out the disappearance on August 6, before the library responded by claiming it was a "coding error." They promised a fix was coming, and eventually, the missing sections did reappear.

But the sections that just happened to be scrubbed were deemed suspicious.

Section 8 went dark right after the part saying Congress can “raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years.”

It was interrupted by an abrupt semicolon. There was no follow-up clause, “To provide and maintain a Navy,” and no Militia Clauses. Those vanished lines were missing as of early afternoon on Wednesday, August 6, but eventually made their way back.

Section 9, which slaps limits on what Congress can do (like suspending habeas corpus), was also scrubbed before being restored. This section is also politically sensitive because it dictates, "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

Back in May, Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller was openly floating the idea of suspending habeas corpus to stop judges from blocking the administration’s deportation plans.

Over in the Senate, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem completely flubbed a question about it during a hearing, wrongly claiming that habeas corpus somehow gives Trump a “constitutional right” to carry out deportations.

Regardless, it is interesting to note that Trump’s immigration crackdown would face fewer speed bumps without habeas corpus.

Deleted clauses included one barring Congress' ability to grant nobility titles

Another constitutional clause that temporarily vanished was the one barring Congress from dishing out titles of nobility. 

This is important because Trump has referred to himself as a “king” on multiple occasions since his second term began in January.

Unsurprisingly, the “king” branding didn’t fly with everyone. On June 14, Trump’s 79th birthday, protesters launched “No Kings” demonstrations, accusing the president of acting more like a monarch than a commander-in-chief.

Meanwhile, Section 10 was also briefly missing. The section specifically bars states from going rogue and engaging in foreign policy or military actions that could undermine federal authority.

Donald Trump fired longtime Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in May

It's worth noting that the digital Constitution “update” happened just months after Donald Trump abruptly fired Carla Hayden, a veteran Librarian of Congress who had been appointed by Barack Obama and confirmed by a bipartisan 74-18 Senate vote in 2016, in May.

Hayden was supposed to serve a 10-year term, but Trump decided to cut that short.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who just so happens to be Trump’s former criminal attorney, was tapped for the job.

According to People, however, library staff rejected the appointment and instead threw their support behind Robert Newlen, who was next in line for the role.