Public confidence in U.S. courts has dropped 24% since 2020.

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Tuesday, December 17
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Many incoming cabinet and staff picks had a hand in anti-voting litigation
* President-elect Donald Trump has picked ([link removed]) numerous cabinet members and staff for his administration known for their election denialism, involvement in voter suppression lawsuits and anti-democratic policies.

Electoral College winner officially declared
* Electors across the country cast their electoral votes today, and Trump was declared ([link removed]'?utm_source=Democracy+Docket+Newsletters&utm_campaign=bb15c9ba50-20241217_DailyDocket_LF&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-9812d8a903-602538694&mc_cid=bb15c9ba50&mc_eid=UNIQID) the winner of the Electoral College — making his 2024 election victory official.
* Six of Michigan’s 15 electors who cast ([link removed]) electoral votes in the 2024 election have been criminally charged ([link removed]) in a scheme to overturn the 2020 election and are involved in ongoing litigation ([link removed]) .

Redistricting cases that could impact the 2026 midterms
* Even though the 2024 election has passed, litigation over congressional maps is far from over. Read here ([link removed]) to learn what you should know about the ongoing fights for fair districts that could impact the 2026 election in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and more.

Public confidence in U.S. courts has dropped 24% since 2020
* From 2020 to 2024, public confidence in the U.S. judicial system plummeted from 59% to 35%, a new Gallup Poll revealed ([link removed]) . Other countries with a sharp decline over such a short period include Myanmar, Venezuela and Syria, which faced severe military or political conflicts.
* Both Democrats and Republicans contributed to this decline during President Joe Biden’s administration.
* Gallup explained that Democrats’ trust in the U.S. Supreme Court sharply decreased in 2022 after the Dobbs decision and again in 2024. This year, the Court issued ([link removed]) its historic presidential immunity ruling.

* On the other hand, Republicans’ distrust in the judicial system seems to be based more in lower courts, “with the various legal cases against Trump likely factors,” according to Gallup.

Trump tamed the media, and some even paid for the privilege
* The majority of legacy media has become beholden to Trump. That's why independent media is more important than ever, Marc wrote ([link removed]) in a new piece.

Biden to veto bipartisan judicial reform bill
* Last week, Congress passed ([link removed]) the JUDGES Act, a bipartisan bill that would create 60+ new federal judgeships. Proponents of the legislation say the bill would help alleviate case backlogs in courts across the country.
* However, Biden said he would veto the bill. Why? Marc and Democracy Docket’s Paige Moskowitz answer ([link removed]) this question and more in a new YouTube video.

Oral argument coming up tomorrow
* An appeals court in New York will review ([link removed]) a challenge to the electoral method for the Newburgh Town Board. Black and Hispanic voters appealed a ruling from a lower court that dismissed the case and struck down the New York Voting Rights Act.

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