Pardoning the insurrectionists amounts to support for the insurrection itself. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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Probal Rashid/Contributor

A Misuse of the Presidential Pardon Power

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President-elect Donald Trump has promised to pardon the January 6 insurrectionists on the first day of his second term. While he does have the constitutional authority to do so, it would be not about rehabilitation or mercy but about rewarding loyalty to him. Former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance writes that condoning such lawbreaking and violence in personal service to himself undermines the rule of law

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Reviving a Dark Chapter in History

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Trump has also said that he plans to use the Alien Enemies Act to enable his mass deportation plans. This 18th-century law was last invoked during World War II to intern Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants. Using it to detain and deport millions of immigrants based on their ancestry — even those who are in the country legally — would not only be an abuse of wartime powers in peacetime, it would violate constitutional rights, including due process and protections against racial discrimination. Congress and the courts should not let the law stand

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States Must Take Charge of Election Security

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As U.S. elections face increasing threats from misinformation, cyberattacks, and political violence, states must step up to protect election integrity. Federal support has bolstered security in recent years, but with the incoming administration likely to roll back funding, state action is more urgent than ever. To safeguard future elections, states need to invest in secure infrastructure and personnel training, strengthen information-sharing networks, and ramp up voter education efforts

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Red Flags Around Trump’s Attorney General Nominee

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Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general, has a troubling track record on voting rights and election integrity. As litigation chair for the America First Policy Institute, she oversaw lawsuits that sought to limit voting access and spread baseless election fraud claims. Bondi also pushed false narratives about the 2020 election, including unsubstantiated claims of widespread cheating in Pennsylvania. A new Brennan Center analysis details the aspects of her career that warrant close scrutiny in her bid to lead the Justice Department

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The Growing Racial Divide in Elections

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A new Brennan Center study found that the racial turnout gap in Georgia widened significantly between the 2020 and 2024 elections, with Black voter participation — especially among younger Black men — declining sharply. The fact that white turnout increased while Black turnout dropped raises important questions about the effects of restrictive voting laws such as Georgia’s Senate Bill 202, as well as broader issues like political disillusionment. One thing is certain: The growing turnout gap undercuts the promise of a truly multiracial democracy

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NEW BOOK: Policing White Supremacy

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Law enforcement has long refused to recognize that it has a white supremacy problem, but the January 6 insurrection made the issue much harder to ignore. Its ongoing failure to prioritize the investigation and prevention of far-right violence more broadly endangers national security. In his new book, Policing White Supremacy, former FBI agent Mike German highlights the need for law enforcement to better address domestic extremism and root out overt racism within its ranks

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Join us for a virtual event at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, to watch German and Kanawha County Commissioner Natalie Tennant discuss his book, the current threats the country faces, and what it will take for law enforcement to tackle domestic extremism appropriately. RSVP

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PODCAST: Insurrection Inc.

In our latest episode, we discuss the alarming rise of untraceable dark money and corporate influence in politics and how these forces are reshaping our democracy. Stetson University law professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, the author of the book Corporatocracy

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, and Natalie Tennant discuss how to strengthen American democracy in the face of growing corporate control. Listen on Spotify

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, Apple Podcasts

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, or your favorite podcast platform

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BRENNAN CENTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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Billionaires haven’t had this much influence over politics since the 19th century. Citizens United is to blame. Watch on Instagram >>

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