Democracy & Rule of Law
Rule of Law
941 Articles

Revamped Security Clearance Process Could Provide Leverage Over Those Who Punish Whistleblowers
The security clearance backlog is finally shrinking. This offers a special opportunity to protect embattled national security whistleblowers.

Dear Dems: Make Mueller’s Testimony About 2020, Not 2016
Congressional Democrats are champing at the bit to have Robert Mueller recite, on live television, the past indiscretions of Donald Trump that Mueller documented at length in his…

Iraq ‘Dirty Tricks’ Tale Gets Star Treatment, But Big Questions Remain
The dramatic but little-told story of a British intelligence whistleblower who tried to raise the alarm over a questionable spying campaign to bolster the cause for the Iraq War…

After Publishing Strong Evidence of Trump’s Campaign Finance Crimes, DOJ Closes Case Without Explanation
Every American should have an opportunity to scrutinize the complete body of evidence of Donald Trump’s campaign finance crimes, not just the now-public search warrant applications…

The Supreme Court Just Made It Easier to Conceal Abuse of Migrant Detainees
The U.S. Supreme Court has reversed a half-century of precedent on citizens’ rights to know what their government is doing, by making it more difficult for the public to probe…

Assange’s Indictment: A Threat to Everyone
Had the precedent of the Justice Department’s prosecution of Julian Assange existed in the past, there are numerous cases that could have resulted in a prosecution under the…

Tom Lantos Commission: Enhancing U.S. Ability to Pursue Accountability for Atrocities
I had the honor of testifying last week before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at a hearing devoted to “Pursuing Accountability for Atrocities.” My written testimony…

The Snowden Effect, Six Years On
Six years ago, the world was introduced to a previously unknown government contractor who revealed the National Security Agency (NSA) was conducting an unparalleled level of warrantless…

Why Robert Mueller Is Right that the Obstruction Statutes Apply to the President
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has a better argument than Attorney General William Barr about whether obstruction statutes apply to the president. They do, and here's why.

To Wrest Back Rule of Law in Poland, Might EU Bureaucracy Finally Work?
After years of flailing in efforts to curb Poland’s government from eviscerating the rule of law, an arcane element of the European Union structure might actually be working…

Transparency on Civilian Harm in Somalia Matters – Not Just to Americans
"Under the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations, much of the commentary on the use of lethal force in counterterrorism operations has focused on the importance of transparency…

What Has Bill Barr Done to Earn the Benefit of the Doubt?
Luppe Luppen critiques James Comey's and Benjamin Wittes's claim that the public should assume good faith on the part of Bill Barr.