President Obama’s white paper justification for carrying out drone strikes against U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism could “swallow the rule” guaranteeing the due process rights of Americans, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, suggested today.

“There is nothing more serious than the taking of the life of a U.S. citizen by the U.S. government,” Lee said in a phone interview with The Washington Examiner while discussing the Justice Department white paper that explains some of the rationale behind the drone strike counter-terrorism program.