Latest News: Voting Commission Testimony, California Prison Crisis, and More
Center Urges Presidential Commission to Update Voting
The Presidential Commission on Election Administration held a public meeting Wednesday on how to improve voting in America. Brennan Center Counsel Jonathan Brater testified before the Commission, outlining four key reforms to improve elections and reduce long lines.
Department of Justice Lets Recreational Drug Laws Stand
Last week, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the Department of Justice will allow the newly-passed recreational marijuana laws to stand in Washington and Colorado. The announcement comes only weeks after the DOJ proclaimed sweeping drug sentencing reforms curbing the use of mandatory minimums.
This Week From Andrew Cohen: In California Prison Fight, At Last, a Bright Idea
Brennan Center Fellow Andrew Cohen examines two new financial proposals aimed at remedying California’s overcrowded prison crisis.
- Tennessee Inmates Must ‘Pay-to-Stay’ – Lauren-Brooke Eisen
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Featured Event
Enemies Within: A Conversation with Adam Goldman, Matt Apuzzo, and Don Borelli
On September 16th, the Brennan Center will host a conversation on “Enemies Within,” a new book from Pulitzer Prize award-winning journalists Adam Goldman and Matt Apuzzo, which takes an inside look at the New York City Police Department and its controversial Muslim surveillance program. Former FBI Assistant Special Agent Don Borelli will join the discussion, moderated by Faiza Patel. For more information and to RSVP, click here.
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A USA Today editorial shaming certain states for their voter suppression cites a Brennan Center report on the challenges restrictive voter ID laws pose for eligible voters trying to obtain free photo ID.
- “A great democracy does not make it harder to vote than to buy an assault weapon,” former President Bill Clinton remarked during the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Unfortunately, 13 states have passed strict voter ID laws making it very difficult for people to cast a ballot. “If you really want a gun, there will always be a way to find one easily, either at a gun show or on the streets. But in some states, there is no easy way to vote,” Keesha Gaskins told Salon.
Read more Brennan Center In The News here.
