Although the socioeconomic biases in representation are most apparent at the state and national levels, many of our elected officials start their careers at the local level.
Just in time for the end of the presidential election voter registration period, the United States Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) has issued the important report, “Increasing Compliance With Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act,” on voter registration access.
Aside from the personal costs of running for office, and the structural problems stemming from the way we elect representatives, money is a major issue when it comes to the representation of people of color. While personal resources play a role in the decision to pursue elective office, it also takes money, sometimes a lot of money, to run for office.
Several weeks ago Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson agreed to be a guest on my City University television program. A few days later his office called to say he was ill and would have to reschedule.
What to do when the leader of your party faces unprecedented ethics challenges, including being in violation of the Constitution’s prohibition on payments from foreigners the day he becomes President?
Our research shows that state and local policies shielding immigration status information are generally permitted. Local law enforcement’s refusal to honor federal immigration detainer requests is also permitted and may even be required to avoid liability for constitutional violations.
Nuestras investigaciones demuestran como las normas estatales y locales que protegen a información sobre el status migratorio de la gente son generalmente permitidas. Por parte de la policía local, la denegación de honrar a solicitudes que detengan a los inmigrantes, también es permitida y aún puede ser requerida para evitar violaciones de la Constitución.
In a scary indication of just how far Republicans will go to carry water for Donald Trump, high-level party figures are now trying to bully the head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
New Mexico State Representatives, with the support of many organizations and coalitions and the New Mexico Inclusive Democracy Project, announced a constitutional amendment to increase voter access in New Mexico.
An all-star team of ethics experts and constitutional scholars sued Donald Trump today for immediately violating the Constitution’s prohibition on government officials receiving payments from foreign powers.
En los primeros días de la administración del Presidente Trump, nuestra nación ya ha sufrido un ataque directo en contra de nuestra democracia. Sus peligrosos planes de emitir Órdenes Ejecutivas anti-inmigrantes amenazan destruir nuestra base como una sociedad libre.
Motor Voter has proven effective in expanding voter registration in this country and bringing millions of eligible Americans into the democratic process. It is only to be feared by politicians who, like Trump and King, see their path to power only through a smaller, whiter electorate.
Judge Neil Gorsuch is no champion for democracy, and his record on money in politics suggests he would continue the Court’s trajectory of expanding the power of the donor class.
You can be sure that communities are fighting back against the far-reaching, multi-headed, xenophobic and draconian first wave of Trump’s immigration enforcement apparatus. Everyone who believes in equality and justice can assist in this community-led battle for the soul of our democracy.