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.
3,333 Articles

The Specter of Interventionism is Haunting Latin America
A series of coordinated moves - OAS decisions, UN debates, declarations to the press by senior U.S. officials, and the revival of the Rio Treaty - are building a narrative towards…

House Should Consider Additional Impeachment Charge Relating to Trump’s Response to Russia Investigation
As the House moves to drafting and voting on articles of impeachment regarding President Donald Trump’s actions demanding a “favor” from Ukraine, there are reports that it…

Barr’s Personal, Ad Hoc Declassification Authority and the Role of Congress
Much of Washington is fixated for varying reasons on the release of the report from Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department’s Inspector General, on the origins of the FBI’s…

Seven Outright Falsehoods in GOP Staff Report on Impeachment
"In order to depict the events at the heart of the Trump-Ukraine impeachment inquiry in a light that could at all be construed as a defense of President Trump’s conduct, it appears…

Social Media Vetting of Visa Applicants Violates the First Amendment
The Knight First Amendment Institute and the Brennan Center for Justice sued the US government to stop social media vetting of visa applicants.

Why Does Gordon Sondland Still Have a Job?
The Ambassador should resign or be removed and the best timing for that is now, writes Ryan Goodman.

No Place to Hide, No Place to Post: Lessons from Recent Efforts at “De-Platforming” ISIS
A recent scramble to reduce or eliminate the presence of ISIS in online platforms suggests that depriving the group of its virtual safe haven on any particular platform may be…

With Supreme Court Mired in Dark Money, Time for Large Dose of Transparency
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse writes that there is a dual problem with the Supreme Court: not only the web of special-interest, secret donor influence surrounding it; but an extraordinary…

Trump’s True Betrayal: A Pattern of Soliciting Foreign Interference in US Elections
President Donald Trump has repeatedly asked foreign governments to interfere in U.S. elections to help him maintain political power. And there is no reason to expect him to stop.…

Here’s the Proof that Trump’s “No Quid Pro Quo” Call Never Happened
Congress may have been mistakenly led to believe there were two phone calls. There was only one. It was on Sept. 7, and it was highly incriminating.

Trump Ordered a Hold on Ukraine Military Assistance Earlier Than Reported
During the last few weeks of impeachment hearings, Republicans liked to cite a number — 55 — the number of days they thought the military aid for Ukraine was withheld. …

Timeline: Rep. Devin Nunes and Ukraine Disinformation Efforts
Comprehensive chronology of Rep. Devin Nunes and his top aide Derek Harvey's alleged work with Giuliani and indicted businessman Lev Parnas.