Lawyers Defending American Democracy
@ldadorg.bsky.social
Lawyers Defending American Democracy is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization devoted to protecting democracy and the rule of law and standing up for the constitutional norms and principles that are foundational to our freedoms. Learn more: ldad.org
In the discussion over the military and illegal orders, what does the law say? @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social offers an excellent primer in the @nytimes.com. A must read for those who may find themselves in conversations about this over turkey tomorrow.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
Opinion | Mark Kelly Is Being Investigated for Telling the Truth
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:28 PM
In the discussion over the military and illegal orders, what does the law say? @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social offers an excellent primer in the @nytimes.com. A must read for those who may find themselves in conversations about this over turkey tomorrow.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
"We are witnessing attempts to undermine and attack judges — and through them, the rule of law — on a scale unprecedented in the more than half-century that I have been a lawyer." Says LDAD volunteer James B. Kobak, Jr. Read his article to learn why.
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
Commentary: Attacks on judges have a frightening purpose
It's not just bluster or politics; belittling the judiciary is a crucial step toward authoritarianism — and dismantling the rule of law.
www.timesunion.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:26 PM
"We are witnessing attempts to undermine and attack judges — and through them, the rule of law — on a scale unprecedented in the more than half-century that I have been a lawyer." Says LDAD volunteer James B. Kobak, Jr. Read his article to learn why.
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
Why were the cases against James Comey and Letitia James thrown out? Because the judge found that the prosecutor was illegally appointed. In other words, her appointment violated the Constitution's Appointments Clause.
What does that mean? 🧵
apnews.com/article/come...
What does that mean? 🧵
apnews.com/article/come...
Judge dismisses Comey, James indictments after finding that prosecutor was illegally appointed
A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at Presiden...
apnews.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Why were the cases against James Comey and Letitia James thrown out? Because the judge found that the prosecutor was illegally appointed. In other words, her appointment violated the Constitution's Appointments Clause.
What does that mean? 🧵
apnews.com/article/come...
What does that mean? 🧵
apnews.com/article/come...
Thank you, @amyspitalnick.bsky.social for your words. Political violence and violent extremism have no place in our democracy. We stand with you in speaking out against those leaders--on whatever side of the aisle--who use this kind of language.
Swastikas and nooses aren’t “potentially divisive” - they are symbols of racist and antisemitic hate, violence, and genocide. By no longer classifying them as hate symbols, the Coast Guard is doing nothing less than normalizing violent extremism.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Thank you, @amyspitalnick.bsky.social for your words. Political violence and violent extremism have no place in our democracy. We stand with you in speaking out against those leaders--on whatever side of the aisle--who use this kind of language.
Our Executive Director, Lauren Stiller Rikleen, recently spoke on a panel about The Rise of Authoritarianism: What's Happening to Our Rights. It's an important conversation about where we are today and why we all need to recognize what is happening.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjaT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjaT...
11 6 25 GNBA Rise
YouTube video by Carole Wagan
www.youtube.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Our Executive Director, Lauren Stiller Rikleen, recently spoke on a panel about The Rise of Authoritarianism: What's Happening to Our Rights. It's an important conversation about where we are today and why we all need to recognize what is happening.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjaT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjaT...
📣 Have you signed up for Thursday's webinar? If not, there is still time. Sign up now ⬇️
ldad.org/letters-brie...
ldad.org/letters-brie...
November 18, 2025 at 6:36 PM
📣 Have you signed up for Thursday's webinar? If not, there is still time. Sign up now ⬇️
ldad.org/letters-brie...
ldad.org/letters-brie...
The rule of law depends on a functioning government. Even though the shutdown has ended, court-appointed defense lawyers and their clients are still stuck in delays and backlogs — meaning constitutional rights for many are still on hold.
#RuleOfLaw #AccessToJustice
#RuleOfLaw #AccessToJustice
The longest U.S. government shutdown in history is officially over, but the fallout will continue to hit federally funded defense lawyers and the people they represent.
Court-appointed lawyers and their clients face fallout from government shutdown, funding crisis
The longest U.S. government shutdown in history is officially over, but the fallout will continue to hit federally funded defense lawyers and the people they represent.
bit.ly
November 17, 2025 at 9:34 PM
The rule of law depends on a functioning government. Even though the shutdown has ended, court-appointed defense lawyers and their clients are still stuck in delays and backlogs — meaning constitutional rights for many are still on hold.
#RuleOfLaw #AccessToJustice
#RuleOfLaw #AccessToJustice
Our elected officials represent us. We must hold them accountable.
This is not the time to give up, it is a time to Meet the Moment. We wholeheartedly agree with @joycewhitevance.bsky.social. Don't give up, speak out.
This is not the time to give up, it is a time to Meet the Moment. We wholeheartedly agree with @joycewhitevance.bsky.social. Don't give up, speak out.
Civic participation doesn’t just mean voting — it means holding our elected officials accountable. Joyce Vance discusses her new book on the latest episode of The Briefing with Michael Waldman. Watch: bit.ly/3JN1BJC
November 13, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Our elected officials represent us. We must hold them accountable.
This is not the time to give up, it is a time to Meet the Moment. We wholeheartedly agree with @joycewhitevance.bsky.social. Don't give up, speak out.
This is not the time to give up, it is a time to Meet the Moment. We wholeheartedly agree with @joycewhitevance.bsky.social. Don't give up, speak out.
📌 This report on Fox News from @propublica.org is incredibly disturbing. Disinformation appears to be the basis for both a presidential decision and for a piece of popular support. We need our media sources to tell us the truth. Fox News must do better. Why? 🧵
www.propublica.org/article/port...
www.propublica.org/article/port...
“Riots Raging”: The Misleading Story Fox News Told About Portland Before Trump Sent Troops
After reviewing coverage from the network and hours of social media videos that preceded Trump’s decision, ProPublica found that Fox’s portrayal of “Portland rioters” routinely instigating violence wa...
www.propublica.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:27 PM
📌 This report on Fox News from @propublica.org is incredibly disturbing. Disinformation appears to be the basis for both a presidential decision and for a piece of popular support. We need our media sources to tell us the truth. Fox News must do better. Why? 🧵
www.propublica.org/article/port...
www.propublica.org/article/port...
Last night on @pbsnews.org Judge Mark L. Wolf offered a brilliant explanation of democracy.
📣 "[D]emocracy is the rule of law. And if court orders are disobeyed, then the president has absolute power. Judges don't have armies to enforce their orders..." 🧵
www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
📣 "[D]emocracy is the rule of law. And if court orders are disobeyed, then the president has absolute power. Judges don't have armies to enforce their orders..." 🧵
www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
Prominent conservative judge resigns, calling Trump 'uniquely dangerous'
Mark Wolf, a Reagan-appointed federal judge, is resigning after four decades on the bench, and he’s sounding the alarm. In an essay published by The Atlantic, he wrote, “The White House’s assault on t...
www.pbs.org
November 12, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Last night on @pbsnews.org Judge Mark L. Wolf offered a brilliant explanation of democracy.
📣 "[D]emocracy is the rule of law. And if court orders are disobeyed, then the president has absolute power. Judges don't have armies to enforce their orders..." 🧵
www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
📣 "[D]emocracy is the rule of law. And if court orders are disobeyed, then the president has absolute power. Judges don't have armies to enforce their orders..." 🧵
www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
November 11, 2025 at 2:28 PM
We celebrate Judge Mark L. Wolf's decision to resign from the bench so he can work to preserve our democracy. His description of what justice means is clear: That is how justice is supposed to be administered—equally for everyone, without fear or favor. This is the opposite of what is happening now.
“I no longer can bear to be restrained by what judges can say publicly or do outside the courtroom,” Judge Mark L. Wolf writes on his decision to resign from the federal bench. “President Trump is using the law for partisan purposes”:
Why I Am Resigning
A federal judge explains his reasoning for leaving the bench.
bit.ly
November 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
We celebrate Judge Mark L. Wolf's decision to resign from the bench so he can work to preserve our democracy. His description of what justice means is clear: That is how justice is supposed to be administered—equally for everyone, without fear or favor. This is the opposite of what is happening now.
Are you concerned about recent challenges to free speech? Our recent webinar, Free Speech Under Siege: Echoes of McCarthyism is worth watching. Gary Simpson, Erwin Chemerinsky, Kermit Roosevelt, and Nadine Strossen have an important conversation. 🧵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm6p...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm6p...
Free Speech Under Siege: Echoes of McCarthyism (Meeting the Moment Webinar)
YouTube video by Lawyers Defending American Democracy
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Are you concerned about recent challenges to free speech? Our recent webinar, Free Speech Under Siege: Echoes of McCarthyism is worth watching. Gary Simpson, Erwin Chemerinsky, Kermit Roosevelt, and Nadine Strossen have an important conversation. 🧵
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm6p...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm6p...
What is at issue in the tariffs case the Supreme Court heard yesterday? One critical issue is separation of powers as described in the Constitution. Interested in learning more? @scotusblog.com has an excellent recap.
New from Amy Howe: The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed skeptical of President Donald Trump’s authority to impose sweeping tariffs in a series of executive orders earlier this year.
Court appears dubious of Trump’s tariffs
The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed skeptical of President Donald Trump’s authority to impose sweeping tariffs in a series of executive orders earlier this year. During more than two-and-a-half hour...
www.scotusblog.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:02 PM
What is at issue in the tariffs case the Supreme Court heard yesterday? One critical issue is separation of powers as described in the Constitution. Interested in learning more? @scotusblog.com has an excellent recap.
🥳 As an organization committed to democracy, we are celebrating today. Why? Because so many Americans went to the polls and cast their votes yesterday. NYC and VA saw their highest turnouts in a non presidential election. This is Democracy In Action.
cvillerightnow.com/news/208802-...
cvillerightnow.com/news/208802-...
Virginia sees highest-ever voter turnout in non-Presidential Election year - Cville Right Now
Over 3.3 million Virginians voted in this year’s election, the most in the Commonwealth’s history for a non-presidential election year.
cvillerightnow.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:16 PM
🥳 As an organization committed to democracy, we are celebrating today. Why? Because so many Americans went to the polls and cast their votes yesterday. NYC and VA saw their highest turnouts in a non presidential election. This is Democracy In Action.
cvillerightnow.com/news/208802-...
cvillerightnow.com/news/208802-...
SCOTUS has increasingly been issuing orders and/or making decisions on the shadow docket. What does this mean? Why are so many lawyers so worried about this? @rbreich.bsky.social explains it beautifully.
youtu.be/xtiISydG9l0?...
youtu.be/xtiISydG9l0?...
The Supreme Court’s “Shadow Docket,” Explained
YouTube video by Robert Reich
youtu.be
November 4, 2025 at 8:01 PM
SCOTUS has increasingly been issuing orders and/or making decisions on the shadow docket. What does this mean? Why are so many lawyers so worried about this? @rbreich.bsky.social explains it beautifully.
youtu.be/xtiISydG9l0?...
youtu.be/xtiISydG9l0?...
We are actively responding to the extraordinary threats facing our nation. We have filed numerous amicus briefs, profiled Project 2025’s authoritarian roots & its ties to recent executive actions, launched our Meeting the Moment initiative & so much else.
Please support our work. ldad.org/donate
Please support our work. ldad.org/donate
November 3, 2025 at 10:08 PM
We are actively responding to the extraordinary threats facing our nation. We have filed numerous amicus briefs, profiled Project 2025’s authoritarian roots & its ties to recent executive actions, launched our Meeting the Moment initiative & so much else.
Please support our work. ldad.org/donate
Please support our work. ldad.org/donate
Are you concerned about the rise of authoritarianism? LDAD's Executive Director, Lauren Stiller Rikleen, is speaking about this as part of an impressive panel sponsored by the Newburyport Bar Association. Thursday, November 6th. Sign up now.
gnba.ticketbud.com/the-rise-of-...
gnba.ticketbud.com/the-rise-of-...
The Rise of Authoritarianism: What's Happening to Our Rights? | Get Tickets in Newburyport | Ticketbud
The Rise of Authoritarianism: What's Happening to Our Rights? - Newburyport - November 6, 2025 at 145 High Street, Newburyport, MA, USA. Find event and ticket information on Ticketbud.
gnba.ticketbud.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Are you concerned about the rise of authoritarianism? LDAD's Executive Director, Lauren Stiller Rikleen, is speaking about this as part of an impressive panel sponsored by the Newburyport Bar Association. Thursday, November 6th. Sign up now.
gnba.ticketbud.com/the-rise-of-...
gnba.ticketbud.com/the-rise-of-...
📌 Register NOW for our Nov. 20 webinar, From the Social Media Feed to the Courtroom: How Judges and Jurors Remain Impartial. We'll have a conversation about the impact of the constant barrage of social media and public commentary on judicial proceedings. 🧵
ldad.org/letters-brie...
ldad.org/letters-brie...
October 29, 2025 at 2:24 PM
📌 Register NOW for our Nov. 20 webinar, From the Social Media Feed to the Courtroom: How Judges and Jurors Remain Impartial. We'll have a conversation about the impact of the constant barrage of social media and public commentary on judicial proceedings. 🧵
ldad.org/letters-brie...
ldad.org/letters-brie...
James B. Kobak, an @ldadorg.bsky.social volunteer, recently wrote an article for the Albany Times Union on the administration's ongoing attempts to undermine and attack judges. He has thoughts on why they may be doing this and what it means for the rule of law.
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
Commentary: Attacks on judges have a frightening purpose
It's not just bluster or politics; belittling the judiciary is a crucial step toward authoritarianism — and dismantling the rule of law.
www.timesunion.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:22 PM
James B. Kobak, an @ldadorg.bsky.social volunteer, recently wrote an article for the Albany Times Union on the administration's ongoing attempts to undermine and attack judges. He has thoughts on why they may be doing this and what it means for the rule of law.
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
The administration's actions in the Caribbean attacking small boats they say are ferrying drugs is another way they are flouting the law. This article in the @nytimes.com offers the many reasons these actions deviate from the past and reveal legal gaps. 🧵
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
The Peril of a White House That Flaunts Its Indifference to the Law
www.nytimes.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:50 PM
The administration's actions in the Caribbean attacking small boats they say are ferrying drugs is another way they are flouting the law. This article in the @nytimes.com offers the many reasons these actions deviate from the past and reveal legal gaps. 🧵
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
"It is becoming clearer than ever that the rule of law in the White House has depended chiefly on norms — on government lawyers willing to raise objections when merited and to resign in protest if ignored, and on presidents who want to appear law-abiding."
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
The Peril of a White House That Flaunts Its Indifference to the Law
www.nytimes.com
October 24, 2025 at 8:21 PM
"It is becoming clearer than ever that the rule of law in the White House has depended chiefly on norms — on government lawyers willing to raise objections when merited and to resign in protest if ignored, and on presidents who want to appear law-abiding."
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
Free speech is under siege. Join us on Tues, Nov. 4 @ 4pmET to learn more & to hear from Gary Simpson of @merceruniversity.bsky.social, Erwin Chemerinsky of @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social, Kermit Roosevelt of Penn Carey Law School, and Nadine Strossen of New York Law School.
ldad.org/letters-brie...
ldad.org/letters-brie...
October 23, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Free speech is under siege. Join us on Tues, Nov. 4 @ 4pmET to learn more & to hear from Gary Simpson of @merceruniversity.bsky.social, Erwin Chemerinsky of @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social, Kermit Roosevelt of Penn Carey Law School, and Nadine Strossen of New York Law School.
ldad.org/letters-brie...
ldad.org/letters-brie...
What is at stake if universities--and other parts of society--give into pressure from the administration. Michael Roth, the President of @wesleyanuniversity.bsky.social laid it out brilliantly in his essay in @thebulwark.com. 🧵
www.thebulwark.com/p/colleges-u...
www.thebulwark.com/p/colleges-u...
What’s a College President to Do in the Trump Era?
Not going on bended knee to Washington would be a good start.
www.thebulwark.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:58 PM
What is at stake if universities--and other parts of society--give into pressure from the administration. Michael Roth, the President of @wesleyanuniversity.bsky.social laid it out brilliantly in his essay in @thebulwark.com. 🧵
www.thebulwark.com/p/colleges-u...
www.thebulwark.com/p/colleges-u...
While this outcome has been widely reported, more attention should be paid to the what the judges said...
"Political opposition is not rebellion. A protest does not become a rebellion merely because the protestors advocate for myriad legal or policy changes, are well organized..." 🧵
"Political opposition is not rebellion. A protest does not become a rebellion merely because the protestors advocate for myriad legal or policy changes, are well organized..." 🧵
#BREAKING The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refuses to undo an order blocking deployment of National Guard troops within Illinois.
"We conclude that the district court's factual findings … were not clearly erroneous, and that the facts do not justify the President's actions in Illinois."
"We conclude that the district court's factual findings … were not clearly erroneous, and that the facts do not justify the President's actions in Illinois."
October 20, 2025 at 6:44 PM
While this outcome has been widely reported, more attention should be paid to the what the judges said...
"Political opposition is not rebellion. A protest does not become a rebellion merely because the protestors advocate for myriad legal or policy changes, are well organized..." 🧵
"Political opposition is not rebellion. A protest does not become a rebellion merely because the protestors advocate for myriad legal or policy changes, are well organized..." 🧵