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.

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3,161 Articles
Attorney General nominee William Barr (C) is sworn in prior to testifying at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee January 15, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Barr to Senate: President is Not Immune from Prosecutor Declaration of Indictable Offense

"Mueller may now be able to say on the record whether he believes President Donald Trump committed the crime of obstruction."
US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a Make America Great Again rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, April 27, 2019.

Mueller Report Illustrates Trump’s Authoritarian Rhetorical Tactics

One way to evaluate Trump objectively is to examine the Mueller Report for the president’s rhetorical strategies -- ad baculum, ad hominem, and paralipsis, among others.
Attorney General nominee William Barr testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee January 15, 2019 in Washington, DC.

What Congress Should Ask Bill Barr When He Testifies

Think we are missing some crucial questions? Send us a note (lte@justsecurity.org) and we can add your question to the list with attribution.
Activists Luis Nolasco, Aki Rose and Josh Rabb hold placards reading "Secure Phones Saves Lives" while gathered in front of the US District Court in Riverside, California, on March 22, 2016, where the Apple v FBI trial was due to take place before its sudden postponement. A television monitor displays the messages of some 20,000 people who have signed an online petition agreeing to oppose the FBI order.

Split Over Compelled Decryption Deepens With Massachusetts Case

Encryption is as omnipresent as computers, tablets, and smartphones. Yet the Supreme Court has not provided guidance on the constitutional implications of compelling a suspect…
Sudanese soldiers sit atop a vehicle driving through a sit-in outside the army headquarters in the capital Khartoum on April 28, 2019. Two Sudanese soldier gesture at protesters in the sit-in.

After Bashir, Sudanese People Continue Fight for Democracy and Accountability

The African Union's three-month extension for Sudan's military to hand over to a civilian government might give the protesters time to plan for the country's future. But it also…
Copies of the "Mueller Report" printed by the US Government Publishing Office are seen at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on April 24, 2019.

Guide to the Mueller Report’s Findings on “Collusion”

Essential reading on the Mueller Report: an annotation plus key findings, drawing on investigative reports and Special Counsel court filings.
Police arrest activists demonstrating against anti-immigration policies near the US-Mexico border fence at Imperial beach in San Diego county, US on December 10, 2018.

CBP’s New Social Media Surveillance: A Threat to Free Speech and Privacy

U.S. Customs and Border Protection's efforts to map out the networks and activities of American activists and journalists through link analysis and social media monitoring pose…
Trump talks to Giuliani as they exit the clubhouse following their meeting at Trump International Golf Club, November 20, 2016 in Bedminster Township, New Jersey.

Mueller Report and the President’s Personal Lawyers: Did They Violate Criminal Law and Ethical Rules?

Leading legal ethics professor analyzes the criminal law and ethical rules that would apply in light of conduct of Trumps personal lawyers revealed in the Mueller Report.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, in Belgrade on January 17, 2019.

Serb ‘Auxiliary Force’ Escalates Threats to Bosnia’s Stability

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik risks plunging Bosnia, and with it the volatile Western Balkans, into the region’s worst security crisis since the end of the Yugoslav Wars.

A Brief Aside on the Inexplicable May 2017 Rosenstein Memo About Comey

This is hardly the most important thing about the Mueller Report, but it warrants a short note, if only to fill out the historical record. When President Trump removed FBI Director…
Presidential Seal President USA Coat Of Arms

Word-Searchable Version of Mueller Report

Please find below Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller’s Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election. Word-searchable PDF versions:…

The (Redacted) Mueller Report: First Takes from the Experts

A roundup of leading experts' views on the publicly released — and redacted — Mueller report.
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