Lawyers Defending American Democracy

In honoring #USA250, we cannot forget our democracy was built by individuals who risked everything for the rule of law. In LDAD & @thefulcrum-us.bsky.social's essay series, #MeetingTheMoment ME co-lead Michael Millemann traces the long tradition of lawyers standing up to tyranny in America.

ldad.orgFulcrum Series: Where Founding Principles Meet the Moment – LDAD

As foundational principles are attacked today, the essay ends w/ a call to action: "Lawyers need a counter-teaching campaign to make it clear... that today's law-breaking federal government is not even within the outer limits of acceptable norms." Read the full series here: ldad.org/letters-brie...

We love to see this 👏 👏👏 and are proud to play a part in mobilizing #LawyerLeaders alongside other amazing organizations like @lawyers4goodgov.bsky.social @wetheaction.bsky.social @democracydefendersaction.org + many more. Join us in #MeetingTheMoment and do your part to defend American democracy!

Financial Times@financialtimes.com

Hundreds of US lawyers have agreed to work for free on efforts to monitor next month’s midterm elections in what voting rights groups say is the biggest effort of its kind to prevent meddling at the polls ft.trib.al/eStB936

The spirit of #USA250 lies in actively protecting our democracy today. In LDAD's #MeetingTheMoment250 series w/ @thefulcrum-us.bsky.social, Amanda Cats-Baril looks at our Constitution as an antidote to tyranny. The antidote's success depends on the American people & the gov't acting in its defense.

thefulcrum.usOur Constitution was designed as an antidote to tyranny. 250 years later, the villain is trying to smash the vial.The Constitution’s strength against tyranny endures, but only if Americans choose to protect it.

As the current gov't does the opposite, the American people must step up. Like Amanda says: "Let us not allow the story that began in 1776 to end with the villain smashing the vial. Let’s be the heroes instead." Read the essay & take action to protect the Constitution: thefulcrum.us/democracy/de...

washingtonpost.comJustice Kagan says Supreme Court has damaged democracy with recent rulingsThe liberal justice took aim at the conservative majority’s rulings on the Voting Rights Act, campaign finance and partisan gerrymandering.

#WhenJusticeSpeaks

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com

With pivotal midterm elections two weeks away, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan said the high court’s recent decisions on voting and campaign finance have damaged the nation’s democracy.

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Alt National Park Service

@altnps.bsky.social

Way to go Texas! 🌊

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Democracy Docket

@democracydocket.com

🚨 BREAKING: Democrats have filed a new lawsuit against Trump, asking a federal court to block his administration from: 🔺Threatening election officials with criminal prosecution 🔺 Pressuring states to remove voters from the rolls The suit comes just a week after Trump’s DOJ sued California.

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All In with Chris Hayes

@allinwithchris.bsky.social

WATCH: “The fact that Todd Blanche ... doesn't have the guts to stand up to Donald Trump and say, ‘No, we're not going to do this,’ it shows me that he is unfit for the job. He needs to resign,” says Eric Holder on the Trump admin’s probe of Rep. Ilhan Omar.

youtube.com'Doesn't have the guts': Ex-AG calls for AG Blanche to resign over Omar probe YouTube video by MS NOW

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Philip Bump

@pbump.com

A reminder that back in 2023 a former staffer accused Giuliani of charging the low, low price of $2 million for a pardon via Trump and nothing ever seemed to come of it.

washingtonpost.comAnalysis | The curious question of the alleged $2 million pardonsA new lawsuit alleges that Rudy Giuliani claimed he and Trump were making money off presidential pardons. Giuliani “unequivocally denies the allegations," his attorneys say.

If a tree falls, be the sound heard everywhere. After the govt razed 430 healthy trees at D.C.’s East Potomac Golf Course, directly contradicting assurances made on the court record, Judge Reyes issued a blistering order to stop the destruction immediately. #WhenJusticeSpeaks

tinyurl.comtinyurl.comThanks to committed plaintiffs, good lawyers, and a federal judge carefully applying the law, the destruction of hundreds of trees at a public golf course is now being heard across the country.

🚨 This is about more than trees. It's about the rule of law eroding when a court's good faith is broken. Read our latest e-blast on why we must defend the judges safeguarding our democracy, especially when they face ugly attacks from the President for doing their job. 🔗 tinyurl.com/4mmcxakx

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Norm Eisen

@normeisen.bsky.social

BREAKING: We just filed a Hatch Act complaint over the outrageous raid on Ilhan Omar's home Officials can't use criminal power to affect an election. This is the textbook case @democracydefendersfund.org & @rwpusa.bsky.social👇

bit.lyJudge Extends Ban on Trump Taxpayer-Funded Ads Past Election DayThe Trump administration cannot air taxpayer-funded television ads lauding the president at least until after the midterm elections, a federal judge in Manhattan ruled Wednesday.

Judge Rochon was forced to extend the initial restraining order until AFTER the #midterms bc the Gov't continued to play the #TrumpAds on its YouTube channels in *direct violation* of the court order. The move underscores the severe threat these ads pose to election integrity.

Bloomberg Law@bloomberglaw.com

The Trump administration cannot air taxpayer-funded television ads lauding the president at least until after the midterm elections, a federal judge in Manhattan ruled Wednesday.

ldad.orgAction Alert: Speak Out Against Taxpayer-Funded Political Ads – LDAD

For talking points and clear actions you can take now in response to the administration's continued attempts to run these ads and justify their legality, read our Action Alert: ldad.org/letters-brie... Join LDAD in #MeetingTheMoment & do not let illegal election interference go unchallenged.

🚨 ACTION ALERT: Join LDAD in speaking out against taxpayer-funded political ads! Nearly $12M in #DHS funds was spent on ads promoting the President, who responded to backlash by saying he would pay himself or thru the #MAGAInc Super PAC. Shifting payment only raises new legal & ethical questions.

✊ Political promotion should not be disguised as public service. Join LDAD in #MeetingTheMoment and demand accountability for this misuse of public funds. Our Action Alert includes talking points and clear steps YOU can take today in defense of American democracy. 🔗 ldad.org/letters-brie...

ldad.orgldad.org

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Brennan Center

@brennancenter.org

The Voting Rights Act transformed American democracy. In An American Problem, Michael G. Miller and @kevintmorris.bsky.social trace the law’s history, its successes, and how Shelby County v. Holder weakened its protections. Available today: bit.ly/4ATyxFT

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ProPublica

@propublica.org

The government *still* isn’t tracking how often immigration agents detain U.S. citizens. We are. 500+ Americans have been handcuffed, held at gunpoint or held against their will in Trump’s second term. Our tally is almost certainly an undercount. THREAD (content warning: violence) ⬇️

The spirit of America's 250th should be channeled towards actively protecting the country's founding principles & values. Our #MeetingTheMoment250 series in @thefulcrum-us.bsky.social amplifies this urgency. In her featured essay, volunteer Arlene Rosenberg demystifies the rule of law for all of us.

ldad.orgFulcrum Series: Where Founding Principles Meet the Moment – LDAD

Rosenberg writes that the "'rule of law' is not a technical legal concept. It is a set of straightforward ideas about fundamental fairness that everyone can agree on." Read this important essay & the others in the series here: ldad.org/letters-brie...

tinyurl.comMeet a Maine lawyer dedicated to preserving American democracy | ColumnEarlier this year, Jed Davis founded a Maine chapter for Lawyers Defending American Democracy.

Our volunteers' energy is infectious, and we love to see their work recognized. The Portland @pressherald.com recently highlighted the efforts of Jed Davis, our co-State Lead for #MeetingTheMoment in ME: tinyurl.com/LDADMTM Inspired? Sign up to volunteer w/ LDAD. Be a #LawyerLeader like Jed.

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Norm Eisen

@normeisen.bsky.social

Trump is running political ads on your tax dollars, including a recycled one from his campaign It's against the law, & it should make everyone mad My take w/ @arimelber.bsky.social on @ms.now👇 -TN

#USA250 is a call for collective action. In his @thefulcrum-us.bsky.social essay, MTM TX co-Lead @bryker22.bsky.social emphasizes Americans shared responsibility to act now in defense of core institutions & values, even if it requires "leav[ing your] comfort zone." 🔗 Read here tinyurl.com/c649633k

nationoflaws.orgNational Law Day of Action

📮 Join us & many #democracydefense allies at next week's Nation of Laws Coalition "40 Minutes for the Rule of Law"—a virtual briefing to mobilize the legal community in defense of election integrity. 🗓️ 9/29 @ 12 pm ET 🔗 nationoflaws.org ✊ Discover concrete ways to plug in & protect the vote!

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Norm Eisen

@normeisen.bsky.social

Please don't overreact to the SCOTUS SAVE database decision today Page 6 of the decision makes clear that we are in the 90 day statutory window when mass changes cannot be made to voter lists! Yeah it's a shit decision for the reasons the 3 dissenters say but we can deal with it. More to come...

nytimes.comSupreme Court Allows Expansive Voter Screening Tool Ahead of Midterms (Gift Article)Critics of the Trump administration system to monitor the citizenship status of voters had raised alarms about privacy and improper voter purges.

⚖️ #WhenJusticeSpeaks to reject fabricated pretexts for executive overreach, it defends our democracy. At appx. 1 AM, Judge Timothy J. Kelly issued an emergency TRO mandating the White House to immediately restore revoked press passes while litigation proceeds on the ban. #CNNvTrump #FreePress

🔍 Judge Kelly called out the administration's total lack of evidence linking press access to national security risks, saying "the Court is skeptical" that "safeguarding national security is the [White House's] actual motivation” He added that a rushed ban violates 5th Amendment due process.

🛑 Due process guarantees like fair notice aren't technicalities—they are essential to prevent arbitrary, retributive executive power. 👏 Join LDAD in amplifying moments #WhenJusticeSpeaks to look past executive smokescreens and hold power accountable to the Constitution!

@thefulcrum-us.bsky.social

We are very excited to be part of this #VotingRights Conference & grateful to our #MeetingTheMoment volunteers in Maryland for arranging. Check out LDAD's table if you can attend in-person or tune in online at 3:15 pm to hear our ED speak about ways YOU can engage to keep elections free & fair!

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The Fulcrum

10 Sept

A lawyer's hand-lettered protest sign got her one question: "Are you a lawyer?" It turns out "rule of law" isn't some abstract legal concept — it's the same fairness everyone already expects from sports, board games, and referees. Read more: https://loom.ly/JEdfmCY #thefulcrum #citizenconnect

thefulcrum.usLawyers keep saying 'rule of law' is under attack. Here's what that actually means — using soccer, Monopoly, and baseball to explain it.Equal, predictable, and transparent rules are the backbone of a functioning democracy.

17 Sept

Happy #ConstitutionDay! Play our new ✨RIGHTS & WRONGS CONSTITUTION GAME✨ to celebrate. It places you in everyday scenarios where you judge what actions the Constitution protects, then learn what the real principles and precedents say. Test your knowledge & challenge a friend: tinyurl.com/yzav2fsk

16 Sept

Join LDAD in taking *all* of 2026 as a call to action to protect American democracy! The call is for everyone, but especially lawyers. Learn why lawyers have a unique duty to defend our nation's bedrock principles in LDAD board member @evanfalchuk.bsky.social's essay: thefulcrum.us/rule-of-law/...

10 Sept

In their piece for @thefulcrum-us.bsky.social, LDAD volunteer Jay Blitzman & Javier Irizarry remind us that protecting the rule of law requires more than blind optimism—it demands "critical hope", sustained pressure and collective action. We cannot passively wait for justice.

10 Sept

We need sustained bipartisan pushback to limit executive overreach. As the authors say: "institutions are only as strong as the people willing to demand that they function justly." Read the article thefulcrum.us/rule-of-law/... & turn your outrage into action by joining LDAD in #MeetingTheMoment!

9 Sept

Last day to register for this important conversation w/ two former immigration judges fired by the administration, Jeremiah Johnson and Megan R. Jackler, the lead plaintiff in Jackler v. Merit Systems Protection Board, a case LDAD filed an amicus in. Join us tomorrow at 4 pm ET: bit.ly/LDADSept10

Lawyers Defending American Democracy@ldadorg.bsky.social

📢 Join LDAD on Sept. 10 at 4 PM ET for Who Can Fire the Judges? Executive Power and Immigration Court Independence. Former immigration judges Megan Jackler & Jeremiah Johnson join Prof. Jill E. Family to discuss judicial independence, due process & the rule of law. Register: bit.ly/LDADSept10

Alt National Park Service

31 Aug

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@altnps.bsky.social

28 Aug

A huge win! Now that USPS finalized its rule and created actual harm, a federal judge tonight blocked the Postal Service regulation that would have given the agency new control over mail-in ballots.

cylindrmag.substack.comHistory Beckons Again: Democracy Needs Student LeadersThe vital role of college and university students in helping rescue a nation in distress.

28 Aug

Fall semester is here! In @cylindrmag.bsky.social, LDAD Board member & law prof Gary Simson challenges students to defend democracy, and reminds them that their voices matter. Vote, volunteer, & organize! Join Students Defending American Democracy. cylindrmag.substack.com/p/history-be...

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democracydefendersfund.org

@democracydefendersfund.org

24 Aug

The Supreme Court gave Trump the green light to keep bulldozing the White House—at least for now. Trump is racing to remake the people’s house before the courts can stop him. www.nbcnews.com/politics/sup...

nbcnews.comSupreme Court temporarily allows Trump ballroom construction to continueChief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay that allows work to proceed while the court as a whole considers next steps.

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democracydefendersfund.org

@democracydefendersfund.org

24 Aug

Today's SCOTUS decision was on a timing question, not a power question. The Court’s ruling today held that the lower court acted too early — not that Trump’s executive order is constitutional or legal.

Norm Eisen@normeisen.bsky.social

Please don't overreact to Roberts Court decision on the contemplated USPS ballot moves They simply held that the injunction came too early in the process, before there was a final rule👇 Now we HAVE a final rule & we will litigate it. I'm as confident in our arguments here as in any of our cases!

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Steve Holcombe

@steve-holcombe.bsky.social

24 Aug

Replying to @ldadorg.bsky.social

I'm your Oklahoma "lead". Here's my pitch for being proactive in addressing the "known, known" of Trump's inevitable, unconstitutional declaration of a national emergency to override results of the mid-terms he doesn't like. bsky.app/profile/stev...

Steve Holcombe@steve-holcombe.bsky.social

Trump to declare a national emergency? This is a known, known! So much so that a petition seeking a declaratory judgment affirming the supremacy of states' rights over elections should be sought NOW. And in more than one federal jurisdiction. 1/2 www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

theguardian.comTrump laying groundwork to impose national emergency by sowing election distrustPresident’s speech, declassification of documents and heightened claims of noncitizen voting have experts concerned

Power Transfers Legally & Peacefully 🕊️ The 27th grievance in the #DeclarationOfIndependence criticized King George for "excit[ing] domestic insurrections." The Founders knew democracy fails when a ruler incites fear + violence, and that the people's voice had to be protected as the source of power.

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Democracy depends on resolving political differences through free & fair elections, not fear and violence. When a leader ignores this truth, We the People must speak out to defend the peaceful transfer of power. Read our MTM Insights "Democracy is in Your Hands" for more info: bit.ly/4cBu8wI

ldad.orgNew Fulcrum Series: Where Founding Principles Meet the Moment – LDAD

Thank you for following along with this grievance series, which launched LDAD's broader #MeetingTheMoment250 campaign. See our essay series in @thefulcrum-us.bsky.social for more on how our nation's Founders and founding 250 years ago can inspire We the People to defend American democracy today.

⏩ Today, our bedrock commitment to the peaceful transfer of power is under strain. From granting clemency to >1,500 J6 insurrectionists to subverting future elections by restricting mail-in ballots & threatening federal agents at polls, those in power use fear to weaken public trust in voting.

thefulcrum.usFDA Changes Could Reshape Drug Approval and SafetyExperts warn that political meddling is eroding FDA standards and endangering consumers.

As Senators consider the recent nomination of Dr. Heidi Overton as the new Food and Drug Administration Commissioner, they would be well-served to read this article in @thefulcrum-us.bsky.social that outlines the dangers to the public when the FDA becomes politicized. thefulcrum.us/health/fda-r...