[INSIDER]

Strict voter ID laws and risky voter purges based on unreliable data threaten our democracy.

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The New Voter Suppression

Voter suppression is still alive in today’s electoral politics. Strict voter ID laws are one such example ⁠— laws like these disproportionately affect people of color, as this Brennan Center expert brief explains ([link removed]). Another threat to voting rights: risky voter purges, such as this one in Wisconsin that could remove 200,000 names from the rolls in 2020 ([link removed]).

Ten Years of Citizens United

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which struck down limits on political spending by corporations and unions. Citizens United paved the way for the wealthiest donors and special interests to spend without limit via super PACs ([link removed]), and because of this, even a small donor boom is no match for these megadonors ([link removed]).

There’s one possible solution: H.R. 1, a bill passed by the House and pending in the Senate. H.R. 1 includes a public financing program that would amplify the voices of small donors, so the current flood of megadonor money can be balanced by supercharged funding from everyday Americans. Learn more about H.R. 1: the For the People Act ([link removed]).

The Honest Ads Act Explained

Existing campaign finance laws regulate TV and radio ads, but not internet ads. This means that foreign entities — like Russian government agents — are allowed to purchase online ads that mention political candidates. The bipartisan Honest Ads Act ([link removed]), recently introduced in the Senate, would close this loophole by banning foreign nationals from buying online political ads and requiring that the identities of all political ad buyers be made public. Read more about the proposed law and its impact ([link removed]).

What Rod Blagojevich’s Double Impeachment Could Mean for Trump

After Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was caught on tape in 2008 trying to sell the Senate seat left vacant by Barack Obama, he was impeached. Twice. As President Trump’s impeachment trial begins, what lessons can Blagojevich’s impeachment offer? Read Brennan Center Fellow Ciara Torres-Spelliscy’s take ([link removed]).

Want more on impeachment?

In December, Brennan Center President Michael Waldman sat down with Supreme Court lawyer Neal Katyal for a fascinating conversation about impeachment. Watch the video or read the transcript ([link removed]).

UPCOMING EVENT: Stop the Bleeding: Bold Plans to Prevent Violence
Tuesday, January 28 | NYC | 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. ([link removed])

Nearly 50 people are murdered every day in the United States. Thomas Abt argues that a handful of targeted, cost-effective strategies can halve that number. In his new book, Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence — and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets ([link removed]), the Harvard Kennedy School senior research scholar and former Obama administration official says that the focus on drugs, gangs, and guns has been misplaced. He proposes instead an alternative vision for urban policing. RSVP Today! ([link removed])


One Week Left: Vote for the Brennan Center!

We could receive part of a $150,000 grant from CREDO this month. This funding will make a crucial difference in our fight against voter suppression. Cast your vote! ([link removed])

We are experimenting with the format of this newsletter and are eager to know what you think of it. What would you like to see here? Email your thoughts to [email protected].

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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.

Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
120 Broadway, Suite 1750
New York, NY 10271
T 646 292 8310
F 212 463 7308
[email protected]

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