Democracy & Rule of Law
Rule of Law
941 Articles

The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board’s Disappointing Report on PPD-28 Implementation
Edward Snowden’s revelations that the NSA engaged in massive spying operations overseas prompted outrage and political blowback from our closest allies. In an attempt to manage…

Conscientious Objectors and Whistleblowers: Sentencing Should Recognize First Amendment Interests
Whistleblower Terry James Albury, a former FBI agent in Minneapolis, will be sentenced for violations of the Espionage Act on Thursday, October 17, at 11:00 am Central Time. The…

On Big Brother Watch v. U.K.: The Future of Surveillance at Two Europe-Wide Courts
A recent opinion by the European Court of Human Rights was more limited than recent decisions concerning surveillance. The European Court of Justice should seize the opportunity…

What Due Diligence Backs U.S. Denial of Advance Knowledge of the Khashoggi Plot?
State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino's categorical denial that the US government knew of threat to Khashoggi may be a mistake that lasts a long time.

New U.K. Law Fails European Court Standards on Mass Interception Disclosed by Snowden
The U.K. government trots out its new surveillance legislation as curing the ills identified by the European Court of Human Rights. That's not the case. The Court’s judgment…

Who Might Replace Rod Rosenstein and What Would it Mean for the Mueller and SDNY Investigations?: A Deep Dive
Who would replace Rosenstein as deputy attorney general in the event Trump fires him or he resigns under pressure? And who would supervise the Russia and related investigations?…

Why Support for U.N.-backed Anti-Corruption Commission in Guatemala is Vital to U.S. Interests
The ongoing constitutional crisis in Guatemala underscores concerns that corruption continues to permeate high levels of the government.

Post-9/11 Generation Reaches Enlistment Age in Unmoored ‘War on Terror’
Human Rights First International Legal Counsel Rita Siemion says it's long past time to ensure that war-based authorities are used only when specifically authorized by Congress…

Trump’s Ability to Classify Mueller Report Is Greater Threat Than Executive Privilege
The prospect of the President invoking Executive Privilege to keep the Special Counsel's report secret has received plenty of attention. Less well-known is this: there are no restrictions…

Executive Privilege and the Public Interest: Why the President Can’t Block Release of the Mueller Report
For more than a year, President Donald Trump’s lawyers have bragged about his “unprecedented” level of cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation,…

Trump’s Disrespect for the Rule of Law Spreads
Trump's disrespect for the rule of law has spread and is now poised to threaten the president himself.

In Defense of NYT’s Anonymous: Government “Stewardship” as a Guard Against Threats to Democratic Order
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” – The Federalist…