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.
3,161 Articles
Can Trump Organization Executives Be Prosecuted for Money Laundering?
"Michael Cohen has painted a target on Trump Organization executives in court and Congress. If prosecutors and grand jurors accept the evidence presented in Cohen’s SDNY sentencing…
The White House Counsel’s Flawed Response to Congress on Security Clearances
Intensifying congressional oversight activity prompted President Donald Trump to accuse Democrats of “presidential harassment.” He complained — falsely — that President…
Trump Told Cohen to Lie to Congress About “Collusion” in General—Not just the Moscow Tower deal
"What has largely escaped notice is that Cohen directly implicated the President in an instruction to lie about collusion more generally. Cohen’s about face on the question of…
Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in February 2019
Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those norms in reactions…
Trump’s Invoking Obama Signing Statement as Reason Not to Report to Congress on Khashoggi Murder: A Roundup of Expert Views
The Trump administration has refused to submit a report to Congress, as required by federal statute, providing a determination whether Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin…
The Biggest Bombshell in Michael Cohen’s Written Testimony
'"The biggest bombshell is this one: Cohen's statement that Roger Stone informed candidate Trump in advance of Wikileaks' release of the stolen emails (and Trump's responding with…
Mueller’s Findings: Why DOJ Non-Disclosure Policy and Grand Jury Secrecy May Not Apply
As the Watergate scandal deepened in November 1973, President Richard Nixon declared: “People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook.” Nixon was right.…
Stop Using the Word “Collusion”—How to Frame the Critical Question at the Heart of Trump-Russia
Much of the discussion surrounding the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russia in the months leading up to the 2016 election has been mystifying for the American public. As the…
Questioning Michael Cohen: An Advanced Course in Congressional Investigations
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, has announced his willingness to testify before the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House and Senate intelligence…
Will Executive Privilege Block Congress’ Access to Trump-Putin Helsinki Meeting Notes?
Executive privilege looms large as Congress seeks translator's notes about the off-books Trump-Putin meeting in Helsinki. But that is only the beginning of the separation of powers…
ICC Judge Schmitt Counsels Resilience to Preserve International Justice
Editor’s note: At a difficult time for the International Criminal Court (ICC)—criticism over recent rulings, resistance from current and prospective members, and threats from…
Who is Richard Burr, Really? Why the public can’t trust his voice in the Russia probe
On the same day that Senator Richard Burr (R-N.C.) officially joined the Trump campaign as a senior national security advisor, the U.S. intelligence community released a statement…