When the Office of Management and Budget stopped following a law that requires them to publicly share how the White House is using federal taxpayer dollars, we sued and forced them to restore the data.
Stopping the Consolidation of Power
our work
We work to prevent unchecked power, defend the rule of law, and protect the right to dissent.
The United States must maintain three co-equal branches of government, each with their own responsibilities.
Would-be authoritarians often abuse their power, using it to eliminate checks and balances, quash dissent, target already marginalized communities, and deepen political divisions.
The Constitution and the laws we have built around it provide tools to constrain authoritarian behavior — but many of the norms and guardrails that help define our democracy are not written into law and are not self-enforcing. Together these restraints must be deployed (and strengthened) to prevent the executive branch from abusing its power and to ensure the law applies equally to everyone, from the most powerful to the least.
- Uphold the principle that nobody is above the law.
- Ensure meaningful checks and balances on executive power.
- Stop abuses that target marginalized groups and their ability to participate in democracy.
- Protect the ability of the public and the press to voice dissenting views.
- Protect independent, non-politicized law enforcement and civil servant workforces.
We are working with legislators in a number of states on legislation that would allow people to sue any official — federal, state, or local — who violates their constitutional rights.
Tracking retaliatory use of arrests, prosecutions, and investigations by the Trump administration
How to tell if the Trump DOJ is enforcing the law or retaliating against political enemies.
July 21, 2026
Tracking retaliatory use of arrests, prosecutions, and investigations by the Trump administration
How to tell if the Trump DOJ is enforcing the law or retaliating against political enemies.
July 21, 2026
FOIA documents show extent of communication between FCC Chair Carr and outside group
The records produced so far reveal a remarkable degree of communication between the Center for American Rights and Chairman Carr’s office.
July 20, 2026
Flagging anomalous apportionments
This page identifies apportionments approved by OMB that include restrictions or conditions that may be signs of OMB frustrating or defying congressional spending directives.
March 20, 2026
Why the U.S. military is not a law enforcement organization
The military and law enforcement each serve as armed elements of the state, but have very different functions, training, and legal requirements.
November 21, 2025
The law around Trump’s tariffs, explained
Congress doesn’t have to wait for the courts – it can act now to end the tariffs that Trump has imposed unilaterally.
September 23, 2025
Assessing the Trump DOJ’s investigations and prosecutions
Three key questions for determining whether a prosecution is improperly politicized or comports with the rule of law.
September 4, 2025
Eight things to know about the National Guard in Washington, D.C.
The deployment of the Guard is an autocratic escalation threatening to spread across American cities.
August 13, 2025
Federal efforts to expand access to data from state-run programs and individual privacy
In this explainer, we highlight the potential harms associated with the federal government’s unprecedented efforts to access state administrative data
July 28, 2025
Stopping the illegal exposure of America’s personal data
Protect Democracy is challenging the illegal access to sensitive personal information of millions of Americans by representatives of “DOGE”.
February 10, 2025
What to know about the new Schedule F order
A guide to navigating the new executive actions on the federal workforce and suggestions for what civil servants can do now
January 21, 2025