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.
3,152 Articles
The Impeachment Clause and Two Types of “Bribery”
It is one of the most insidious developments of our constitutional discourse that many people still believe that the grounds for impeachment are, “whatever the House of Representatives…
The Downward Spiral
Last week, I questioned whether President Donald Trump might have potentially engaged in the obstruction of justice when he fired then-FBI Director James Comey. Yesterday, another…
A Prosecutor’s View: The Evidence of Trump’s Obstruction is Now Compelling
There has been considerable discussion over the last week about whether President Donald Trump committed the crime of obstruction of justice when he fired James Comey as director…
The Comey Memorandum and the Take Care Clause
Last week, President Trump created another firestorm when he fired James Comey as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). On Tuesday, several news organizations…
A Misplaced Focus on “Collusion”
Public discussion of the FBI’s ongoing investigation into Russian influence on the 2016 election is dominated by the question of collusion: Were senior members of the Trump…
President Trump: Don’t Replace Andrew McCabe
Yesterday, James’ Comey’s former deputy, now Acting Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, demonstrated that he, too, is willing to speak his mind (read: will not be…
Q&A on Comey Firing, Russia Investigation and More
In the wake of President Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James Comey, there have been a handful of new revelations reported on the status of the investigations into…
Rosenstein’s Reputation Now Rests on His Appointment of a Special Counsel in Russia Investigation
When he began his job as deputy attorney general two weeks ago, Rod Rosenstein had a sterling reputation as a longtime U.S. Attorney in administrations of both political parties.…
Reports Suggest Comey’s Firing Could Be an Obstruction of Justice in Russia Investigation
If President Donald Trump orchestrated the decision to fire the Director of the FBI to subvert or undermine the integrity of investigations into the Trump campaign’s possible…
What is the Significance of Grand Jury Subpoenas in the Flynn Investigation?
CNN is reporting that a federal grand jury sitting in Alexandria, Virginia, has issued subpoenas in the last weeks seeking documents and records from associates of Michael Flynn…
Norms Watch: Tracking the Erosion of Democratic Traditions (Apr. 29-May 5)
Editor’s Note: 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…
The Trump Administration’s Homeland Security Record – and What Lies Ahead
It has been an eventful first 100 days for the Trump team in the realm of homeland security. In his first full week in office, the president made a major splash by issuing three…