I’ve written about Marc Elias before. An article about him last fall in the American Bar Association’s Human Rights Magazine was headlined: “Human Rights Hero: Marc Elias: Voting Rights Litigator Extraordinaire and Founder of Democracy Docket.”
In his Monday newsletter, Elias refers to reporters and pundits who “adhere to the false neutrality that has come to dominate legacy media coverage over the last decade.”
(John Dineen’s commentary on his briefing.center site this morning similarly refers to the ongoing criticism that The New York Times “does not consistently center its coverage around the ongoing damage to our constitutional foundations.”)
Elias says:
“Just as Trump’s voter suppression gave way to post-election challenges in 2020, I expect him to run the same playbook in 2026. The courts remain a check, and we will keep using them. But inside his administration, there are no guardrails left.
“After the 2020 election, Trump considered sending the military and federal agents into states like Georgia to seize voting equipment and ballots. He did not do it because those around him — including lawyers at the Justice Department and the White House — resisted. Today, he says he should have.
“If Republicans suffer devastating defeats in the midterms, Trump will no doubt face a similar choice. This time, however, there will be no one in the room to object.
“His senior staff will find him a pen to sign the order. Attorney General Todd Blanche will order champagne to celebrate.
“Nor can we count on the legacy media to sound the alarm and speak out with moral clarity. Too many of their owners are beholden to Trump. Those who are not largely live in fear of raising his ire.
“Lawyers like me will play a critical role, as we have in the past. I helped lead the effort that defeated Trump more than 60 times in court after the 2020 election. My law firm has defeated his Justice Department in election cases more than 25 times this year alone.
“But we all have a role to play, and it starts with voting.
“Early voting is already underway in many states and thanks to successful litigation, mail-in voting is widely available. The more seats Democrats win and the larger their margins of victory, the harder it will be for Trump to execute his plan.”
It’s so encouraging when I hear from somebody — especially in a battleground area — who has their ballot and is about to mail it or put it in a drop box.
By the way, in D.C., we’ve been receiving our ballots in the mail, and the drop boxes will be ready to receive them starting this Friday, Oct. 9. Here are the drop box locations.
And, of course, on Oct. 17, there will be No Kings’ Vote Early events nationwide.
Voting rights, commentary on briefing.center
“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” — late Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., civil rights activist
Here are regularly updated voting rights resources for the November midterm elections, on John Dineen’s briefing.center website. And here is John’s daily quick commentary on his briefing.center home page.
Also in the news
Indigenous, environmental groups say far-right gains in Brazil Congress threaten protections
Quebec separatists vowing vote on independence from Canada win an election but fall short of majority
Takeaways from AP report on Iran attack in Kuwait that killed 6 U.S. soldiers and wounded dozens
Trump Accounts initially encouraged kids to be broadly invested in U.S. companies; now they’re tied to the fate of specific companies, depending on who donates
Trump says he or MAGA Inc. super PAC will pay for taxpayer-funded ads praising him, after backlash
White House removes Politico from press pool for Trump trip to Nebraska
At Nebraska campaign event, Trump suggests letting Iran ‘take out’ Los Angeles, San Diego
Supreme Court justices wrestle with major climate change case
Supreme Court rebuffs Michigan woman’s appeal over school’s ban on ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ sweatshirts
Judge blocks Trump policy of fining migrants up to $1.8 million for failing to leave U.S. after receiving final deportation orders
Congressional office of California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna is first to unionize
PEN America reports there were nearly 12,000 book bans in U.S. public schools in 2025-2026 school year, the most in a single year
Nobel Prize in medicine awarded to 3 scientists for shining light on brain activity
NYTimes asked 100 scientists for a big unanswered question in their field; here’s what they said
Dennis Hastert, longtime Republican House speaker who went to prison, dies at 84
You can call the Capitol switchboard, (202) 224-3121, and be connected to the offices of your representative and senators. To email your House member and your two senators, you can connect to their websites at Congress.gov. Most lawmakers seem to only accept emails from their constituents, but these leaders accept emails from Americans nationwide, at:
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer
Senate Majority Leader John Thune