Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 16, 2025 at 11:03 AM

Dismantling the DOJ

Dismantling the DOJ Only an estimated three attorneys are left on the team that enforces U.S. voting rights law. The DOJ is still involved in at least 29 voting rights or redistricting cases across 18 states, according to Democracy Docket’s litigation tracker. View in bro…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 15, 2025 at 10:03 PM

SCOTUS mulls limiting judges’ authority to block Trump’s power grab

SCOTUS mulls limiting judges’ authority to block Trump’s power grab SCOTUS heard oral argument in the birthright citizenship case that could greatly limit federal judges' ability to block Trump from expanding presidential powers. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson described the government's st…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 15, 2025 at 11:02 AM

Trump’s power grab is metastasizing

Trump’s power grab is metastasizing Trump is attempting to assert control over Congress by taking over its library. By firing the librarian of Congress and installing his former defense lawyer in her place, Trump may be asserting that the Library of Congress is part of the executive branc…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 14, 2025 at 10:02 PM

New ruling cuts off key tool to protect minority voters

New ruling cuts off key tool to protect minority voters The 8th Circuit severed a key avenue for private groups and individuals to bring racial discrimination claims under the Voting Rights Act, further weakening the landmark law’s ability to protect voters across seven states. …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 14, 2025 at 4:32 PM

Why you’ve been hearing from me more often

Why you’ve been hearing from me more often You may have noticed that you’ve been hearing from me a lot lately. In the past seven days, I’ve written something for Democracy Docket every single day. That wasn’t my plan. Back in 2020, I was a lawyer fighting for voting rights and democracy i…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 14, 2025 at 11:03 AM

Right-wing groups are reigniting their anti-voting efforts

Right-wing groups are reigniting their anti-voting efforts Throughout the 2024 election season, a host of right-wing anti-voting groups worked tirelessly to disenfranchise voters. The groups spread disinformation about noncitizen voting, rehashed familiar conspiracy theories about mass vo…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 13, 2025 at 10:02 PM

Judges could crack down on anti-voting group’s mass voter challenges 

Judges could crack down on anti-voting group’s mass voter challenges At a hearing today, a federal appeals court appeared open to protecting voters by reversing a lower court ruling that dismissed a pro-voting lawsuit targeting mass voter challenges in Georgia. View in b…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 13, 2025 at 11:02 AM

5 reasons why law firm deals with Trump may damage their businesses

5 reasons why law firm deals with Trump may damage their businesses It has been two months since Donald Trump began targeting law firms with illegal and unconstitutional executive orders. My former law firm, Perkins Coie, was the first to be targeted on March 6. Six days later, a federal …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 12, 2025 at 10:29 PM

Corrected: DOJ voting section has just three lawyers left, watchdog estimates

DOJ voting section has just three lawyers left, watchdog estimates The number of attorneys in the DOJ’s voting section dropped from 30 to three, according to one group’s estimate provided to Democracy Docket. It came amid reports that the department will no longer work to protect voting r…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 12, 2025 at 10:02 PM

DOJ has just three lawyers left, watchdog estimates

DOJ has just three lawyers left, watchdog estimates The number of attorneys in the DOJ’s voting section dropped from 30 to three, according to one group’s estimate provided to Democracy Docket. It came amid reports that the department will no longer work to protect voting rights. …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 12, 2025 at 4:02 PM

Will the Supreme Court rein in Trump’s excesses? Here’s my answer.

Will the Supreme Court rein in Trump’s excesses? Here’s my answer. I know I promised I wouldn’t send you emails on Mondays unless there was news, but there was something I was thinking about all weekend that I wanted to share. Shortly after Donald Trump took office, someone asked me if th…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 11, 2025 at 1:52 PM

Justice Sotomayor’s message to lawyers: Stand up, fight and win

Judge’s footnote and warning to Trump’s Big Law collaborators Justice Sonia Sotomayor is not one to hide her feelings. A plainspoken New Yorker, she is known as a tough questioner who challenges lawyers who appear before the Supreme Court on their assumptions and the consequences of the l…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 10, 2025 at 11:02 AM

6 lawsuits you should know about

6 lawsuits you should know about Once again Trump’s latest outrages dominated the news this week. Add in the selection of a new Pope, and there was little room for much else. Yet, across the country, there were six new lawsuits filed to protect voters. Most of which were brought in states…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 9, 2025 at 10:01 PM

Trump administration proposes more drastic election security cuts

Trump administration proposes more drastic election security cuts The Trump administration introduced a new budget proposal calling for a near $500 million cut to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the nation’s top federal entity responsible for protecting elections fro…

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 9, 2025 at 5:31 PM

Republicans had a terrible week in court

Republicans had a terrible week in court Last Friday, Republicans suffered two major legal defeats in Pennsylvania. A trial court dismissed a right-wing lawsuit seeking to purge hundreds of thousands of voters, while the Third Circuit rejected a motion to block a lower court’s decision re…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 9, 2025 at 11:03 AM

Unpacking the big win for voters in North Carolina

Unpacking the big win for voters in North Carolina After six agonizing months of legal pingponging between state and federal courts, the GOP bid to steal a North Carolina’s Supreme Court seat has failed. On Monday, a federal court ordered the state to certify Democratic Justice Allison Ri…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 8, 2025 at 10:03 PM

Trump judges blast Alabama for racially discriminatory congressional map

Trump judges blast Alabama for racially discriminatory congressional map In a win for voters, a three-judge panel with two Trump appointees ruled that Alabama’s 2023 congressional map is unconstitutional and violates the VRA, calling it “an intentional effort to dilute Black Alabamians’ v…

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 8, 2025 at 11:02 AM

Trump’s bid to bypass immigration courts is crumbling

Trump’s bid to bypass immigration courts is crumbling Trump’s mounting hostility toward the rule of law and fundamental democratic principles comes as his attempt to use the Alien Enemies Act to bypass immigration courts is crumbling in the legal realm and the real world. …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 7, 2025 at 10:02 PM

It’s over! Republican concedes in North Carolina Supreme Court race

It’s over! Republican concedes in North Carolina Supreme Court race Republican Jefferson Griffin conceded the North Carolina Supreme Court race to Democrat Allison Riggs, ending his six-month legal battle to overturn the election. View in browser …

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  Marc Elias · [email protected]

May 7, 2025 at 6:32 PM

We have more power than Trump wants us to believe 

We have more power than Trump wants us to believe The messages have been loud and clear: You are worried about the future. You are frustrated that more is not being done. We are all angry that so few will stand up and fight. View in browser …

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  Democracy Docket · [email protected]

May 7, 2025 at 11:02 AM

Why former DOJ staffers are worried about the future of its voting section

Why former DOJ staffers are worried about the future of its voting section Ever since reports emerged about some major changes to the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil rights division — and in particular, its voting section — I’ve been speaking with former DOJ attorneys to help put into …

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  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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