CIVIL RIGHTS POLICIES, ANALYSIS, AND RESOURCES
Latest Civil Rights Posts
The Department of Justice Voting Section’s Shift In Priorities
A number of news outlets have recently reported that the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division Voting Section has changed their mission statement and its priorities.
Resistance is Not Futile: Upholding Civil Rights and Constitutional Norms to withstand Trump’s Autocratic Aims
In his first 100 days in office, President Trump has pursued a sinister goal of autocracy by relentlessly attacking any and all forms of opposition and repressing civil rights and liberties.
The Administration Efforts to Avoid a Judicial Ruling
On April 9, 2025 the House of Representatives voted on the No Rogue Rulings Act bill. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). H.R. 1526 would prohibit a federal district court judge from issuing an injunction or prohibition regarding a case unless the injunction or prohibition only applied to the parties of the particular case before the district judge’s court. The bill passed the House by a vote of 219 – 213 in favor of the bill, almost exclusively on party lines. One Republican voted against the bill, Rep. Mike Turner from Ohio.
A Court’s Options To Enforce Compliance With Court Orders
Under Rule 3.3 of the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct, titled “Candor Toward the Tribunal,” a lawyer has a number of duties when dealing with a court of law. Rule 3.3(a)(1) states “A lawyer shall not knowingly make a false statement of fact or law to a tribunal or fail to correct a false statement of material fact or law previously made to the tribunal by the lawyer. Additionally, Rule 3.3(a)(3) provides “A lawyer shall not knowingly offer evidence that the lawyer knows to be false. While these are model rules, each state has a version of these rules, including the section on “Candor Toward the Tribunal,” that all lawyers must abide by when dealing with a tribunal or court.
The Pettiness of President Trump Targeting Law Firms For Revenge
On February 25, 2025 President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the security clearances of lawyers and staff at the Washington, D.C. law office of the international law firm Covington & Burling. The firm had provided legal services to former Special Prosecutor Jack Smith.
A Comparison of Biden and Trump’s January 20th Pardons
Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution provides: The President…shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.”
Jack Smith’s Honorable but Frustrating Journey to Prosecute Trump ; January 2025
Jack Smith made sure to state when he resigned that Mr. Trump engaged in an ‘unprecedented criminal effort’ to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. Additionally, Jack Smith stated that the evidence was there to convict Donald Trump. The only reason why the trials did not go forth was because of DOJ policy that prohibits prosecuting a sitting President.
An Explanation As To Why Special Prosecutor Jack Smith Asked To Dismiss Trump’s Two Criminal Cases
An Explanation As To Why Special Prosecutor Jack Smith Asked To Dismiss Trump's Two Criminal Cases Civil Rights Policy Brief #233 | By: Rod Maggay | December 27, 2024 __________________________________ Policy Summary: On November 25, 2024 Special Prosecutor Jack Smith...
The Right To Vote in the U.S. Constitution – Part Three
In this third part of our series on voting rights, we dive into the role of individual voters who have driven change through ballot initiatives and referendums. From early suffrage movements to recent ballot measures aimed at restricting or expanding voter access, this article explores how citizens have taken the power of voting rights into their own hands—and the impact they’ve made.