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.
3,474 Articles
Major Takeaways from the Papadopoulos Bombshell
For months, it was well known that Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman (who has longstanding ties to the Trump world), was in serious legal trouble.…
What Manafort’s Indictment May Tell Us About Russian Election Meddling
Make no mistake. Paul Manafort’s arrest is very likely directly tied to Russian intelligence operations. Even a quick look at his indictment shows this. In Ukraine, Manafort…
A Timeline of Paul Manafort’s Relationship with the Trump World
Now that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has indicted Paul Manafort, the former chairman of President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, the White House has already begun to…
Two Former Federal Prosecutors Analyze Manafort Indictment: Just Security’s Mariotti and Whiting
On Monday, special counsel Robert Mueller indicted former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his associate Rick Gates, Jr. (word-searchable full text). The indictment involves…
Trump Should Release His New Lethal Force Policy
In an important new development, President Donald Trump has reportedly signed new rules for when lethal force can be used against suspected terrorists outside of active war zones.…
The Guantánamo Ethics Mess
The latest episode in the Military Commission’s efforts to try Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri for the U.S.S. Cole bombing is a dramatic dispute between Air Force Col. Vance Spath,…
Mueller Has Authority to Name President Trump as an “Unindicted Coconspirator”
Imagine if Special Counsel Robert Mueller finds sufficient evidence to charge President Donald Trump, but his hands are tied because he or the Department of Justice concludes that…
Recap of Recent Pieces on Just Security (Oct. 21-27)
Russia Investigation and Facebook Ryan Goodman, Top Experts: Can Facebook Legally Disclose Russian Ads–What does the Stored Communications Act say? Artin Afkhami, Former Federal…
Top Experts: Can Facebook Legally Disclose Russian Ads–What Does the Stored Communications Act say?
I asked several of the most highly respected legal experts for their views on an issue yet to receive significant attention in the news: whether and to what extent, if any, a federal…
Former Federal Prosecutor Renato Mariotti’s Tweet Threads
Renato Mariotti, a member of the Just Security Editorial Board and former federal prosecutor in Illinois, has written incisive and sophisticated legal analysis on the Trump-Russia…
Happy PATRIOT Act Day!
On this day, 16 years ago, President George W. Bush signed into law the most sweeping, publicly acknowledged domestic surveillance authority in American history. Enacted six weeks…
Treasury’s Turf War Over Domestic Spying
BuzzFeed News recently reported serious allegations that the Treasury Department’s Office of Intelligence Affairs (OIA) is illegally accessing and analyzing the financial records…