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.
3,157 Articles
UN Releases Guidelines for Team Investigating ISIS Crimes in Iraq
Back in September, we covered the establishment by the U.N. Security Council of a novel "Investigative Team" to investigate international crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity…
The Charging Mystery in the Russia Indictments—And Its Indication of What Comes Next in the Mueller Investigation
The indictment of the 13 Russians omitted a very obvious charge. Why? The answer reveals why Mueller may be going after American co-conspirators--including members of the Trump…
The Indictment of Russia’s Super PAC and the Open Question of Trump Campaign Complicity
Russia's Internet Research Agency is now revealed to have been among the largest Super PACs operating in the 2016 elections. This is now clearly one of the major campaign finance…
Just Security Podcast: Mueller Indicts Russia’s Election Meddling Team
Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Friday charged 13 Russian nationals and three Russian organizations with conspiracy to defraud the United States, among other charges, in connection…
Let’s Leave “Crisis” and “Emergency” For the Real Thing
Samantha Vinograd, who served on President Barack Obama’s National Security Council and as deputy U.S. Treasury attaché to Iraq during the Bush Administration, has recently…
Episode 59 of the National Security Law Podcast: Share the Cookies
We don’t lack for topics this week! In today’s episode, Professor Chesney and I eat a number of cookies while talking about the following: Rachel Brand steps down at DOJ. …
Left Out of the Party on Cloud Nine: A Response to Jennifer Daskal
A new bill meant to address cross-border access to data is not a cause for celebration. It fails to include fundamental safeguards to protect consumer's rights. The CLOUD Act would…
Brand Loyalty
For the No. 3 lawyer at the Justice Department to quit after just nine months on the job is, to say the least, unusual. Under the Trump administration, where the downright bizarre…
If Trump Pleads the Fifth, Here Are Mueller’s Options
In the last several days, President Donald Trump’s lawyers have floated what appears to be a trial balloon, suggesting that despite Trump’s bold proclamation that he welcomed…
Why the White House “System” for Security Clearances is an Intelligence Emergency
Former Bush and Obama official explains what exactly the risks are in having so many White House officials serve under long-term interim security clearances. She looks at the downstream…
It is up to House Intel Committee, not Trump, whether to release Democratic memo on the Page FISA application
News stories and headlines are saying things like, "Trump Blocks Release of Memo Rebutting Republican Claims” (New York Times)--but that's not accurate. The House Intelligence…
What’s the Story Behind Flynn’s Plea Deal?
A look at the plea deal of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the second in a series of posts on the central mysteries of the Trump-Russia investigation.