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Musings for Friday - ABA's Task Force for Democracy. With Judge Luttig and Jeh Johnson [1]

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Date: 2024-08-09  

First things first. IANAL. Therefore I don’t usually follow the daily, monthly, yearly, or hell, any of the coming and goings of the ABA (American Bar Association), but a segment on the Nicole Wallace Show caught my eye and ear. First, I had never heard that the ABA had put together a Task Force, even though it appears to have been put together awhile back. (A quick search by my limited skills can’t find a definitive date). MSNBC doesn’t even have this segment available yet on Nicole’s page.

Lawyers must act now to save our democracy BY MARY L. SMITH JULY 29, 2024, 2:00 PM CDT It was not even a full month ago that the Supreme Court issued a decision granting presidents broad immunity for actions taken during their tenure, potentially including those that could undermine the very principles of free and fair elections. The weeks since have seen many significant developments related to this fall’s presidential contest, including the attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life and President Joe Biden’s declining to run for reelection. With 100 days to go until Election Day, and as we enter a particularly fraught presidential election season, we the people must consider both who and what we’re voting for. Never have presidential powers been a more salient issue than now. As a lawyer and the president of the American Bar Association, I am deeply concerned by the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision, which comes at a time when we urgently need judicial clarity on the consequences of presidential actions for democratic integrity. The destabilizing forces that coalesced to propel the violence on Jan. 6, 2021, have not vanished—and, in fact, you could say they have metastasized. With evolving threats poised to derail our democracy in the upcoming election, far more than mere political rivalry is on the line. This November, the United States faces a litmus test for the resilience of democratic ideals in America and across the globe—for democracy itself.

It seems that with less than 90 days left until the election the ABA is freaking out. If you’re like me your response is; “What the hell took you guys so long?” Well the answer might simply be, the media. At least as far as I can tell, the MSM just has not had an appetite for what the ABA’s Task Force was selling. Despite prestigious members of their Advisory Commission, crickets from the MSM about them and their task.



My guess is the rally TFG had in Atlanta where TFG called out and praised members of Georgia’s Election Board and inferred they were going to do his bidding was enough for a new clarion call. And here we are.

Mission Statement The mission of the ABA Task Force for American Democracy is to: (i) bolster voter confidence in elections by safeguarding the integrity and non-partisan administration of elections, and by providing support for election workers and officials; (ii) educate Americans on democracy and the rule of law and why they are foundational to every aspect of American lives; and (iii) suggest ideas to the American people for improving and strengthening our democracy and our elections. The Task Force will: Inspire and mobilize America’s duty-bound legal profession to actively support and defend American democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law. Ensure that lawyers are educated and held accountable to their professional obligations to support and defend our democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law. Leverage the legal profession to educate the public on the reasons for, and the importance of, democracy and the rule of law. The American Bar Association undertakes this important work because we believe our legal profession is uniquely positioned to denounce and prevent anti-democratic practices which seek to influence or overturn election results, and to encourage the civic engagement and civil discourse vital to the protection of democracy. Our Report and Recommendations will highlight those democratic practices and safeguards necessary to strengthen and protect our elections, election workers and officials, and the rule of law.

I wish I had the Deadline Whitehouse segment for you to listen to, but at this time, I couldn’t find it. If one of you guys find it, post it below and I’ll post it up here for everyone to see. The post is from yesterday 8 August 2024. You’ll see segments from a year ago, those are not what I’m looking for, check the dates.

Here’s a link to an interview from one year ago. DK blocks the video, so I can only post a link.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/8/9/2261874/-Musings-for-Friday-ABA-s-Task-Force-for-Democracy-With-Judge-Luttig-and-Jeh-Johnson?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

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