Lawfare Archives - Davis Vanguard

Former DOJ Official Labels SPLC Indictment ‘Cynical,’ Citing Legal Flaws

By Owais KhanMay 17, 2026

Christopher Hardee, former chief for law and policy in the National Security Division of the Department of Justice, argued in Lawfare that the April 21 wire and bank fraud indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center constitutes “one of the most cynical criminal cases” brought by the Justice Department. Hardee contended the charges, which allege the SPLC fraudulently misled donors and operated undisclosed bank accounts to fund informants within groups such as the KKK, fail to meet federal legal requirements for conviction and suggest political motivation.

Law Professors Propose ‘Prosecutor Jury’ to Break the Cycle of Political Lawfare

By Paris XiaDecember 3, 2025

Two law professors have proposed a “prosecutor jury” system to evaluate indictments against politicians, in order to ensure that the Justice Department is not influenced by partisan politics.

Bolton Case Raises Questions of Political Retaliation and Government Overreach

By Kailyn StandiferOctober 21, 2025

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton has been accused of sharing sensitive government information with unauthorized individuals, facing 18 counts of transmission and retention of national defense information.

Trump’s Use of Alien Enemies Act Raises Constitutional Concerns

By Vicky LiAugust 7, 2025

Attorney Raphael Goldman has raised constitutional concerns about President Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan nationals and detain them in El Salvador, arguing that the government cannot impose criminal punishment without due process and congressional authorization.

DC Circuit Halts Guilty Pleas, Indicating the End of Guantanamo Military Trials

By Kayla BetuliusAugust 4, 2025

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit blocked guilty pleas by three 9/11 defendants, effectively ending the only viable path to closure in the decades-long legal process and signaling deep systemic failure in the U.S. military commissions system.

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