Summary
This page provides news highlights relating to the wellbeing of Democracy in the United States. Entries are in chronological order with the most recent at the top. Source and date are provided as the header for each entry.
You can learn more about the core infrastructure components required for the wellbeing of Democracy by reading “Columns of Democracy” — a text and online resource about democracy.
News
The LBJ Library (23 Oct 2023)
“An Evening With Heather Cox Richardson” — Heather Cox Richardson, historian and author of the daily newsletter Letters from an American, joined us to talk about her new book, Democracy Awakening, a vital narrative that explains how America, once a beacon of democracy, now teeters on the brink of autocracy — and how we can turn back. Mark Lawrence, Director of the LBJ Presidential Library, moderated the conversation. [Source]
MSNBC (25 Sep 2023)
“‘Unprecedented’: Trump calls media ‘enemy of the people’ as concerns of violence spike” — New York Times Washington Correspondent Michael Schmidt and former FBI Counterintelligence Agent Pete Strzok join Nicolle Wallace to discuss the warnings of political violence after Donald Trump’s continued attacks on prosecutors, the media and General Mark Milley. [Source]
MSNBC (21 Sep 2023)
“Trump ‘entirely unqualified’ for office, a ‘danger to the republic’ says fmr. Army General” — Retired Four Star General Barry McCaffrey, Editor-at-Large for the Bulwark Charlie Sykes and former lead investigator for the January 6th Select Committee Tim Heaphy join Nicolle Wallace to discuss the dangers for the future of democracy if Donald Trump is elected to a second term. [Source]
“Nicolle: How Gen. Milley fought to contain an unstable Trump, protect ‘stability’ of democracy” — Retired Four Star General Barry McCaffrey, Editor-at-Large for the Bulwark Charlie Sykes and former lead investigator for the January 6th Select Committee Tim Heaphy join Nicolle Wallace to discuss new reporting from The Atlantic which details General Mark Milley’s tireless efforts to counter an unstable Donald Trump. [Source]
PBS (5 Sep 2023)
“Far-right violence a growing threat and law enforcement’s top domestic terrorism concern” — The Proud Boys played a critical part in carrying out the Jan. 6 attack, but the group is just one part of a trend of increased white supremacist and far-right violence. Top U.S. law enforcement officials say those extremist movements are the biggest domestic terrorism threat facing the country. Laura Barrón-López discussed the rise of far-right extremism with Kathleen Belew and Seamus Hughes. [Source]
PBS (18 Aug 2023)
“Trump conspiracies inspire threats against judges, jurors and election workers” — Threats of violence have escalated after the fourth criminal indictment of former President Trump. In Georgia, grand jurors’ names, addresses and images were released online by Trump allies and a racist death threat against the judge presiding over the federal Jan. 6 case led to an arrest. Laura Barrón-López discussed the alarming trend and its impact on civil servants with Tammy Patrick. [Source]
CNN (17 Aug 2023)
“Photos of Fulton County grand jurors circulating on far-right websites” — CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan reports the photos and home addresses of members of the Fulton County grand jury that voted to indict former President Trump and 18 co-defendants are purportedly circulating on social media. CNN cannot independently verify if the photographs, social media accounts and the homes addresses being posted actually belong to the grand jurors. [Source]
MSNBC (17 Aug 2023)
“‘Criminal enterprise’: FBI vet compares Trump ‘threats’ to Mafia” — Criminal defendant Donald Trump was warned by a federal judge against making “inflammatory statements” but he continues to attack prosecutors and judges. The New York Times reports that “some lawyers have said that if Trump were an ordinary citizen issuing these attacks, he would be in jail by now.” Nicolle Wallace is joined by former FBI veteran Frank Figliuzzi, former Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff Miles Taylor and Democratic Strategist Basil Smikle who talk about Trump and allies being an alleged “criminal enterprise.” [Source]
MSNBC (17 Aug 2023)
“Trump dares judge to jail him pending trial” — Criminal defendant Donald Trump is facing a legal firestorm with four indictments and 91 total counts against him. Despite clear warnings from a D.C. judge on his conditions of release, Trump is testing the limits with what some DOJ veterans describe as “witness tampering” and personal attacks against judges and prosecutors. MSNBC’s Brian Tyler Cohen reveals why he could go to jail before any trial even starts. [Source]
NBC News (17 Aug 2023)
“Chuck Todd: Can America survive this uncertain moment for U.S. democracy?” — Amid the multiple criminal indictments facing former President Trump, a credit downgrade and battles over abortion, a new poll shows 86% of Americans are worried about the system of democracy being able to function. [Source]
Washington Post (17 Aug 2023)
“Alberto R. Gonzales on Trump indictments, rule of law and American democracy” — Alberto R. Gonzales, former attorney general under President George W. Bush, pushed back in a recent Washington Post op-ed against Republicans arguing that the Justice Department is biased against their party. On Thursday, Aug. 17 at 1:00 p.m. ET, Gonzales joins The Post’s Carol Leonnig to offer his perspective on the indictments against Donald Trump, the rule of law and American democracy. [Source]
Barbara Walter (15 Aug 2023)
“Is the US Headed Towards Another Civil War?” — Based on her work for a CIA task force aimed at predicting civil wars, political scientist Barbara F. Walter examines the rise in extremism and threats to democracies around the globe — and paints an unsettling picture of the increasing likelihood of a second civil war in the United States. [Source]