Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 12h

The career federal prosecutors who conducted both the Comey and James investigations found insufficient evidence to bring charges. This pattern of retaliation by the administration is dangerous and wrong. 2/2

Comey Indictment Shows Danger of Subservient Prosecutors

The political prosecution of a presidential enemy has left the government with a seemingly unwinnable case — and a justice system tainted by politics.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 12h

President Trump is using the Justice Department as a weapon against his political enemies. Today NY Attorney General Letitia James was indicted after the president demanded her prosecution. Yesterday James Comey pled not guilty to charges brought against him at the president's request. 1/2

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 16h

The Pentagon already wastes billions of dollars on overpriced, subpar weapons. Congress is considering changes to the acquisition and testing process that would only make the problem worse. bit.ly/43ddfnj

How Acquisition Reform Could Make Military AI More Expensive and Less Safe

Proposed changes to how the military acquires and tests weapons expose taxpayers to more wasteful spending while undermining the delivery of safe and effective capabilities.

www.lawfaremedia.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 17h

Using military lawyers as immigration judges further erodes the line between the military and civilian government. bit.ly/3Ipkr8Z

Using Military Lawyers as Immigration Judges is Ill-Advised and Potentially Illegal

It violates individual rights and is an inappropriate use of the military.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 18h

TAKE ACTION: The Election Assistance Commission is accepting public comments on the request for a “show-your-papers” requirement in order to register to vote. Will you speak out against this attack on the freedom to vote? www.regulations.gov/document/EAC...

Regulations.gov

www.regulations.gov

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 21h

Outdated laws from the 1700s and 1800s give the president tremendous power to use the military at home. It’s past time for Congress to repeal the Alien Enemies Act, close loopholes in the Posse Comitatus Act, and reform the Insurrection Act. bit.ly/4oxXJLN

Outdated and Dangerous

Antiquated laws from the 1700s and 1800s give the president tremendous power to use the military at home to quash protests and order mass arrests in times of war and domestic upheaval.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 22h

If the government carries out Trump’s orders targeting antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization,” it would violate free speech rights. Here’s why: bit.ly/4330Su2

Trump’s Orders Targeting Antifascism Aim to Criminalize Opposition

Purporting to go after “domestic terrorism,” the president presents an imagined left-wing conspiracy and authorizes punishments for even tenuous connections to speech the administration doesn’t like.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 22h

The Supreme Court has been reluctant to constrain the imperial presidency, but if it fails to act now, it could put American democracy itself at great risk. bit.ly/3IWUMED

There Is No Insurrection

Troops are for national defense, not displays of presidential power.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 22h

“Election officials take great care to ensure that, at every step, voters are safe and ballots are secure,” @gowriramachandran.bsky.social writes in @calmatters.org ahead of California’s special election this fall.

Californians should ignore the federal government's false claims about our elections

Californians can count on their elections. That hasn't changed. What has changed is the volume of false claims from the federal government.

calmatters.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

The Voting Rights Act — the crown jewel of the civil rights movement — is under attack. The Brennan Center’s Kareem Crayton explains why this law is essential for protecting equal access to the ballot. Watch the latest podcast episode of The Briefing with Michael Waldman: bit.ly/4gWs4QQ

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

"The military can be called in to assist civilian authorities only under the most extreme scenarios," @lizagoitein.bsky.social tells @wbur.org. And "the facts on the ground" in Chicago and Portland "do not justify military deployment."

Could Trump invoke the Insurrection Act to police cities?

President Trump posted that both the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois should both be jailed for “failing to protect ICE officers.”

www.wbur.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

California voters should feel confident casting their ballot this fall despite the federal government’s efforts to try and undermine public confidence in elections, @gowriramachandran.bsky.social writes in @calmatters.org.

Californians should ignore the federal government's false claims about our elections

Californians can count on their elections. That hasn't changed. What has changed is the volume of false claims from the federal government.

calmatters.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

The Brennan Center research shows that voting in person, early voting, and mail voting are accurate and secure. It’s paramount to ensure that every eligible citizen has the freedom to vote. bit.ly/4fLDlDa

Mail Voting Accuracy

Election officials use many checks to ensure mail voting is secure against widespread fraud and tampering.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

We are living in a new era of corruption, where legal guardrails have crumbled. What will end the culture of kleptocracy?

Join us for a live virtual event with experts on Wed., Oct. 15, at 3pm ET. RSVP: bit.ly/48Vo94N

Paying for Power

Experts lay out a plan to end the culture of kleptocracy.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

Trump’s rationale for sending the military into American cities keeps shifting. But the purpose remains constant: intimidation. The Supreme Court and Congress must push back. bit.ly/3IWUMED

There Is No Insurrection

Troops are for national defense, not displays of presidential power.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

The Voting Rights Act — the crown jewel of the civil rights movement — is under attack. The Brennan Center’s Kareem Crayton explains why this law is essential for protecting equal access to the ballot. Watch the latest podcast episode of The Briefing with Michael Waldman: bit.ly/4gWs4QQ

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

Over the next 15 months, we can expect a coordinated campaign — backed by the full power of the executive branch — to undermine confidence in our election system. Here’s what to expect, and how key actors can be ready to respond: bit.ly/4fRIqtA

What to Expect Next in the Trump Administration’s Strategy to Meddle with the Vote

Efforts to protect the coming elections must begin now.

www.brennancenter.org

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Reposted by Brennan Center

Kasia Szymborski Wolfkot @kasiawolfkot.bsky.social · 1d

friends, @brennancenter.org launched a podcast! give it a listen. this episode is a preview of the #SCOTUS term, with analysis from @mawaldman.bsky.social, Dr. Kareem Crayton @lizagoitein.bsky.social, Leah Tulin, and Prof. Gilda R. Daniels.

Supreme Court Preview

YouTube video by Brennan Center for Justice

www.youtube.com

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

This year's Supreme Court term will be a historic one for the future of presidential power and our system of checks and balances. Will the Court defend the Constitution? Listen to our new podcast, The Briefing with Michael Waldman: bit.ly/3KZVm57

Supreme Court Preview

This year’s Supreme Court term will be a historic one for the future of presidential power and our system of checks and balances. The Court has steadily chip...

www.youtube.com

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

The Insurrection Act allows the president to deploy the military for civilian law enforcement. It’s also dangerously vague. bit.ly/3GsFBhL

The Insurrection Act Explained

The law, which lets the president deploy the military domestically and use it for civilian law enforcement, is dangerously vague and in urgent need of reform.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 1d

James Comey’s indictment is as far as it could be from the facts and the law. Former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance explains why: bit.ly/46TyPOR

Comey Indictment Shows Danger of Subservient Prosecutors

The political prosecution of a presidential enemy has left the government with a seemingly unwinnable case — and a justice system tainted by politics.

www.brennancenter.org

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 2d

The Supreme Court’s campaign finance interventions since Citizens United have wrongly second-guessed Congress’s policy judgments and sharply diverged from the preferences of the American public — which supports reasonable limits on the role of money in politics. 2/2

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 2d

NEW: The Brennan Center and Steptoe LLP filed a brief in
National Republican Senatorial Committee v. FEC, urging the Supreme Court to reject the argument that limits on coordinated party expenditures violate the First Amendment. 1/2
bit.ly/46UPiST

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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 2d

Not only is Trump’s use of the term “insurrection” a wild exaggeration of protests in Portland, but it’s also an obvious wink to the Insurrection Act, which can unlock great presidential powers.

There Is No Insurrection

Troops are for national defense, not displays of presidential power.

www.brennancenter.org

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Reposted by Brennan Center

Douglas Keith @douglaskeith.bsky.social · 3d

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's jurisprudence is... complicated! But with nearly half the court up for retention election next month, the money is still pouring in. More @statecourtreport.org: statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...

Everything You Need to Know About Next Month’s High-Stakes Supreme Court Elections in Pennsylvania

Three justices will face an up or down vote in November, the outcome of which is likely to impact the midterms.

statecourtreport.org

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