The presidential pardon power, explained
Presidential pardons are subject to various constitutional constraints.
March 18, 2024
Research & Analysis
News & resources
Freedom is threatened by democracy crumbling from within. We use research, technology, and data analysis to protect what's working in our democracy today — and to help build the democracy of tomorrow.
Why do we need political parties?
Political parties are unpopular with the American public, but they're also a necessary building block of democracy.
April 19, 2024
The presidential pardon power, explained
Presidential pardons are subject to various constitutional constraints.
March 18, 2024
The interesting history and opportunity of Biden’s evolution on war powers
The Yemen strikes show a need for Congress to reassert its role in war making and reestablish the balance the Founders envisioned.
March 5, 2024
Litigating for truth: The power and limits of defamation law
Defamation litigation is not a complete cure for what’s broken in our media ecosystem, but it can force those who spread lies to internalize some of the costs of the injuries they cause.
February 6, 2024
The triple threat to democracy in 2024
Alongside the election itself, these are the key uncertainties in an uncertain year. And every American — regardless of ideology, party, profession, or background — has a stake in the answers.
January 10, 2024
In deciding Trump’s ballot eligibility, the Supreme Court should apply the law without fear or favor
The question for the Supreme Court is as much about the Fourteenth Amendment as it is about whether the rule of law or the rule of the mob is the governing order of our land.
December 20, 2023
Fusion voting, explained
Fusion voting allows more than one political party to nominate the same candidate on the ballot, empowering minor parties to unite a cross-ideological coalition behind a single candidate
December 19, 2023
The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, explained
The Ku Klux Klan Act used nearly all of Congress’s constitutional powers to respond to the Klan’s coordinated political violence and intimidation.
December 5, 2023
Proportional representation, explained
Proportional representation is an electoral system that elects multiple representatives in each district in proportion to the number of people who vote for them.
December 5, 2023
Understanding Trump’s pardon abuses
Although presidential pardons are often controversial, Trump created an entirely new class: what Protect Democracy categorizes as “henchmen pardons.”
November 29, 2023
