The argument of our time comes down to one question: Are we going to have the rule of law in America or not? The rule of law requires an active defense. We're making that case in Checks & Balances, our new newsletter: chkbal.substack.com

Executive Orders and the Ballot Box: Limits of Presidential Power Over Elections xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1dKrPrXWn…

Several Society for the Rule of Law leaders, including Board President Alan Raul (@acraul), joined an amicus brief supporting Anthropic's petition for rehearing before the D.C. Circuit. The brief urges the full court to reconsider a three-judge panel's ruling upholding the government's designation of Anthropic as a national security supply-chain risk. National security powers must not be weaponized to punish disfavored companies. The D.C. Circuit should grant rehearing and uphold the Rule of Law. Read more: chkbal.substack.com/p/srl-le…

As partisan gerrymandering intensifies ahead of the 2026 midterms, what role should courts play in protecting free and fair elections? In our latest webinar, legal experts examined how Callais and Rucho have reshaped judicial oversight of elections, the future of the Voting Rights Act, and the growing importance of state courts in resolving election disputes. Read our recap and watch the full discussion: chkbal.substack.com/p/webina…

AI tools aren't neutral. Their architecture reflects the values and priorities of those who build them. As more Americans and American companies adopt Chinese-developed products who controls the information these tools provide and what they leave out? On Checks & Balances, Nuala O'Connor (@privacymama) warns that AI developed under authoritarian systems could embed government censorship, surveillance, and information controls into the tools Americans increasingly rely on. The danger isn't always obvious propaganda. It's the opaque decisions about what information users can access, which perspectives are amplified, and which are quietly suppressed. When foreign governments can potentially shape the information Americans receive, the consequences for free expression, informed citizenship, and our democracy could be profound. Watch the clip, then the full conversation: chkbal.substack.com/p/ai-com…

Who decides what information AI gives us and whose values shape its answers? On Checks & Balances, Nuala O’Connor (@privacymama) warns that as AI becomes our primary source of information, the values of its creators could increasingly shape how we understand democracy, free expression, and the Rule of Law. Watch the clip, then the full conversation: chkbal.substack.com/p/ai-com…

🗳️ Could America's decentralized election system be one of its greatest safeguards against authoritarianism? In Checks & Balances, election law expert Richard Hasen (@rickhasen) explains why he's changed his mind about national election administration, and why local control may be essential to protecting free and fair elections. Read more: chkbal.substack.com/p/americ…

Who should bear the costs when AI goes wrong? On our latest episode of Checks & Balances, Nuala O'Connor (@privacymama) questions why AI executives are making billions while telling the public to accept the risks of innovation. If a car manufacturer is liable for a defective engine, why shouldn't AI companies be held to the same standard? Watch the clip, then the full conversation: chkbal.substack.com/p/ai-com…

Courts, Maps, and Votes: Judicial Oversight of Elections from Purcell to Callais xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1pKdRDdlz…

When John McCain made campaign finance reform a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, his political advisers told him voters didn't care. McCain believed they should, and refused to back down. On Checks & Balances, @thetrevorpotter reflects on what McCain taught him about challenging conventional wisdom and standing by your principles. 🎧 chkbal.substack.com/p/can-tr…

⚖️ What role should courts play in our elections? Join us Thursday, Oct. 15 at 12 PM ET for Judicial Oversight of Elections from Purcell to Callais, a timely discussion on: 🗳️ Gerrymandering & redistricting 🏛️ State vs. federal judicial oversight 📜 The Voting Rights Act & Elections Clause ⚖️ Purcell, Rucho & Callais 🇺🇸 Federalism, separation of powers & democratic participation Featuring @AmitAgarwalLaw and Judge Paul W. Grimm, moderated by @greggnunziata. CLE credit available for live viewers in VA, IL & TX. 📺 Watch here on X.

What happens when an “outside” political group isn’t really outside at all? On the latest Checks & Balances episode, former FEC Chairman @thetrevorpotter explains how the lines between candidates and super PACs have blurred, creating a system that's strayed far from the independence it was supposed to require. Watch the clip, then listen to the full conversation: chkbal.substack.com/p/can-tr…

🗳️ What does the rule of law look like in practice during election season? Join us October 28 at @DistrictWinery for two timely conversations examining the legal and political institutions that shape our elections: ⚖️ Election Law: Leading experts will discuss the laws governing our elections, the challenges facing election administration, and the importance of maintaining public trust in a free and fair electoral process. 🇺🇸 Campaigns & the Rule of Law: Political leaders and campaign veterans will explore the responsibilities candidates and campaigns have to our constitutional system and why respect for democratic institutions must come before partisan victory. At a moment of intense political competition, we’re bringing together voices from across the political spectrum to discuss the principles that should endure no matter who wins. 🎟️ Join us: eventbrite.com/e/the-rule-of…

🇺🇸 How can America recultivate faith in our democratic institutions and ideals? In a new letter to the editor in @WSJ, SRL Board President Alan Raul (@acraul) argues that renewing respect for constitutional checks and balances, our founding principles, and the rule of law must be a national priority. Read more: wsj.com/opinion/jamie-dimons…

Join us Wednesday, October 28 at District Winery in Washington, D.C. for The Rule of Law in Elections, featuring two expert panels on election law, campaigns, and the institutions and norms shaping the 2026 midterms. 📅 Oct. 28 | 6–9 PM 📍 District Winery 🍷 Open bar + appetizers 🎟️ Tickets: $25 Grab your ticket and join us! 👇 eventbrite.com/e/20012362424…

A generation of young conservatives has come of age without understanding the movement’s historic commitments to liberty, virtue, and classical liberal institutions. On Checks & Balances, Stephanie Slade (@sladesr) explains why recovering those arguments matters and what happens when politics becomes simply about acquiring power. Listen to the clip, then the full conversation: chkbal.substack.com/p/is-the…

The government cannot exclude journalists from the White House because it dislikes their reporting. SRL filed an amicus brief in CNN v. Trump, arguing that barring CNN, Politico, and MS Now from the White House violates fundamental First Amendment protections. Invoking “national security” cannot give the government carte blanche to retaliate against disfavored viewpoints. Read more: chkbal.substack.com/p/srl-ur…

At a moment when politics increasingly feels like a battle over who can wield power against the other side, is there another way? On Checks & Balances, Stephanie Slade (@sladesr) makes the case for a classical liberal alternative: mutual forbearance, pluralism, and equal rights under law - even when we deeply disagree. Watch the clip and listen to our full conversation: chkbal.substack.com/p/is-the…

This weekend, we welcomed our inaugural class of Rule of Law Ambassadors to Washington, D.C.! Representing 10 law schools across the country, our Ambassadors spent the weekend learning from leaders in law and public service, visiting the National Archives, and building a community committed to defending the Rule of Law. Now, they’re bringing that commitment back to their campuses. Read our recap of an inspiring weekend and meet the 2026–27 Rule of Law Ambassadors 👇 chkbal.substack.com/p/kickin…