The Crime Report (https://thecrimereport.org/category/elections-2020/)
The failure of the Donald Trump campaign to reverse the election results testifies to the strength of a court system that doesn’t succumb to political pressure. But the blizzard of questionable lawsuits filed by Trump lawyers this month demonstrates the need for continued vigilance, writes a former district attorney.
Prosecutorial races and referendum ballots around the nation demonstrated support for some reform trends, such as pot legalization, but also delivered some setbacks to those hoping for broader change, according to experts assembled by the Council on Criminal Justice think tank. Justice reform still has a “long way to go,” said former California Gov. Jerry Brown.
Current and former officials said presidential lawyer Rudolph Giuliani’s accusations sounded “crazy,” and they have not heard of evidence suggesting large-scale fraud.
Rhetoric by progressive activists became an effective “weapon” used to swing suburban voters away from Democrats during the election, say analysts. Some worry that it will affect the upcoming senatorial runoff races in Georgia.
Voters in places large and small continued the trend toward more police oversight and progressive prosecution policies.
Demonstrations over President Donald Trump’s loss at the polls resulted in charges in Washington, D.C., including a person accused of setting off fireworks and four people accused in an assault that left the victim unconscious on the street.
Attorney General William Barr reverses traditional Justice Department guidance and permits federal investigations before vote counts are certified. DOJ’s chief elections prosecutor quits in protest.
Voters with criminal records did not make a decisive difference in Florida’s presidential vote, a result that relieved advocates.
Growing financial pressures are likely to bring about more changes in youth justice systems across the country, despite election results that left statehouse leaderships largely unchanged, predicts an official with the National Conference of State Legislatures.
As analysts begin examining the details of the incoming administration’s justice reform plans, many are also noting the constraints. With a Senate Democratic majority likely out of reach, President-elect Joe Biden will have to drum up old friendships across the aisle to push Democratic legislation forward.