Protect Democracy

Protect Democracy is a nonprofit organization based in the United States.[1] A nonpartisan group, Protect Democracy seeks to check authoritarian attacks on U.S. democracy.[2][3]

According to Time Magazine, Protect Democracy is a “defender of America’s system of government against the threat of authoritarianism.”[4] The group includes progressives, moderates, and conservatives who have worked for Democratic and Republican elected officials.[5][6]

Leadership

In 2016, Protect Democracy was co-founded by Ian Bassin, Justin Florence, and Emily Loeb, who served as lawyers in the White House Counsel’s Office under former President Barack Obama.[7] The co-founders worked with Harvard University political scientist Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, who joined the group’s Board of Advisors.[8][9][10]

Bassin, a former White House associate counsel, serves as the executive director of Protect Democracy.[11]

Activities

Protect Democracy advocates for maintaining a strong separation between the White House and the Justice Department.[12] In 2020, Protect Democracy collected letters from hundreds of DOJ alumni, calling for former Attorney General William Barr to step down.[13][14] The group also claimed the Mueller report presented enough evidence to charge former President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice.[15]

Protect Democracy has criticized both Democrats and Republicans over resisting congressional oversight.[16][17] In 2021, the group represented 66 former members of Congress, including two dozen Republicans, challenging Trump’s efforts to block the January 6th Select Committee from accessing his presidential records.[18] During the 2020 election, Bassin urged then-candidate Joe Biden to reverse course after declaring he would defy a subpoena if called to testify in Trump’s first impeachment.[19] Biden eventually backed off his comments.[20]

References
  1. Dovere, Edward-Isaac. "Obama lawyers form 'worst-case scenario' group to tackle Trump". POLITICO. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  2. "Opinion | What authoritarians do: Attack the apolitical administration of justice". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  3. "Analysis | Big government vastly expanded presidential power. Republicans use it to sabotage the administrative state". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  4. "Trench Lawfare: Inside the Battles to Save Democracy From the Trump Administration". Time. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  5. "Opinion | Here's how we'll recover from Trump". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  6. Phillips, Savannah Behrmann and Kristine. "More than 2,000 ex-DOJ employees call for Attorney General Barr's resignation". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  7. "Emily Loeb, Jenner Partner and Co-Founder of Protect Democracy, Joins Biden DOJ". National Law Journal. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  8. "Trench Lawfare: Inside the Battles to Save Democracy From the Trump Administration". Time. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  9. Ziblatt, Steven Levitsky and Daniel (2021-07-09). "The Biggest Threat to Democracy Is the GOP Stealing the Next Election". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  10. "How Democracies Die: US Democracy Three Years After Trump's Election". CornellCast. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  11. "What Might Accountability For President Trump Look Like?". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  12. "Opinion | What authoritarians do: Attack the apolitical administration of justice". Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  13. Benner, Katie (2020-02-16). "Former Justice Dept. Lawyers Press for Barr to Step Down". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  14. News, A. B. C. "More than 2,000 former DOJ officials call on Attorney General William Barr to resign". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  15. Dugyala, Rishika. "Former Justice employees urge Barr to resign". POLITICO. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  16. "Transcript: All In with Chris Hayes, 10/19/21". MSNBC.com. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  17. Williamson, Elizabeth (2021-01-11). "Beyond Impeachment, a Push for Ethics Laws That Do Not Depend on Shame". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  18. Cheney, Kyle. "Former lawmakers urge court to reject Trump effort to stymie Jan. 6 committee". POLITICO. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  19. Nadeau, Barbie Latza (2019-12-28). "Biden Says He Would Defy Impeachment Subpoena—Then Tries to 'Clarify'". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  20. Aleem, Zeeshan (2019-12-28). "Joe Biden explains why he said he'd defy a subpoena to testify in the Senate impeachment trial". Vox. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
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