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
McGahn’s Chief of Staff, Annie Donaldson May Be Congress’ Prized Witness
Don McGahn's chief of staff had a front seat at the Trump White House during the Russia investigation, and has reasons to comply with Congress' subpoena.
The Nixon Impeachment—A Blueprint for Today
The Nixon blueprint includes smart devices—like appointing a Republican Chief Counsel—to conduct more effective impeachment hearings.
Why Robert Mueller Is Right that the Obstruction Statutes Apply to the President
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has a better argument than Attorney General William Barr about whether obstruction statutes apply to the president. They do, and here's why.
Lesson from Nixon: With Today’s Facts, Impeaching Trump Won’t Work
Impeachment of a president is a political act by Congress requiring time, facts, and bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. The Nixon impeachment had all that. Trump's…
CTRL+HALT+Defeat: State-Sponsored Surveillance and the Suppression of Dissent
A new lawsuit in Israeli court seeks accountability for the export of malicious spyware used for digital surveillance of human rights defenders, journalists, and political dissidents.…
The Precedent for Impeachment: Nixon, Not Clinton
[Editor’s note: Just Security is publishing a series in conversation with Sidney Blumenthal’s “An Open Memo: Comparison of Clinton Impeachment, Nixon Impeachment and…
An Open Memo: Comparison of Clinton Impeachment, Nixon Impeachment and Trump Pre-Impeachment
Blumenthal writes, "The Clinton example as a predictor should be dispensed with in considering Trump. ... Trump proceeds from a much weaker position than Nixon. He depends entirely…
All the President’s Lawyers: A Chart of Misconduct and Possible Crimes Revealed by Mueller Report
A nine-page Chart closely tracks the Mueller Report’s references to potential wrongdoing by President Trump’s personal lawyers.
Enforcing Congressional Subpoenas: A Modest Proposal
A change in the law that would enhance Congress’s ability to extract information from the executive branch is a heavy lift, particularly in the current climate. With that in…
The Barr-Nadler Subpoena Standoff: Still Room for Accommodation?
In its standoff with the House Judiciary Committee over the Mueller report, the Justice Department’s assertions when it comes to protecting its law enforcement equities, are…
Q&A on House-Justice Dept Showdown Over Release of Unredacted Mueller Report and Contempt of Congress
We asked top expert Andy Wright, who has served in both the White House Counsel's Office and on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Intelligence, Ethics and Bureaucracy: The Duty to Warn Jamal Khashoggi
The Knight First Amendment Institute and the Committee to Protect Journalists have obtained "Duty to Warn" documents that shed new light on what a U.S. intelligence officer would…