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.
3,181 Articles

Whistleblower Says White House Took Unusual Steps to Limit Access to Ukraine Call Record
"According to a person familiar with the content of the complaint who spoke to Just Security, when the call was over, senior White House officials pulled the verbatim transcript…

Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism’s ‘Transparency Report’ Raises More Questions Than Answers
The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism doesn’t go far enough in allaying concerns about the negative impacts on freedom of expression facilitated by this opaque, private…

Trump’s Call to Ukraine May Constitute “Honest Services Fraud”—A Core Crime of Public Corruption
Missing from the conversation is the public corruption crime of honest services fraud, and it fits the reported facts, writes Barbara McQuade, former United States Attorney for…

The Swiftboating of Joe Biden
The Vice President’s Anti-Corruption Efforts in Ukraine May Have Harmed His Son’s Company

The “Quid” is a Crime: No Need to Prove “Pro Quo” in Ukrainegate
Top election law expert, Paul S. Ryan of nonpartisan group Common Cause, explains the felonies that apply to allegations in Ukrainegate.

Intel Whistleblower Complaint Q&A Part 2: Constitutional Boogaloo
Developments in the Intelligence Community whistleblower story raise new legal questions.

President Trump, We Can Handle the Truth
Last night, the president’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani had his own Col. Nathan Jessup moment on primetime TV. Fired-up and angry enough, like Jack Nicholson’s character in the movie…

National Security at the United Nations This Week
Editor’s Note: This is the latest in Just Security’s weekly series keeping readers up to date on developments at the United Nations at the intersection of national security,…

Stop Blaming Immigrants for Right-Wing Extremism
While the connection between immigration and Islamist terrorism has been challenged, the assertion that immigrants are also to blame for right-wing extremism is just as dishonest…

Handling of Whistleblower Complaint Makes It Impossible for IG To Do His Job
It’s nearly impossible for whistleblowers to trust an inspector general when their agency-head acts as acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire has, publicly rebuking…

Q&A on Whistleblower Complaint Being Withheld from Congressional Intelligence Committees
On September 13, House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff publicly announced that he had issued a subpoena to Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Joseph Maguire…

What’s the New Terror Financing Executive Order All About?
Last week, the Trump administration updated E.O. 13224 to expand both State and Treasury’s ability to wield sanctions against terrorists. What are the practical implications…