Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 13h

As American democracy faces a crisis of trust, a new report from the American Academy of Arts & Sciences
shows how proportional representation can reduce polarization, prevent gerrymandering, & ensure tens of millions of Americans finally feel represented.

Read it 🔗 www.amacad.org/ourcommonpur...

Our current system is linked with dysfunction: Many Americans feel left out of our politics; Escalating polarization, Fewer competitive legislative races, Underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities. Proportional representation is a new way forward.

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 18h

The indictment of NY Attorney General Letitia James is the latest high profile attack by the Trump administration against critics. Here’s why: https://protectdemocracy.org/work/retaliatory-action-tracker/

RETALIATION ALERT
Letitia James
New York Attorney General
OCTOBER 9, 2025: Indicted for bank fraud and making false statements  to a financial institution
A career prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia determined there was not probable cause to file charges against Ms. James. Just days later, Lindsey Halligan, the new EDVA U.S. Attorney presented the case to the grand jury, which is outside of standard practice.

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 19h

Instead of manipulating his way to popular support, Trump could be pivoting to consolidating power by force alone. In this week’s IfYouCanKeep.It briefing, we dive into our 3 theories for the administration’s endgame. https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/whats-the-endgame-here

What’s the endgame here?

The White House does not care how bad this looks

www.ifyoucankeepit.org

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 1d

Action Alert: @joycewhitevance.bsky.social explains one thing you can do right now to help protect the right to vote. "[F]lood the zone with common sense about voting." https://protdem.org/473cz56

Don't forget our guide to what makes an effective public comment. https://protdem.org/44iTPiu

A Thing You Can Do Right Now To Help Protect The Right To Vote

The U.S.

joycevance.substack.com

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 1d

ICYMI: We recently secured an emergency order stopping federal agents from using violent force against protestors in Illinois. Federal ICE/DHS agents are now blocked from using tactics like tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse lawful assembly. Learn more about this important victory. ⬇️

Protecting Protesters and the Press from Unconstitutional Federal Force in Illinois

Protect Democracy is suing the Trump administration for violating the First Amendment in Northern Illinois.

protectdemocracy.org

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 1d

What’s Trump’s endgame? One option is that we have genuinely no idea where this leads — because Trump himself does not know where this is going. Here are three theories for the un-subtlety of Trump’s authoritarianism. https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/whats-the-endgame-here

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 2d

“There’s absolutely no basis for the president to threaten to put the governor of a state or any other American in jail for simply resisting one of his policies.” @kristyparker.bsky.social joined @gregsargent.bsky.social to discuss Trump’s mounting prosecutions against his critics. Listen here ⬇️

Trump Threats to Jail Foes Take Darker Turn With Damning New DOJ Leaks

As ugly new information emerges about Trump’s efforts to prosecute James Comey and other enemies, a former federal prosecutor explains how Trump’s corrupt schemes are running into stiff internal resis...

newrepublic.com

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 2d

New Democracy Atlas briefing. This lesson comes from the pro-democracy forces in Zimbabwe with a reminder that even the most entrenched authoritarians are quite insecure and susceptible to public backlash. Here’s how democracy defenders have seized the opportunity.

Remember — autocrats are not invincible. But be careful.

Even entrenched leaders are susceptible to public backlash

www.ifyoucankeepit.org

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 2d

🎙️ @kristyparker.bsky.social, former federal prosecutor and Protect Democracy counsel, joined @gregsargent.bsky.social to discuss efforts within the DOJ to hold the line on the law. Listen to the full discussion here:

Trump Threats to Jail Foes Take Darker Turn With Damning New DOJ Leaks

As ugly new information emerges about Trump’s efforts to prosecute James Comey and other enemies, a former federal prosecutor explains how Trump’s corrupt schemes are running into stiff internal resis...

newrepublic.com

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 3d

Why are we tracking the Trump admin’s retaliatory actions? We need a clear accounting to assert the truth — the actions are designed to intimidate and chill the speech of anyone who would oppose the admin and degrade the DOJ’s ability to protect the public from actual crime & other unlawful conduct.

Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 3d

New York Attorney General Letitia James’s indictment is a clear example of political retaliation by the Trump administration.

Read our analysis: protectdemocracy.org/work/retalia...

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 3d

It seems almost like the White House doesn’t care how bad this all looks. In this week’s IfYouCanKeep.It briefing, we present three theories for the un-subtlety of Trump’s authoritarianism. https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/whats-the-endgame-here

What’s the endgame here?
The White House does not care how bad this looks

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 3d

New York Attorney General Letitia James’s indictment is a clear example of political retaliation by the Trump administration.

Read our analysis: protectdemocracy.org/work/retalia...

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 3d

With its steady escalation of military force against its own citizens, the Trump administration proves that the most immediate threat to our constitutional order is not on the streets. It is coming from inside the White House. New from @amandacarpenter.bsky.social

The ‘Chipocalypse’ is now

A training ground for the military?

www.ifyoucankeepit.org

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 4d

NEW lesson from abroad: How Zimbabwe’s democratic forces continue to take a stand — even as they face a daunting environment for dissent. Dig into this latest edition of Democracy Atlas: https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/remember-autocrats-are-not-invincible

Rule 6: Remember — autocrats are not invincible. But be careful.
How Zimbabwe’s pro-democracy forces expose autocratic weaknesses →

Public backlash diminishes the autocrat, but proceed carefully.
Call out their cruelty and hypocrisy. The suffering they cause and their failure to deliver on promises provide an opening for pro-democracy voices to shift public opinion.
Stay activated. Autocrats want to shut out any opposing voices. Don’t fall into their trap of disillusionment — even entrenched rulers are vulnerable to public backlash.
Guard against division. Autocrats commonly infiltrate opposition groups to sow discord and dismantle them from within. Beware of efforts to split or shut down the opposition party or civil society.
Protect sensitive information. Use caution with sensitive information to help keep the pro-democracy movement secure and intact.

Lesson Learned:
Zimbabwe is a reminder that even the most entrenched authoritarians are susceptible to backlash when they don’t adequately respond to the needs of the people. When pro-democracy forces seize on windows of opportunity to shift public opinion, all while remaining exceedingly careful in their approach, they can weaken the autocrat’s grip on power.

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 4d

We’re proud to stand with our partners in this fight.
@loevy.com, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law's Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic, UChicago Law's Mandel Legal Aid Clinic, First Defense Legal Aid, and the ACLU of Illinois.

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 4d

This order protects people like Pastor David Black, who was shot in the head with projectiles while praying, and journalists from outlets like Block Club Chicago who were gassed while covering the protests.

Protecting Protesters and the Press from Unconstitutional Federal Force in Illinois

Protect Democracy is suing the Trump administration for violating the First Amendment in Northern Illinois.

protectdemocracy.org

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 4d

The First Amendment contains the most cherished and fundamental rights of our democracy — it is vital that we defend it. In her ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Sara L. Ellis affirmed that the government cannot use violence as a means to silence dissent. ⬇️

Whatever lawlessness is occurring is not occurring by peaceful protestors. That the actions taken by some federal agents at this point and on this record clearly violate the Constitution. Individuals are allowed to protest. They are allowed to speak. That is guaranteed by the First Amendment.
judge sara l. ellis
us district court, northern district of illinois

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 4d

VICTORY: Today, together with our partners, we won an emergency order stopping federal agents from using violent force against protestors in Illinois. Federal ICE/DHS agents are now blocked from using tactics like tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse lawful assembly. protdem.org/474KWsA

Court Halts Unlawful Suppression of Speech by ICE

DHS ordered to stop violating First Amendment rights of press, clergy, and protesters in Illinois

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Reposted by Protect Democracy

Count Every Hero @counteveryhero.org · 5d

To date, thousands of troops have been deployed in at least five American communities over the objection of local leaders, with the promise of more. These rising domestic deployments run afoul of our history and traditions.

Read the brief: counteveryhero.org/wp-content/u...

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Reposted by Protect Democracy

Count Every Hero @counteveryhero.org · 5d

Nine former service secretaries + retired four-star admirals and generals filed a brief in federal court in Illinois today challenging the administration’s deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago as a dangerous trend of politicizing the military, and militarizing society. 🔗 bit.ly/48gA25b

“Over the short period of only the past several months, the Administration has abandoned the American tradition against domestic deployment of the military, embracing instead what the District Court of Oregon described as ‘martial law,’” they wrote. “The Administration has suggested it plans to use United States cities as ‘training grounds’ for the military, turning our troops on the ‘enemy within’ – the very people they have proudly sworn to protect, with their own lives if necessary. Thousands of troops have been deployed in at least five such communities over the objection of local leaders, with the promise of more.”

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 5d

WATCH Sen. Schiff on the Trump administration’s politicization of the DOJ and the 1000+ former DOJ officials who have joined together to decry a democracy-threatening abuse of power that must be opposed. Read their full statement: protdem.org/3ITOo0Y

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 6d

Sen. Adam Schiff: "The DOJ has become President Trump's personal sword and shield to go after his ever-growing list of political enemies and to protect himself, his allies, and his associates."

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 5d

In his crackdown on blue cities, Trump is dangerously and perversely fusing the roles of the U.S. military and domestic agencies. Amanda Carpenter connects the dots: 🔗 https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/federalism-at-a-breaking-point

What we are seeing now is the worst of both worlds: domestic agents adopting military tactics, and the military itself is being drawn into domestic political conflicts. Neither the military nor federal agents are trained or legally intended to perform each other's roles.

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 5d

🌍 New edition of the Democracy Atlas coming out tomorrow. 🌎 Looking for lessons and inspiration from others who have navigated authoritarian threats across the world? This is for you.

Catch up on the series here and share with other democracy defenders. ⬇️

Eight rules of antiauthoritarianism

Introducing the Democracy Atlas

www.ifyoucankeepit.org

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 5d

Protect Democracy’s new AI for Democracy Action Lab will work toward two mutually-enforcing goals: accelerate democracy-enhancing uses of the technology while mitigating its abuse through regulation and other guardrails. Learn more and how to connect ⬇️

The AI for Democracy Action Lab - Protect Democracy

The AI for Democracy Action Lab (AI-DAL) is a place to join together with tech innovators, legal and policy experts, software engineers, nonprofit leaders, and others to not only defend against the da...

protectdemocracy.org

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Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 5d

"If federal forces can make citizens afraid to exercise their First Amendment rights on the street, they can make them afraid to attend a rally, support an opposing candidate, or cast a ballot in upcoming elections,” new from @amandacarpenter.bsky.social. 🔗 https://protdem.org/48hnc6N

HED 1: Federalism at a breaking point
SUBHED 1: When red state troops police blue cities

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