Press Releases Archive

Wertheimer On Brookings: The “Independent State Legislature Theory” Will Not Empower State Legislatures To Override Presidential Election Results

There is a key misconception about the potential impact of an upcoming Supreme Court case and the “independent state legislature theory,” Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer writes in an op-ed published on Brookings. The misconception, Wertheimer writes, is this: “[I]f the ‘independent state legislature theory’ is adopted by the Supreme Court in the case of Moore v. […]

UPDATED! “Criminal Evidence Tracker, Trump Subpoena Edition” – Includes New Evidence From Jan. 6th Hearings

  A new Criminal Evidence Tracker — Trump Subpoena Edition, published in Just Security, examines the evidence of possible criminal activity by former President Donald Trump in the coup attempt he led to overturn the presidential election in 2020. The tracker was prepared by former Ambassador Norman Eisen, CREW, and Democracy 21. The Tracker has been updated with […]

Democracy 21 Joins With Campaign Legal Center And Others In Filing Amicus Brief In Supreme Court Case Moore v. Harper

Democracy 21 joined with a diverse group of democracy reform, public policy, advocacy, and faith-based organizations in filing an amicus brief in the case Moore v. Harper, which will be heard by the Supreme Court on December 7. The amicus brief was led by the Campaign Legal Center. Other organizations on the brief, in addition […]

Former Republican Officials, Including Top DOJ Officials And Former Federal Prosecutors, File Amicus Brief Supporting Government’s Appeal Of Special Master Ruling In Mar-a-Lago Documents Case

The District Court erred and “abandoned the fundamental principle that no one is above the law.” Last month’s court order by federal District Judge Aileen Cannon authorizing a special master in the Mar-a-Lago documents case “repeatedly granted the plaintiff in this case, former President Donald J. Trump, procedural rights and protections that are not afforded […]

NEW! Jan. 6th Hearing Scheduled For Thursday, October 13. When/Where To Watch, Plus Background And Resources

  “This is deadly serious. This is American democracy. This story deserves more attention. It’s a primetime story, but it’s not a one-and-done special movie. This is real life. This is democracy under the microscope.” – Robert Costa, Investigative Reporter, CBS News NEXT HEARING: Thursday, October 13, at 1 p.m. Eastern This is expected to be the […]

Electoral Count Reform Act Reported Today By Senate Rules Committee In 14-1 Vote Is Essential Legislation To Protect Against Another Presidential Coup Attempt

Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer The Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 (ECRA) that reforms antiquated 19th-century laws governing the presidential election process is essential and urgently needed legislation to help ensure that any future Trump-like presidential coup attempt will not succeed. Democracy 21 applauds the Senate Rules Committee, led by Chairwoman Amy […]

Eisen/Wertheimer In Just Security: Was DeSantis Shipping Migrants To Martha’s Vineyard A Crime?

“The treatment of the Migrants who were transported from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard has gripped the nation. There can be little doubt that it was wrong,” Amb. Norman Eisen (ret.) and Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer write in a detailed analysis of the recent actions of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis published today in Just Security. In a […]

Democracy 21 Applauds House Passage Of The Presidential Election Reform Act

Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer Democracy 21 applauds the House of Representatives and the Representatives who voted today to pass the Presidential Election Reform Act that will close dangerous loopholes in our presidential election laws. We especially applaud the commitment and hard work of the legislation’s main sponsors, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and […]

Democracy 21 Strongly Urges House To Pass Lofgren-Cheney Presidential Election Reform Act To Reform Antiquated 19th-Century Laws Governing Presidential Election Process

Democracy 21 today strongly urged House Members to vote for H.R. 8873, the Presidential Election Reform Act (PERA), introduced by Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Liz Cheney (R-WY). The legislation is expected to come to the House floor on Wednesday. This legislation provides for essential reforms to two antiquated 19th-century laws that govern the presidential […]

D21 Strongly Urges Senate To Pass The DISCLOSE Act That Requires Public Disclosure Of Large Donors To Dark Money Groups

Democracy 21 today strongly urged the Senate to vote to invoke cloture and support enactment of S. 4822, the DISCLOSE Act, when it comes to the floor this week. The DISCLOSE Act would require 501(c)(4) dark money groups which spend money in federal elections to promptly disclose donors who have given $10,000 or more during […]