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.
3,476 Articles

The Coronavirus, Emergency Powers, and the Military: What You Need to Know
The global coronavirus crisis continues to unfold at lightning speed, disrupting travel, the economy, and everyday life. In response to the pandemic, President Donald Trump declared…

Sen. Van Hollen Calls for Paoletta to Relinquish Role as OMB’s Top Ethics Official
Mark Paoletta, the general counsel at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), needs to recuse himself from ongoing inquiries into the Trump administration’s withholding of…

Pandemics and Human Rights
Some governments use a crisis as a pretext to infringe rights. Others retain over-broad emergency powers after the crisis subsides.

Timeline on Jared Kushner, Qatar, 666 Fifth Avenue, and White House Policy
A comprehensive account of Jared Kushner, 666 Fifth Avenue, and White House support for the blockade of Qatar after the Qataris rejected Kushner Companies.

West Africa’s Democratic Progress is Slipping Away, Even as Region’s Significance Grows
Democratic norms may erode further in 2020, says Freedom House. The fundamental rights of West Africa’s nearly 400 million people are in jeopardy.

Why the 2020 Election Will Be A Mess Part II: Beyond Russian Disinformation
As anger in the U.S. grows, the threat of political violence also builds, providing the Russian government another opportunity to divide the country.

About Those FBI Counterterrorism Assessments …
Will a recent inspector general report encourage the FBI to be more, not less, aggressive in the use of Type III assessments in counterterrorism cases without adequate constitutional…

A Model for Countering Foreign Disinformation and Interference in Elections
There’s a model the U.S. government applied in the counterterrorism context that provides a potential template for addressing the election interference threat over the long run.

Facebook Bylaws for Takedown Oversight Board: Questions of Independence
The board should select and decide cases without interference. But trustees and the company retain authority on issues underpinning its independence.

The Gravity of Michael Ellis’ Promotion to Senior Director for Intelligence at the White House
The person just put in charge of intelligence at the NSC was credibly accused of abusing the classification system in the Ukraine matter, and was even personally named in the articles…

Mexico’s Amnesty Proposal: An Instrument of Transitional Justice?
As violence in Mexico reaches record highs, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has proposed an amnesty law aimed at benefiting individuals accused of involvement in the country’s…

Congress Needs a “Rocket Docket” for Its Disputes With the President
A rocket docket could have prevented many of the abuses seen during the Trump administration, would reduce the likelihood of future abuses, and will enhance Congress’ ability…