Future of the rule of law under a new administration
Professor Claire Finkelstein, faculty director of CERL, joined Liane Jackson of Forbes Breaking News to discuss alleged efforts to interfere with the election, including a series of reported bomb threats linked to Russia, the importance of reinforcing confidence in the U.S. election process, and the future of the rule of law in light of the […]
Apprehension over legal questions arising from a contested election
CERL’s Claire Finkelstein spoke with Salon about Trump’s unfounded allegations of voter fraud in Philadelphia, efforts to intimidate voters on Election Day, including deceptive bomb threats, and the role that courts might play in resolving issues tied to disputed or tight election results. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon Biddle Professor of Law and Professor of […]
Is the Electoral College here to stay?
In a Fast Company article, Professor Kermit Roosevelt, member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, explains the history behind the Electoral College and argues that abolishing the system by which each state casts their designated votes in favor of a popular vote would lead to fairer elections. For more from Professor Roosevelt on the Electoral College, listen […]
Officials brace for possibility of civil unrest in the days around the election
General (ret.) Joseph Votel is quoted in a Vox article discussing the possibility of political violence in the period around the 2024 presidential election. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.), is the former Commander of the U.S. Central Command. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow on National Security at the Middle East Institute and […]
Concern among intelligence officials about a possible second Trump term
In Foreign Policy‘s live coverage of the election, CERL Board Emeritus James Clapper, former DNI Director, shared that the intelligence community is wary of a second Trump presidency. Lt. Gen. (ret.) James Clapper is an emeritus member of the CERL Executive Board. He served as the Director of National Intelligence from 2010–2017. Read his bio here. […]
Musk’s cash payments in connection his petition raise legal questions
CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein is quoted in an article by Kenny Cooper of WHYY discussing a case in which Elon Musk failed to meet his promise of supplying a registered voter in Pennsylvania who signed his petition with giveaway money. There are questions around the legality of these cash payments, she explains. Claire Finkelstein is […]
Under what circumstances can the military be deployed on or around Election Day?
In a Q&A with The War Horse, CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein discusses the laws governing the deployment of the U.S. military for domestic law enforcement purposes on or around the presidential election. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon Biddle Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy and Faculty Director of the Center for Ethics and the […]
Why election results may not be called on Election Day
CERL’s Claire Finkelstein is quoted in a Teen Vogue article explaining why the results of the presidential election may be unknown by night’s end. Delays do not imply fraud, she remarks. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon Biddle Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy and Faculty Director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule […]
Experts urge preparedness for potential of civil unrest surrounding the presidential election
General (ret.) Joseph Votel joined Michel Martin of NPR’s Morning Edition to discuss key takeaways from the two tabletop exercises CERL conducted to assess readiness for scenarios involving allegations of voter fraud that delay certification of election results, in one instance, and the deployment of troops to aid local law enforcement in quelling protests, in […]
What happens with Trump’s indictment trials if he wins the election?
In an unprecedented historical moment, one of the top two presidential candidates is a convicted felon in the midst of criminal trials in federal and state courts. CERL Faculty Director Claire Finkelstein and Professor Richard Painter discuss the legal repercussions if Trump wins the election, and how a win will affect his trials and U.S. […]
Examining grey legal areas ahead of Election Day
Former President Donald Trump has suggested he will deploy the military on Election Day against what he calls “the enemy from within.” In an opinion for The Hill, CERL’s Claire Finkelstein and co-author Brenner Fissell examine the legality of using troops for domestic law enforcement purposes, pointing to findings from the tabletop exercise CERL ran […]
CERL’s tabletop exercise helps prepare for worst-case election-related scenarios
In September and October 2024, CERL hosted two tabletop exercises regarding potential civil unrest around the election and inauguration devolving into violent protests potentially stopping the vote and involving the Army and the National Guard. CERL Faculty Director Claire Finkelstein, Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel, and event participant Congressman Mickey Edwards discuss […]
Former Oath Keeper reflects on CERL’s tabletop exercise about insurrectionists stopping the vote
In an opinion piece for the Estes Park Trail-Gazette, former Oath Keeper Jason Van Tatenhove discusses CERL’s October tabletop exercise about what will happen if the vote count from one pivotal county in Pennsylvania is unable to be certified. Jason Van Tatenhove is a journalist for publications including The Colorado Switchblade and the Estes Park […]
Military and veterans decry Republican lawsuits in swing states against overseas and military voting
CERL Executive Board member General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.) reacts to recent lawsuits brought by Republicans in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina regarding hypothetically fraudulent military and overseas voting through the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, in a Washington Post article co-authored by Amy Gardner, Jacqueline Alemany, and Dan Lamothe. General […]
Implications of Assange conviction on First Amendment and national security
CERL Advisory Council member George W. Croner discussed what the conviction of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for violating the Espionage Act means for the future of national security, freedom of the press, and the rights and responsibilities of the media, in an episode of the Overheard podcast hosted by Philip Wasielewski of the Foreign Policy […]
Trump sells Bibles printed in China despite his own anti-China rhetoric
Tens of thousands of copies of former President Trump’s “God Bless the USA” Bible were printed in Hangzhou, China, despite years of his railing against the country’s trade practices and imposing tariffs on Chinese imports. In an article for PBS by Richard Lardner and Dake Kang, both of the Associated Press, CERL Faculty Director Claire […]
How will Lebanon be affected by an Israel-Hezbollah war?
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel discusses what could happen if Israel retaliates against Iran’s missile strike, along with the potential impact a war between Israel and Hezbollah could have on Lebanon, on an episode of Al Arabiya News’ Global News Today by Tom Burges Watson. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army […]
CERL affiliate published in Routledge International Handbook on Policing Crises and Emergencies
CERL Advisory Council member Mark Fallon’s piece, The System Is Blinking Red: Lessons Learned from Policing in the Aftermath of Terrorist Attacks, co-authored with Maria Hartwig, is featured in the Routledge International Handbook of Policing Crises and Emergencies. Mark Fallon is the co-founder of Project Aletheia at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, director of […]
U.S. helps Israel prepare for impending Iranian missile attack
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel comments on Iran’s impending missile strike and joint Israeli-U.S. preparations to counter the attack, along with Hezbollah’s military capabilities, the strike on Damascus, and the reality of a wider regional war in the Middle East, in an interview by CBC’s Natasha Fatah. General (ret.) Joseph L. […]
Manuscripts containing unclassified information delayed due to overclassification of material in prepublication review
An article in Freedom Press (Freedom of the Press Foundation) revealed that, due to prepublication review standards, CERL Advisory Council member Mark Fallon had to remove content from his book, Unjustifiable Means, in order to “protect the government from embarrassment” despite that information already being publicly available. Mark Fallon is the co-founder of Project Aletheia […]
Potential Israeli Defense Forces combat mission in Lebanon brings concerns about LOAC implementation
In an opinion for the Lieber Institute at West Point coauthored with Tyler Smotherman, CERL Advisory Board Member Geoff Corn discusses the likelihood of an Israeli combat operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and how to ensure compliance with law of armed conflict (LOAC) implementation in Israeli Defense Forces maneuvers. Geoffrey S. Corn is the George […]
Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon intensifies
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph L. Votel reacts to the latest developments between the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah in this installment of the Middle East Institute’s Defense Rapid Reaction series. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.), is the former Commander of the U.S. Central Command. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow […]
Critical year for advancing women in leadership
In a Q&A with The Regulatory Review, Rangita de Silva de Alwis, member of CERL’s Affiliated Faculty, discusses the importance of attaining gender parity in systems of decision-making at a global level. In addition to securing “equal access,” women must also hold “equal power,” she explains. Rangita de Silva de Alwis is Senior Adjunct Professor […]
Israel applies military pressure to force Hezbollah’s hand
In a segment on Fox News, General Joseph L. Votel, member of the CERL Executive Board, weighs in on the escalating tension between Israel and Hezbollah. To prevent a war of attrition on its northern border and to assure the safe return of residents who are caught in the crosshairs of the conflict, Israel is […]
Legal experts urge Court to reverse decision in Trump Mar-a-Lago case
A group of legal experts, including CERL Executive Board member Stuart Gerson, filed a brief on Sept. 18 arguing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit should reverse Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision to dismiss Trump’s case involving the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. A different judge should be assigned the case, they contend. […]
Israel’s pager attacks on Hezbollah fighters: A violation of international law?
Hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies exploded last week in an attack on Hezbollah fighters, resulting in over 30 deaths and 3,000 injuries. Mary Ellen O’Connell, member of CERL’s Advisory Council, addresses the legality of these attacks. Adding explosives to everyday items, such as two-way radios, is a crime under international law, she explains in an […]
How the presidential candidates address mental health among service members
In an opinion for The Morning Call, Brig. Gen. Stephen N. Xenakis, M.D., compares efforts by the Trump administration and Biden-Harris administration to address the physical and mental wounds of war sustained by active-duty military and veterans. The Biden-Harris administration has demonstrated a strong commitment to preventing suicide in the veteran community, as well as […]
The withdrawal of U.S. forces in Iraq will leave dangerous vacuum
A U.S.-led military coalition charged with defeating the Islamic State is set to withdraw from Iraq by 2026. In an opinion for The Washington Post, Charles Lister and General Joseph Votel, member of the CERL Executive Board, urge the United States and its allies to consider the grave and ongoing threat posed by the resurgence […]
Critics of Trump brace for ‘targeted approach’ against ‘perceived adversaries’
Mark Zaid, Esq., member of the CERL Executive Board, is quoted in a New Republic article discussing what a second Trump term could mean for critics of the president. Trump will use every tool in the executive branch’s arsenal to silence those who are perceived as acting or speaking against his presidency, Zaid explains. Mark […]