Founder and Executive Director @protctdemocracy. Former Associate White House Counsel. Donor to @GiveDirectly. @ian_bassin in the other place. Tweets my own.
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Nov 4 • 25 tweets • 8 min read
Some final thoughts before election day:
This is not a normal election or a normal moment in American politics. Something massive and existential for freedom is on the line.
Around the world, democracies have been in retreat in the 21st Century /1 protectdemocracy.org
Autocrats are rising in their place. They are coming to power through elections, and then once inside, like Trojan Horses are dismantling democratic systems from within.
Led by tyrants like Vladimir Putin, whether they come from the left in Venezuela or the right in Hungary../2
Feb 25, 2022 • 14 tweets • 5 min read
Five years ago, we launched @protctdemocracy. I told @Politico at the time that “We need an organization that is specifically and holistically focused on the worst-case scenario” that Trump might pose an authoritarian threat to our democracy. /1 politico.com/story/2017/02/…
Since then, we've built a team beyond the Obama lawyers who helped launch it to include progressives, moderates and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, committed to protecting our Republic. /2
Jan 7, 2022 • 5 tweets • 5 min read
@cynlyn52@chrislhayes@allinwithchris@protctdemocracy Thank you. First, we're the only advanced democracy in the world with essentially a supermajority requirement for basic legislation. /1@cynlyn52@chrislhayes@allinwithchris@protctdemocracy Second, the notion that the filibuster fosters bipartisanship is just contradicted by the data. Over the past 30 years nearly 80% of filibustered bills were bipartisan. The average had support from 5 Senators on the other side. /2
Mar 9, 2021 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
Something very weird is happening over at the @BulwarkOnline.
People who disagree about policy but are all living in reality are debating the next big congressional priority, HR1 (the big democracy reform bill).
If you're interested, follow along.. /1
First, my colleagues @justingflorence and Rachel Homer wrote a primer on HR1, The For The People Act. This set of reforms for our democracy is now the top congressional agenda item after COVID relief. /2 thebulwark.com/hr1-for-dummie…
Jan 7, 2021 • 13 tweets • 4 min read
As dark as today has been, I want to not lose sight of the light on the horizon. I started this thread before today's events, but share it now all the same as it will be part of the solution.
Why we should all be thrilled about @joebiden's nominees to lead @TheJusticeDept. /1
First, after the damage that has been done to the Dept and the rule of law over the past four years by Trump and Bill Barr, it was critical that the incoming AG not be a political actor -- so not someone who's held or run for office with a "D" next to their name, and also /2
Mar 3, 2020 • 18 tweets • 3 min read
I'm going to go super law nerd THREAD here and just quote this brief about why Trump's Supreme Court argument is wrong. And mind you, this is from former Republican members of congress, exec branch officials who served Republican presidents, and conservative legal experts. /1
"Since the Founding, it has been a bedrock principle in this country that nobody is above the law, not even the president. The king against whom the Founders rebelled was immune from judicial process, which was considered “incompatible with his dignity.” United States v. Burr. /2
As I said to @chrislhayes, impeachment is the antibiotic but new laws are the vaccine. Congress has to harden the rules to prevent Trump or future presidents from abusing their office to corrupt elections. Here’s a few they should enact: #inners
1. Impose procedural restrictions before DOJ can take investigatory steps against a candidate for office. #inners
Sep 24, 2019 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
The House is right to open a formal impeachment inquiry. As Benjamin Franklin told us: we have a Republic, "If [we] can keep it." It is our duty as Americans to honor that obligation and this is the step President Trump has forced on us to do that. But let us remember... /1
...Donald Trump’s admission that he used the American presidency to pressure a foreign government to interfere in an American election is not his first impeachable offense, it is merely the latest... /2
Sep 10, 2019 • 25 tweets • 10 min read
This tweet is far more disturbing then it appears on the surface (which is already disturbing). Let me explain with a thread. /1
It's well covered that Trump admires some of the world's leading autocrats and aspires to emulating their misrule. One of those he has lavished praise on is Hungary's Viktor Orban, who has dismantled Hungarian democracy and its free press. /2 abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump…
Nov 20, 2018 • 10 tweets • 7 min read
THREAD on stunning story about Trump wanting to prosecute opponents. 1st This is a very carefully written and exceptionally well explained piece by @maggieNYT and @nytmike on what happened, how comports with historical practice, and why so troubling /1: nytimes.com/2018/11/20/us/…
We @protctdemocracy have been warning about this danger since Trump took office. Autocrats historically try to turn law enforcement into a partisan weapon against opponents and shield for supporters. For tons more background on this issue see here /2: protectdemocracy.org/independent-la…
Oct 23, 2018 • 19 tweets • 3 min read
It is bone chilling to re-read this @davidfrum from the beginning of 2017. Just read it. So much of it has happened or seems vastly more plausible than it did back then.
The water is simmering. We are the frog. Nov 6 we either jump out of the pot or... theatlantic.com/magazine/archi…
I'm going to quote a few lines from it that today read like history, not prediction: "Big tax cuts, big spending, and big deficits have worked their familiar expansive magic."
Jul 6, 2018 • 13 tweets • 7 min read
Trump (surprise) has his facts wrong about our suit, but what's worse: The plaintiffs @protctdemocracy represents are 3 Americans (not crazies) who had private lives hacked & dumped on web. His job is to protect not attack them. Also: This case isn't over protectdemocracy.org
So for example, a few things @realDonaldTrump is misleading about. First, the case was not brought by @DNC. It was brought by @protctdemocracy on behalf of American voters who were injured when their private info like SS#s were hacked and dumped to the world. /2
Jun 28, 2018 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
A short THREAD on a huge issue: A major thing missing to me so far in the #KennedyRetirement coverage is this: all Presidents who appoint justices might have those justices rule on their official acts, like policy initiatives or legislation. /1
But I cannot think of a prior example of a President appointing a justice who could rule on that President's personal exposure to serious criminal or civil liability. /2
Jun 3, 2018 • 23 tweets • 5 min read
THREAD: Here’s one way to understand what’s going on with the Trump team legal memo, why they put it out, why it’s wrong, and why even if anyone buys it it doesn't help Trump. /1
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The Trump lawyers are trying to pull a fast one in a few ways. First, they’re trying to say Trump can’t commit the crime of obstruction of justice because he runs the justice department and can do whatever he wants with it. /2
