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Thursday, March 20
We’re currently tracking 266 critical cases related to voting rights, elections, redistricting and holding Trump accountable — making the fight for democracy more urgent than ever. Support Democracy Docket’s mission and stay informed on every development by signing up for a premium membership today ([link removed]) .
Trump orders officials to dismantle education department
* President Donald Trump signed an executive order commanding ([link removed]) the Department of Education to be effectively dismantled (eliminating the department would require action by Congress). Education organizations have warned that eliminating the federal government’s role in education will strip schools of critical funding and harm the over 50 million students who attend public schools, especially the 15% of them who have disabilities.
* The move is almost certain to elicit numerous lawsuits. The Trump administration’s recent actions against the department, such as slashing its workforce in half, have been met ([link removed]) with legal challenges. “See you in court,” American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said.
Federal judge blocks DOGE’s social security “fishing expedition”
* A federal judge in Maryland Thursday blocked ([link removed]) Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) officials from accessing sensitive data and systems at the Social Security Administration.
Three judges could save — or destroy — North Carolina’s democracy
* The North Carolina Court of Appeals will hold a hearing tomorrow on whether to overturn the results of the 2024 state supreme court election. Democratic Justice Allison Riggs won by 734 votes, but her GOP challenger Judge Jefferson Griffin is refusing to concede.
* Griffin sits on the Court of Appeals, and he wants his colleagues to retroactively change election rules, throw out tens of thousands of votes in Democratic counties and declare him the winner.
* If Griffin prevails, it would deal a major blow to democracy in the Tar Heel State — and would signal to Republicans nationwide that using partisan justices to reverse election results is a viable strategy. Democracy Docket Guest Author Billy Corriher gets into it here ([link removed]) — and adds some troubling information about two of the judges set to hear the case.
New York City noncitizen voting law struck down
* New York’s highest court struck ([link removed]) down New York City’s noncitizen voting law that allowed certain legal residents to vote in city elections, affirming a lower court’s decision.
Rep. Garcia says we’re in a constitutional crisis
* Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) joined ([link removed]) Marc to discuss what it's like to be targeted by the DOJ and Trump officials, whether the U.S. is in a constitutional crisis and more.
The sharks circling the boat
* Trump’s “flood the zone” strategy is designed to overwhelm us — but we should focus on the most urgent threat. "I’m talking about the moment when the Trump administration announces that it outright refuses to comply with court orders,” Marc writes. “Such an event would trigger a full-blown constitutional crisis — one we are simply unequipped to handle right now." Read more here ([link removed]) .
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