Broad Coalition Joins “Justice for Sale” Case in SCOTUS
Jan. 5 – An unprecedented array of former state Supreme Court justices, business leaders and civic reform groups has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm one of the most basic rights in any system of law: the right to a fair hearing before a neutral arbiter. The filings come in Caperton v. Massey, which has emerged as a landmark case over the spiraling role of special-interest spending in judicial elections. The trend has troubled many, including former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, and caused some to question whether justice is now "for sale," as in this NY Times editorial. To read excerpts from or download the briefs, click here.Study Presents NYS Senate with First Reform Test
Jan. 5 – In an update to reports released in 2004 and 2006, the Brennan Center's Still Broken: New York State Legislative Reform 2008 Update finds that the legislative process in Albany remains broken, and offers concrete recommendations for reform. "While there isn't much to cheer about looking back in either chamber, there is the promise of substantial reform from the likely new incoming Senate majority. We hope at least one chamber will reform the rules needed to remake the legislature," says Andrew Stengel, report co-author and Director of National Election Advocacy at the Brennan Center. Click here for more. Read the NY Times' editorial here.Federal Court Upholds Conn. Pay-to-Play Ban
Dec. 19 – Today, defenders of Connecticut's ban on political contributions from lobbyists and contractors celebrated a key victory as a federal court upheld the law following a constitutional challenge. "This is a clear victory for good government," says Laura MacCleery,Deputy Director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. "The current shameful situation in Illinois—and the earlier corruption scandals in Connecticut that prompted enactment of this law—show that too often politicians are willing to trade away their offices for private gain." To read more about Green Party of Connecticut v. Jeffrey Garfield, et al., click here.
- An Ex-Detainee of the U.S. Describes a 6-Year Ordeal
(New York Times, Jane Perlez, Raymond Bonner and Salman Masood, 01/06/09) - Still Broken After All These Years
(NY Times, Editorial, 01/06/09) - Guantánamo May Close, But in Afghanistan Another Gitmo Grows
(Time, Mark Thompson, 01/05/09) - Defiantly bad: New York’s Legislature stubbornly maintains position as the nation’s worst
(NY Daily News, Editorial, 01/05/09) - In Senate Recount, Minnesota Is No Florida
(National Journal, Eliza Newlin Carney, 01/05/09) - ‘Patriot dollars’ to reform politics
(LA Times, Pamela Finmark and William D. Chalmers, 01/05/09) - Discrimination not yet defeated
(Baltimore Sun, Dennis D. Parker and Susan Goering , 12/26/08) - Dismantling the Imperial Presidency
(The Nation, Aziz Huq, 12/23/08)
Silver’s Statement Misses the Mark
In response to yesterday’s release of the Brennan Center’s report, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver issued a statement....
On Wednesday, professor and visionary Lawrence Lessig discussed his non-partisan reform initiative “Change Congress” at a Netroots Nation event....
Art? Bad Design? A Vote for Senate?
Unfortunately, those frenetic abstract gestures were made by a Minnesota voter on a ballot rather than a canvas....
Illustrations by Risko
Before Congress
Newsweek reported top advisers to President-Elect Obama are considering a 9/11-style commission to investigate counterterrorism policies. Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr., Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center, made a similar suggestion in testimony before both the House and the Senate earlier this year. Click the video to view his testimony.
I’ve just finished reading Jon Meacham’s new book on Andrew Jackson, American Lion. I’ve always thought that Jackson’s life and presidency were under-appreciated as sources of drama and historic resonance.
Meacham does a good job of showing how Jackson created the strong presidency. He was the first chief executive to veto bills because he thought they were bad policy, not just because he thought they were unconstitutional. He was also the first chief executive to fire a cabinet secretary....