Society for the Rule of Law

10/08/2026

When John McCain made campaign finance reform a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, his political advisers told him voters didn't care. McCain believed they should, and refused to back down.

On Checks & Balances, Trevor Potter reflects on what McCain taught him about challenging conventional wisdom and standing by your principles.

🎧 https://chkbal.substack.com/p/can-trump-take-control-of-the-midterms

10/08/2026

What role should courts play in our elections?

Join us Thursday, Oct. 15 at 12 PM ET for Judicial Oversight of Elections from Purcell to Callais, a timely discussion on:

🗳️ Gerrymandering & redistricting
🏛️ State vs. federal judicial oversight
📜 The Voting Rights Act & Elections Clause
⚖️ Purcell, Rucho & Callais
🇺🇸 Federalism, separation of powers & democratic participation

Featuring Amit Agarwal and Judge Paul W. Grimm, moderated by Gregg Nunziata.

CLE credit available for live viewers in VA, IL & TX.

📺 Watch here on Facebook.

10/07/2026

What happens when an “outside” political group isn’t really outside at all?

On the latest Checks & Balances episode, former FEC Chairman Trevor Potter explains how the lines between candidates and super PACs have blurred, creating a system that's strayed far from the independence it was supposed to require.

Watch the clip, then listen to the full conversation:
https://chkbal.substack.com/p/can-trump-take-control-of-the-midterms

10/01/2026

A generation of young conservatives has come of age without understanding the movement’s historic commitments to liberty, virtue, and classical liberal institutions.

On Checks & Balances, Stephanie Slade explains why recovering those arguments matters and what happens when politics becomes simply about acquiring power.

Listen to the clip, then the full conversation:
https://chkbal.substack.com/p/is-the-right-abandoning-its-own-principles

09/30/2026

The government cannot exclude journalists from the White House because it dislikes their reporting.

SRL filed an amicus brief in CNN v. Trump, arguing that barring CNN, Politico, and MS Now from the White House violates fundamental First Amendment protections.

Invoking “national security” cannot give the government carte blanche to retaliate against disfavored viewpoints.

Read more:

Executive retaliation against routine reporting violates the First Amendment and threatens the free press.

09/30/2026

At a moment when politics increasingly feels like a battle over who can wield power against the other side, is there another way?

On Checks & Balances, Stephanie Slade makes the case for a classical liberal alternative: mutual forbearance, pluralism, and equal rights under law - even when we deeply disagree.

Watch the clip and listen to our full conversation: https://chkbal.substack.com/p/is-the-right-abandoning-its-own-principles

09/30/2026

This weekend, we welcomed our inaugural class of Rule of Law Ambassadors to Washington, D.C.!

Representing 10 law schools across the country, our Ambassadors spent the weekend learning from leaders in law and public service, visiting the National Archives, and building a community committed to defending the Rule of Law.

Now, they’re bringing that commitment back to their campuses.

Read our recap of an inspiring weekend and meet the 2026–27 Rule of Law Ambassadors 👇

Our Ambassador orientation brought students together for meaningful engagement with public service, constitutional principles, and their work ahead on their campuses.

09/29/2026

The California Supreme Court recently ruled that state law prevents law enforcement from using search warrants to seize ballots.

What does that mean for the DOJ?

In a new piece, SRL Board Member Richard Bernstein argues that a highly similar federal election custody law likewise prohibits the DOJ from seizing ballots, even with a search warrant.

Read his analysis:

A recent California Supreme Court decision signals a powerful argument for why Congress has already barred the Department of Justice from seizing election ballots.

09/25/2026

“I think I’ve just signed my own death sentence.”

On this episode of Checks & Balances, historian Timothy Ryback tells Gregg Nunziata about the prosecutor who brought murder charges against a N**i camp commandant, and what defending the rule of law meant as democracy collapsed.

Watch the clip, then the full conversation: https://chkbal.substack.com/p/how-hitler-used-democracy-to-destroy

09/24/2026

What are the limits on a president’s power to deploy the military on American soil, and who gets to decide when those limits have been crossed?

Our latest webinar brought together John Malcolm, Bernadette Meyler, and Joseph Nunn for a timely discussion of the Insurrection Act, the Posse Comitatus Act, National Guard deployments, and the legal questions surrounding presidential authority.

Read our full recap of the conversation and watch the webinar here:

On a recent SRL webinar, panelists detailed the historic and statutory origins of the Insurrection Act, discussed its possible modern applications, and debated proposed reforms.