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.
3,168 Articles
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…
Norms Watch: The 100 Days Edition (Apr. 21-28)
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…
Letter to the Editor: The Whistleblower Protection Debate Continued
Recently, Andrew Bakaj and my former counsel, Mark Zaid, responded to my critique of their first piece on the state of national security whistleblower protections, stating We disagree,…
UN Counterterrorism Reform Overlooks Crucial Partner
Only a few weeks into his tenure as UN Secretary-General, António Guterres has been under pressure to fix the UN’s efforts to deal with terrorism and violent extremism. The…
Making Sense of the Allegations that U.S. Military Struck a Mosque in Syria
There are now two very different competing pictures about whether the United States mistakenly struck a mosque in Syria on the night of March 16, 2017. On one view, based on three…
Norms Watch: Tracking the Erosion of Democratic Traditions (Apr. 14-21)
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…
Letter to the Editor: Whistleblower Protections Are Getting Stronger
The March 2 article on Just Security by Patrick Eddington, titled “Whistleblower Retaliation: A Governmental Accountability and National Security Crisis,” certainly captures…
The ICJ Issues Provisional Measures Against Russia on Ukraine’s Racial Discrimination Claims
Russian media are reporting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) “rejected” Ukraine’s request for provisional measures against the Russian Federation in the case…
Unconstitutional Motives: When US Policies Are Motivated Only in Part by Religious Discrimination
Few would dispute that government actions motivated wholly by religion violate the Constitution’s Establishment Clause. The question becomes more complicated if the motives are…