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[INSIDER]
The High Stakes of the January 6 Hearings
This month’s hearings on the January 6 Capitol attack are the result of the most consequential congressional investigation in decades — the moment when we come to terms with one of the worst attacks on American government in over a century. At minimum, the House hearings must expose how the scheme to overturn the 2020 election started long before the physical assault on the Capitol. And they must show how the lies hatched by Donald Trump and his allies continue to threaten our democracy.
That ongoing threat is acute at the state level, where lawmakers have followed a disturbing trend of using voter fraud myths to justify legislation that restricts voting rights and makes election processes vulnerable to partisan interference. Arizona, for instance, has introduced several bills this year that limit the availability of mail ballot drop boxes and tighten voter ID rules. And primaries in Nevada this week served as the latest round of votes on candidates focusing on election denialism.
A key measure of the hearings’ success will be the extent to which they foster a shared understanding of what really happened leading up to, on, and following January 6. The first three hearings have put us on a path to a thorough public reckoning. Now they must continue down that road and also lay the foundation for future solutions.
The Looming Threat to Marriage Equality
The Supreme Court’s ideological bent has tilted sharply to the right since 2015, when it recognized same-sex marriage rights in a tight 5–4 victory for equality. With federal abortion protections now in danger of falling, many worry that marriage equality could be next. Yet the quiet campaign by the Christian right to chip away at legal recognition of same-sex unions in the name of “religious liberty” may prove to be a far more insidious threat.
SCOTUS Needs an Overhaul
The Supreme Court’s likely decision to overrule Roe v. Wade despite popular support for abortion rights is one of several cases that has diminished public trust in the Court. Its new conservative supermajority seems intent on pursuing a right-wing agenda, even if it upsets long-standing precedent and threatens its own legitimacy. The Court’s perceived radicalization has sparked calls to reform processes such as how members are appointed, how they wield power once instated, and how long they remain on the bench. These and other proposals must be evaluated to address antidemocratic flaws in our judiciary.
What Went Wrong with New York’s Redistricting
New York’s latest round of redistricting left many deeply dissatisfied despite yielding some of the most competitive and politically balanced voting maps in the country. The greatest flaws in the process can be attributed to poorly designed reforms adopted in 2014, ambiguous map-drawing rules, and Democrats’ refusal to create replacements after their proposed maps were struck down as a partisan gerrymander. Opponents of redistricting reforms might point to New York to argue against reform, but the real lesson is the need for stronger, more robust changes.
BRENNAN CENTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
INSTAGRAM: AG William Barr: "All of the early claims were bogus and silly and completely based on misinformation. Obviously he had lost the election."
READ MORE ON INSTAGRAM>>
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The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to reform, revitalize – and when necessary defend – our country’s systems of democracy and justice.
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