federalism
34 Articles

State Attorneys General Can Enforce Federal Laws the Executive Branch Won’t
To combat executive non-enforcement, state attorneys general are using antitrust law to hold corporations accountable.

“Fight Back: How States Can Counter Authoritarianism” Series
A series exploring the powers and authorities state and local governments have to check federal overreach and protect democratic norms and individual rights.

What’s Conspicuously Missing from the Government’s Supreme Court Reply Brief in the Mail Ballots Case
The most noteworthy development of the past couple of days is what Solicitor General Sauer does not say.

Governors and State Administration
Gubernatorial opposition is a powerful and often necessary component of meaningful state pushback against federal overreach.

The Simplest Way for the Supreme Court to Rule in the USPS Mail Ballots Case
Marty Lederman outlines the easiest and most straightforward way for SCOTUS to decide the USPS mail-in ballot case

Cities as Nodes of Resistance
Over 175 years later, cities’ historic role as hubs of resistance takes on renewed resonance in today’s era of rising authoritarianism in the United States.

State Imperatives to Protect Civil Rights for All
States need independent agencies with jurisdiction to enforce their residents’ rights so the valuation of those rights are evenhanded and not subject to political will.

Collateral Accountability: The Oldest Check on Federal Lawlessness
As a federal-level accountability desert forms, states are reviving "collateral accountability" — damages suits against federal officers who violate constitutional rights.

States Can Fight Federal Overreach by Protecting State Data
States must be vigilant stewards of their data — auditing what they hold, limiting what they share, and enforcing legal constraints against federal overreach.

Commandeering, Coercion, and Executive Power
States have constitutional protections against commandeering and coercion — but face a new challenge when the federal government sidelines states completely.

Introduction to “Fight Back: How States Can Counter Authoritarianism” Series
State and local governments have constitutional and legal powers that can be harnessed to challenge repressive federal actions and to advance meaningful freedom and equality.

Four Things State and Local Prosecutors Can Do to Combat Federal Corruption
State attorneys general and local district attorneys can take action to uphold the rule of law in the face of unlawful federal actions.