Democracy & Rule of Law
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on threats and challenges to democracy and the rule of law in the United States and globally. Coverage includes analysis of the separation of powers, good governance, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, judicial independence, freedom of the press and association, and accountability for rule of law violations.
3,162 Articles
15 Questions the Media Should Be Asking Lev Parnas
A list of specific questions reporters (and perhaps members of Congress, if the time comes) should be asking Lev Parnas.
GAO Decided Trump’s Hold on Ukraine Funding Was Illegal and It Wasn’t a Tough Call
In addition to the larger implications GAO's decision has for the Senate impeachment trial, a close reading of yesterday's report provides some important new insights.
Executive Privilege Is No Bar to John Bolton’s Testimony in the Senate
President Donald Trump’s impeachment team reportedly believes that executive privilege poses “significant and important” issues that could prevent former National Security…
How Late DCI William Colby Saved the CIA, and What That Can Teach Us Today
His willingness to tell truth to power and the challenges he faced in overseeing previously unimagined institutional reforms offer important lessons at this momentous juncture…
The 30-Day Clock: Recent Law Requires Trump Admin. to Make Full Public Report on Soleimani and Shahlai Strikes
A classified war powers report won't do it. A formal, public explanation of the facts and legal justifications is legally required thanks to Congress’ having recently passed…
How Should FOIA Be Reformed to Prevent Further Abuse of Redactions?
To ensure the FOIA is not weaponized and used as an instrument of secrecy, Congress should reform the statute to mirror how the deliberative process privilege is treated in the…
Reevaluating Our Counter-Terrorism Information Sharing Methods
Senator Hassan writes for Just Security about bipartisan legislation that she introduced with Republican Senator Johnson of Wisconsin, Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental…
![A redacted email from Elaine McCuster on August 27, 2019 at 12:02am to Eric Chewning and cc-ed David Norquist and John Rood with the subject line, “RE: [Non-DoD Source] Ukraine (USAI funding).” The text of the email is redacted but there is an attachment listed with the name, “smime.p7s”](https://i0.wp.com/www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Screen-Shot-2019-12-30-at-9.54.22-PM-e1578422584340.png?fit=1024%2C418&ssl=1)
Did the Trump Administration Abuse the Redactions Process?
The so-called deliberative process privilege allows federal agencies to redact internal policy debates, but it is often abused.
CVE’s Relevance and Challenges: Central Asia as Surprising Snapshot
With its traditional over-emphasis on security-heavy responses to threats, experts didn't expect the region to be so receptive to "whole-of-society" approaches to counter violent…
The Soleimani Strike and War Powers
Key Legal Questions, With Preview of a New Research Database
Three Cheers for Speaker Pelosi’s Pause
"The gap between the House vote impeaching President Clinton and the Senate trial was five weeks; patience like empathy seems to be in short supply this season."
Exclusive: Unredacted Ukraine Documents Reveal Extent of Pentagon’s Legal Concerns
Just Security has viewed unredacted emails, which tell the behind-the-scenes story of the defense and budget officials who had to carry out the president’s unexplained hold on…