"Is Justice being done?"
Nov. 16 – "...if more Americans knew more about how some of their fellow citizens experience the criminal justice system, they would be shocked and angered." In his speech at the Brennan Legacy Awards, Attorney General Eric Holder urged increased and improved legal defense for indigent Americans: "For me, this is an issue of personal importance and national conscience."See our publications and other resources regarding Indigent Defense and our Community Oriented Defender network.
Bold Voting Reform in Ohio
Nov. 18 - The Ohio Elections Enhancements bill was passed by the Ohio House, and now goes before the State Senate. The bill contains recommendations from the Brennan Center's Framework for Reform by Lawrence Norden; if the bill is adopted, Ohio will be a national leader in election administration reform.
See our new publication about modernizing voter registration in Ohio.
The Columbus Dispatch weighs in on the bill.
Retired Officers urge Habeas rights for detainees
Nov. 9 - The Brennan Center today filed an amicus brief
in Al Maqaleh v. Gates, currently before the DC District Court. Filed on behalf of a group of prominent,
retired military officers, the brief urges the appeals court to allow
non-Afghan citizens who were transferred to the Bagram Theater
Internment Facility to file petitions for habeas corpus in U.S. federal
court.
Senate Rolls Back LSC Restrictions
Nov. 6 - Last night, the Senate passed its Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) Appropriations bill for FY2010, which includes language repealing the "poison pill" restriction on legal services programs' non-federal funds. Sen. Mikulski (D-MD) leads the effort to roll back these restrictions in the Senate. The full House passed its CJS Appropriations bill in June, lifting only the restriction on Legal Services Corporation grantees seeking attorneys' fees. The two bills will now be reconciled in a conference committee; negotiations have already begun.Read more about the Brennan Center's efforts on this issue.
- Campaign Finance Laws Under Siege
(National Journal, by Sara Jerome, 11/20/09) - Coloradans’ right to know
(Denver Post, by Angela Migally, 11/20/09) - For Bruno, How Albany Works Is Also on Trial
(New York Times, by NIcholas Confessore, 11/20/09) - Group tied to DWP employees union sues L.A. Ethics Commission to block fundraising limit
(LA Times, by Maeve Reston, 11/19/09) - ES&S trying to monopolize America’s voting system
(Colorado Springs Independent, by Jim Hightower, 11/19/09) - Foreclosures create demand for attorneys
(Oakland Suburban News (NJ) , 11/19/09) - To Weaken Campaign-Finance Law, Starr’s Group Defends Edwards Backer
(TPM Muckraker, by Zachary Roth, 11/19/09) - Holder Laughed: The attorney general tries to sell us on New York terror trials
(Slate, by Dahlia Lithwick, 11/18/09)
...and it always will. Here’s even more proof, from a flawed ballot in King County, Washington State, that election officials should conduct simple usability testing on their ballots.
How Latinos Can Build Political Power in Port Chester, NY
On Friday, a federal judge settled a three-year dispute concerning how the Village of Port Chester elects its trustees. Latinos make up about half of Port Chester’s population, but no Latino had ever been elected within the Village. Read more…
Voter-registration reforms could diminish Ohio’s election disputes
As long as Ohio remains a politically important and closely divided state, there will continue to be hotly-contested election-related disputes. But changes to election law in Ohio can minimize these controversies: by creating clearer and fairer laws that improve election administration, decrease burdens and costs on county election offices and put the voters first. Read more…
Illustrations by Risko
The Brennan Center for Justice honored the Hon. Eric H. Holder, Jr. and Sony Corp. General Counsel Nicole Seligman on November 16 at its Annual Legacy Awards.
The Legacy Awards Dinner supports the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, a nonpartisan law and policy institute that focuses on fundamental issues of democracy and justice. See more details about the Awards, present and past honorees, and sponsors.
Is the Citizen Legislature to Blame? Maybe for Boredom.
Joe Bruno blames his transgressions on the fact that New York’s legislature is considered part-time, rather than professional. But what does that mean if legislators in New York have the third-highest salaries in the country?