Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM

DOJ won’t appeal order against Trump’s anti-voting decree

DOJ won’t appeal order against Trump’s anti-voting decree Court filings revealed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will not appeal a judge’s order blocking part of President Donald Trump’s election order that imposed a documentary proof of citizenship requirement when registering to vo…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 6, 2025 at 6:32 PM

The Republicans’ latest Supreme Court gambit

The Republicans’ latest Supreme Court gambit It’s only Tuesday, and already this week Donald Trump has said he doesn’t know if, as president, he must uphold the U.S. Constitution and has suggested imposing tariffs on movies. One reason it’s difficult to cover politics and the courts in th…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 5, 2025 at 10:05 PM

New lawsuit blasts Indiana for banning student IDs at the polls

New lawsuit blasts Indiana for banning student IDs at the polls Last month, Indiana passed a law removing student ID cards as an accepted form of voter ID. A new lawsuit challenging the move calls it “a surgical attack on young voters.” View in browser …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 5, 2025 at 3:33 PM

My time on 60 Minutes and why I refuse to stay silent

My time on 60 Minutes and why I refuse to stay silent I have been fighting Donald Trump nonstop for a decade. I officially became general counsel to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign on April 12, 2015. A month later, on June 16, Trump announced his campaign. View in browser…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM

Judge’s footnote and warning to Trump’s Big Law collaborators

Judge’s footnote and warning to Trump’s Big Law collaborators Every so often a judge will use a footnote to speak directly to the broader public. It’s the judicial equivalent of an actor breaking the fourth wall — the imaginary barrier that separates performers from the audience. …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 3, 2025 at 11:32 AM

My final word on Trump’s 100 days

My final word on Trump’s 100 days For months, I have argued relentlessly that judging Donald Trump by the usual standards of a typical American presidency is inadequate for the moment we face. Just yesterday, I wrote: “There’s no magic to 100 days. The challenges Trump poses to our countr…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 2, 2025 at 10:03 PM

A double win for Pennsylvania voters

A double win for Pennsylvania voters In two victories for Pennsylvania voters, one judge dismissed a far-right challenge seeking to purge over 277,000 voters from the rolls, and a federal appeals court rejected a GOP bid to disqualify ballots for minor errors. View in bro…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 2, 2025 at 4:04 PM

There’s no magic to 100 days

There’s no magic to 100 days The greatest risk of the Trump era is the resetting of what we expect from our leaders. Most dangerous, of course, is the redefinition of the presidency — from a position of honor and trust to one of retribution and corruption. View in browser…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 2, 2025 at 11:12 AM

Is an independent elections panel boosting Trump’s war on voting?

Is an independent elections panel boosting Trump’s war on voting? The U.S. Election Assistance Commission was designed to be bipartisan and independent from presidential control. Now, is it putting a thumb on the scale for Trump’s agenda? View in browser …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 1, 2025 at 10:01 PM

GOP gains majority on North Carolina election board

GOP gains majority on North Carolina election board North Carolina auditor Dave Boliek (R) appointed a GOP majority to the State Board of Elections after an appeals court allowed a law that took away appointment power from Gov. Josh Stein (D) to take effect. The move could boost the Repub…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 1, 2025 at 6:52 PM

Join us live tonight at 7 p.m. ET — Trump’s first 100 days

Join us live tonight at 7 p.m. ET — Trump’s first 100 days This week, Donald Trump passed his 100th day in office. Tonight, we mark that occasion with a critical discussion about the growing risks to our democracy. Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias will lead a live discussion on the fou…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 1, 2025 at 4:32 PM

One assumption about Trump that is making a bad situation worse

One assumption about Trump that is making a bad situation worse If there is one thing that is clear from Donald Trump’s first 100 days, it is that he is not a regular president. But the courts continue to treat him as one, which is what has us barreling towards a full-blown constitutional…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 1, 2025 at 11:31 AM

Trump’s next 1,360 days will hinge on dissent and the courts

Trump’s next 1,360 days will hinge on dissent and the courts The years ahead will largely be shaped by whether organized opposition refuses to back down in the face of clear threats of retribution and retaliation, and by whether federal courts and the states continue to check Trump’s purs…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 30, 2025 at 10:02 PM

Trump’s DOJ to focus on voter fraud, not voting rights

Trump’s DOJ to focus on voter fraud, not voting rights The Justice Department is quietly dismantling its voting section and redirecting it to target voter fraud, marking an alarming departure from the unit’s longstanding purpose of protecting ballot access. View in browse…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 30, 2025 at 11:03 AM

Trump’s assault on voting rights was always about one thing: fear

Trump’s assault on voting rights was always about one thing: fear The SAVE Act faces a steep uphill battle in the U.S. Senate. But that doesn’t mean the threat to voting rights across the country isn’t a five-alarm fire. States are trying to pass their own versions of the controversial bi…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 29, 2025 at 10:02 PM

Federal election panel chair opposes “late” mail ballots

Federal election panel chair opposes “late” mail ballots Amid the Republican Party’s broad effort to hamstring voting by mail, the chair of an independent bipartisan federal election commission told Congress states shouldn’t allow ballots after Election Day. View in brows…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 29, 2025 at 11:33 AM

One hundred days of Republican complicity

One hundred days of Republican complicity Today marks one hundred days of Donald Trump’s return to the presidency and the Republican Party’s return to power. Republicans—not just Donald Trump—now control all the elected branches of the federal government. Republicans in Congress control l…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 28, 2025 at 10:02 PM

As we approach 100 days of the Trump administration…

As we approach 100 days of the Trump administration… Here's your reminder that liberal and conservative judges ruled against Trump in 11 different lawsuits last week. And lower courts are saving the rule of law — which is why Republicans are out to undermine them. View in…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM

A party in Washington, a crisis in democracy

A party in Washington, a crisis in democracy Recently, I started writing to you on Mondays about the biggest democracy news of the weekend. Typically, this involves some outrage by the administration or a significant court development. This weekend, however, the biggest democracy news too…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 26, 2025 at 11:32 AM

The era of political retribution is here

The era of political retribution is here Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Justice to investigate ActBlue, the leading fundraising platform used by Democrats. This follows a series of executive orders aimed at changing voting rules to disadvantage Democrats, seizing control of in…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 25, 2025 at 10:02 PM

Courts handed Trump a slew of legal losses this week

Courts handed Trump a slew of legal losses this week FBI Director Kash Patel said bureau agents arrested a Wisconsin county judge for allegedly helping a man evade immigration agents, highlighting the Trump administration’s dangerous push to prosecute officials who resist deportation effo…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 25, 2025 at 5:03 PM

Incompetence v. Depravity: Another week of Trump chaos

Incompetence v. Depravity: Another week of Trump chaos If we make it through this dark period of history with democracy intact, it may be because the administration’s incompetence outweighed its depravity. Once again, this week we were confronted with these two competing realities. …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 25, 2025 at 11:02 AM

Federal judge blocks key parts of Trump’s anti-voting executive order

Federal judge blocks key parts of Trump’s anti-voting executive order In a win for voting rights, a federal judge Thursday halted key parts of President Donald Trump’s sweeping anti-voting executive order, delivering a blow to the president’s plan to radically change elections and potenti…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 24, 2025 at 10:02 PM

Judge halts Trump’s anti-voting executive order

Judge halts Trump’s anti-voting executive order A U.S. judge blocked federal agencies from carrying out key parts of President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive order on elections. Among its many changes, Trump’s order directed the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to change a federal …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 24, 2025 at 11:32 AM

Trump’s immigration crackdown is ensnaring Americans

Trump’s immigration crackdown is ensnaring Americans Several U.S. citizens have been wrongfully detained or inexplicably threatened with deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement since the start of Trump’s mass deportation campaign. View in browser …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 23, 2025 at 10:01 PM

Key wins for North Carolina voters

Key wins for North Carolina voters A three-judge panel in a North Carolina court blocked a Republican scheme to gain power over the state’s election board — the agency charged with running elections and enforcing campaign finance laws. View in browser …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 23, 2025 at 4:31 PM

It’s only Wednesday, but we already have heroes, cowards and sirens of the week

It’s only Wednesday, but we already have heroes, cowards and sirens of the week I usually save my commentary on the news of the week for Friday. But frankly, there has already been too much news to wait that long. Tuesday began with the announcement that three more federal prosecutors in …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 23, 2025 at 11:08 AM

Kilmar Abrego García’s case exposes weakness of Trump’s favorite tactic

Kilmar Abrego García’s case exposes weakness of Trump’s favorite tactic Trump’s latest political target is someone who has worked to hold him accountable for a handful of his numerous alleged criminal endeavors: New York Attorney General Letitia James. A top housing official in the Trump …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 22, 2025 at 10:07 PM

SCOTUS to be asked to discount ballots that arrive after election day

SCOTUS to be asked to discount ballots that arrive after election day The U.S. Supreme Court looks set to be asked to rule on a far-reaching GOP bid to ban states from accepting ballots that arrive after election day, potentially disenfranchising a large number of voters. …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 22, 2025 at 2:48 PM

Trump isn’t winning — fear is

Trump isn’t winning — fear is I was listening to a podcast interview with Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, this weekend when something he said jumped out at me. He was talking about how disappointed and surprised he was at how American institutions reacted to Trump’s attacks on our c…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 21, 2025 at 10:03 PM

Trump targets officials who opposed his election lies

Trump targets officials who opposed his election lies President Donald Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi and other top officials to investigate two of his former first-term officials who publicly refuted his baseless claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent and criticized his c…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 21, 2025 at 8:23 PM

 You're invited: A live event on the first 100 days of Trump

 You're invited: A live event on the first 100 days of Trump On Thursday, May 1 at 7 p.m. ET, join Democracy Docket founder Marc Elias and a panel of experts examining key vulnerabilities that could push our system to the breaking point including the Trump administration's actions towards…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 21, 2025 at 3:02 PM

The Supreme Court has already had enough

The Supreme Court has already had enough Most Mondays, I write about a series of events that unfolded since Friday, hoping to weave them into a coherent narrative. Today, however, I need to focus on one major story from the weekend: a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to block — temporar…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 20, 2025 at 11:32 AM

The state of democracy requires us to expand the map

The state of democracy requires us to expand the map Following Donald Trump's defeat in 2020, we witnessed an explosion of voting and election-related litigation. Sparked by a wave of voter suppression laws and Republican efforts to justify the "Big Lie," nearly 600 lawsuits were filed ov…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 19, 2025 at 11:32 AM

A note of thanks and my weekend reading list

A note of thanks and my weekend reading list Every Saturday, I share a list of recommended reads that I believe are worth your time. Typically, it's four to five stories from the week — important pieces that may have been overlooked in the rush of breaking news. Sometimes, I include books…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 18, 2025 at 10:02 PM

DOGE is still blocked from accessing sensitive Social Security data

DOGE is still blocked from accessing sensitive Social Security data A federal judge extended a block prohibiting DOGE from accessing Americans’ personal data from the Social Security Administration, stating that such access likely violates federal law. “The DOGE Team seeks access to the […

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 18, 2025 at 5:33 PM

A week of contempt

A week of contempt For months, the Department of Justice has been squandering its goodwill with the judiciary. This is no small matter. Anyone who litigates against the federal government will tell you that one of the great challenges is overcoming judges’ natural inclination to give gove…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 18, 2025 at 11:03 AM

Some good news in Allison Riggs’ fight against voter disenfranchisement in North Carolina

Some good news in Allison Riggs’ fight against voter disenfranchisement in North Carolina In a win for voters in Mississippi, a federal court ordered the state to draw new Senate districts for DeSoto County. It’s the latest development in the long legal saga over state Senate and House re…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 17, 2025 at 9:58 PM

A key federal elections agency is moving forward with Trump’s anti-voting order

A key federal elections agency is moving forward with Trump’s anti-voting order In a move that could disenfranchise even more voters in the North Carolina Supreme Court race, Jefferson Griffin asked the state appeals court to expand the number of ballots needing correction. The move comes…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 17, 2025 at 10:59 AM

Where Abrego García’s case stands

SCOTUS boosts Trump’s deportation powers  Will Trump invoke the Insurrection Act next? This week, we lay out where Kilmar Abrego García’s lawsuit against the Trump administration currently stands. Also in this edition: The secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security may be on the verge o…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 16, 2025 at 11:34 PM

10 things you can do right now to protect free and fair elections

10 things you can do right now to protect free and fair elections There are things every one of us can do in our daily lives to help ensure free and fair elections — and, in doing so, limit the harm he can cause. Some actions are small — so small that you might dismiss them as unimportant…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 16, 2025 at 10:05 PM

Some promising news in North Carolina — finally

Some promising news in North Carolina — finally North Carolina officials said in court documents that the number of contested military and overseas ballots in the state Supreme Court race is significantly fewer than previously reported — likely boosting Democratic chances. But there are a…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 16, 2025 at 10:59 AM

The sad, cruel saga of Kilmer Abrego García

The sad, cruel saga of Kilmer Abrego García Trump’s latest executive orders seek to punish former allies who called out his election lies. I can’t stop thinking about Kilmer Abrego García, the Maryland man who was wrongfully deported to a notoriously dangerous prison in El Salvador. …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 15, 2025 at 10:16 PM

Allison Riggs vows to “fight as long as it takes” to count every vote in NC

Allison Riggs vows to “fight as long as it takes” to ensure every vote is counted in North Carolina Riggs and others appealed the state Supreme Court’s order to disenfranchise around 5,000 military and overseas voters unless they cure their ballots. View in browser …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 15, 2025 at 7:20 PM

Republicans are trying to steal an election in this swing state

Republicans are trying to steal an election in this swing state Republicans have been laying the groundwork for five months, and unless the federal courts intervene, they just might succeed. If they do, it could usher in a new era of election subversion in future contests across the count…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM

A billion dollar betrayal

A billion dollar betrayal Since beginning his second term, Donald Trump has installed sycophants to lead the Department of Justice, U.S. attorney’s offices and the FBI. He has fired Inspectors General and purged career lawyers from key positions. View in browser …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 14, 2025 at 10:07 PM

GOP bid to steal North Carolina election shifts to federal court

GOP bid to steal North Carolina election shifts to federal court Trump administration won’t return wrongly deported Maryland resident, despite SCOTUS order. On Saturday, a federal court ordered North Carolina to proceed with a plan that puts 5,000 military and overseas ballots in the 2024…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 12, 2025 at 11:14 AM

Why this night, and this moment, are different from all others

Why this night, and this moment, are different from all others Tonight marks the first night of Passover, the Jewish holiday celebrating the exodus of Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Since I was often the youngest child at the Seder table, it usually fell on me to recite the Four Questi…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

April 11, 2025 at 10:10 PM

North Carolina Supreme Court rules to count some ballots, reject others.

North Carolina Supreme Court rules to count some ballots, reject others. Don’t believe that Trump will follow court orders. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) joined Marc to discuss the ongoing influence of dark money in the courts, how the Trump administration is tearing apart the DOJ and …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

April 11, 2025 at 5:32 PM

Careless people and America’s Gatsby moment

Careless people and America’s Gatsby moment My thoughts on a busy week of historic economic turmoil and election denialism. View in browser One hundred years ago yesterday, The Great Gatsby was first published. …

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