Prof. Carl LeVan
@democracyprofdc.bsky.social
Professor at American University. Defender of democracy. Lover of decency. Seeker of truth. Author/co-editor of books on Nigeria, constitution-making, and the American national security state. Editorial boards: Governance, Journal of Modern African Studies
In memoriam: Read Jamal Khashoggi’s columns for The Washington Post
www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-...
www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-...
Opinion | Read Jamal Khashoggi’s columns for The Washington Post
Jamal Khashoggi, a veteran Saudi journalist who Turkish officials say was killed in Istanbul after walking into the consulate of Saudi Arabia, had been writing a column for The Post since last year.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 3, 2026 at 11:08 PM
In memoriam: Read Jamal Khashoggi’s columns for The Washington Post
www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-...
www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-...
Senator’s basketball mix-up derails ‘gotcha’ moment at Jack Smith hearing
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Senator’s basketball mix-up derails ‘gotcha’ moment at Jack Smith hearing
The gaffe by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri) quickly went viral, but several prominent MAGA influencers seemed not to notice his mistake.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 30, 2026 at 1:46 AM
Senator’s basketball mix-up derails ‘gotcha’ moment at Jack Smith hearing
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Xi just visited Washington week. If you want background on China's foreign policy and #autocratization, there's a great resource now missing from the International Republican Institute's website "The Authoritarian Nexus: How #Russia and #China undermine democracy worldwide."
September 27, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Xi just visited Washington week. If you want background on China's foreign policy and #autocratization, there's a great resource now missing from the International Republican Institute's website "The Authoritarian Nexus: How #Russia and #China undermine democracy worldwide."
The military junta in #Niger faced a coup attempt this week. In the spirit of sovereignty and nationalism in resistance to foreign imperialism, General Tiani called upon Russia to save his regime (which too many analysts are quick to believe is popular).
www.worldpoliticsreview.com/niger-coup-j...
www.worldpoliticsreview.com/niger-coup-j...
A Rebellion in Niger Underscores the Fragility of the Sahel’s Juntas
Unequal treatment and battlefield losses helped fuel the revolt. Now, the junta’s purge of suspected mutineers risks deepening mistrust.
www.worldpoliticsreview.com
September 25, 2026 at 8:51 PM
The military junta in #Niger faced a coup attempt this week. In the spirit of sovereignty and nationalism in resistance to foreign imperialism, General Tiani called upon Russia to save his regime (which too many analysts are quick to believe is popular).
www.worldpoliticsreview.com/niger-coup-j...
www.worldpoliticsreview.com/niger-coup-j...
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
The taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ad "is an astonishing misuse of public resources in the campaign context," @danw329.bsky.social told @wsj.com.
U.S. Government Airs Pro-Trump, Anti-Communism Ad
The unusual ad, which said it was paid for by the U.S. government, aired on Fox News in major TV markets.
www.wsj.com
September 25, 2026 at 3:18 PM
The taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ad "is an astonishing misuse of public resources in the campaign context," @danw329.bsky.social told @wsj.com.
This picture, from the viewing of the new #Nigeria film "MKO" at @americanuniversity.bsky.social means a lot to me. Adotei Akwei lobbied me 30 years ago on Cap Hill about Abacha killing Oogoni environmental activists in Niger Delta. Nneka Achapu is part of a new generation of #humanrights leaders
September 25, 2026 at 2:11 PM
This picture, from the viewing of the new #Nigeria film "MKO" at @americanuniversity.bsky.social means a lot to me. Adotei Akwei lobbied me 30 years ago on Cap Hill about Abacha killing Oogoni environmental activists in Niger Delta. Nneka Achapu is part of a new generation of #humanrights leaders
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson implored her Supreme Court colleagues to dip into emergency docket cases less frequently, warning that it is imposing “institutional costs.”
Jackson warns Supreme Court’s emergency rulings imposing ‘institutional costs’
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson implored her Supreme Court colleagues Thursday to dip into emergency docket cases less frequently, warning that it is imposing “institutional costs.” “Why is it that …
thehill.com
September 25, 2026 at 1:07 AM
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson implored her Supreme Court colleagues to dip into emergency docket cases less frequently, warning that it is imposing “institutional costs.”
The costs of food and fuel are up in the US. The party that campaigned on "family values" in the 1990s is ordering ICE to separate parents from children, and 760,000 people just lost their health care. Join @ips-dc.org for a discussion of this "perfect storm." ips-dc.org/event/people...
A People’s Briefing: The Perfect Storm of Increasing Economic Insecurity - Institute for Policy Studies
A webinar to analyze the policy choices that are pushing millions of Americans into increasingly precarious conditions.
ips-dc.org
September 24, 2026 at 1:03 PM
The costs of food and fuel are up in the US. The party that campaigned on "family values" in the 1990s is ordering ICE to separate parents from children, and 760,000 people just lost their health care. Join @ips-dc.org for a discussion of this "perfect storm." ips-dc.org/event/people...
So the intelligence community should be tasked with a damage assessment, to see how much damage the White House did to itself. "The White House banned Politico, citing anonymous sources. It provided the quotes."
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
The White House banned Politico, citing anonymous sources. It provided the quotes.
In a letter defending its ban of Politico, the White House critiqued a report based on a press call it conducted, where reporters were told not to name the speaker.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 24, 2026 at 10:35 AM
So the intelligence community should be tasked with a damage assessment, to see how much damage the White House did to itself. "The White House banned Politico, citing anonymous sources. It provided the quotes."
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
In 2016 I used the leaked tax returns to compare his debt to African nations, and found that he had more debt than Mugabe's Zimbabwe in the 1990s. So he's come a long way.
“He don’t even take no salary—that’s how selfless Trump is, y’all!!!”
September 24, 2026 at 1:50 AM
In 2016 I used the leaked tax returns to compare his debt to African nations, and found that he had more debt than Mugabe's Zimbabwe in the 1990s. So he's come a long way.
Instead, 760,000 people are losing access to health care through the Affordable Care Act based on no objective criteria or identified problem. (There could be some "ghosts" but that has not been established for any of them.) It's almost like Vance wants the Democrats to take back House and Senate
A recent survey found that 92% of U.S. adults have delayed or avoided medical care due to high costs.
Meanwhile, a new study from Yale estimates that Medicare for All would save over 114,000 lives and $1 trillion a year.
If this country was truly “pro-life,” we would have universal healthcare.
Meanwhile, a new study from Yale estimates that Medicare for All would save over 114,000 lives and $1 trillion a year.
If this country was truly “pro-life,” we would have universal healthcare.
September 23, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Instead, 760,000 people are losing access to health care through the Affordable Care Act based on no objective criteria or identified problem. (There could be some "ghosts" but that has not been established for any of them.) It's almost like Vance wants the Democrats to take back House and Senate
Last fall, a speaker from Human Rights Watch at my university characterized these payments as human trafficking. Now we know more about the scale of the inhumanity "How Trump turned a #refugee bureau into a $410 million deportation operation" Washington Post
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
How Trump turned a refugee bureau into a $410 million deportation operation
Inside the secret deals powering the president’s push to deport migrants to countries not their own.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 22, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Last fall, a speaker from Human Rights Watch at my university characterized these payments as human trafficking. Now we know more about the scale of the inhumanity "How Trump turned a #refugee bureau into a $410 million deportation operation" Washington Post
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
Concerned about the midterms? Get the latest from UCS and Protect Democracy on the threats we face from the Trump administration, what to watch for in the coming weeks, and ways you can take action to ensure a fair, free, and safe election this November.
Info & RSVP: act.ucs.org/4z3buXF
Info & RSVP: act.ucs.org/4z3buXF
September 21, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Concerned about the midterms? Get the latest from UCS and Protect Democracy on the threats we face from the Trump administration, what to watch for in the coming weeks, and ways you can take action to ensure a fair, free, and safe election this November.
Info & RSVP: act.ucs.org/4z3buXF
Info & RSVP: act.ucs.org/4z3buXF
As the @nytimes.com has been reporting, some DC think tanks are torn between their ideas and traditional lust for access to the president. So good to see CATO not cowering in the face of Trump's tariff taxes. Also reveals Dems need to explain how tariffs ->cost of living www.cato.org/blog/75-amer...
75% of Americans Say Tariffs Will Be Important to Their Vote in the Midterms
74% Say Trump’s Tariffs have Raised Prices; 53% Say Tariffs Have Weakened the Economy, 70% Say the President Needs Congressional Approval to Impose Tariffs
www.cato.org
September 21, 2026 at 1:12 PM
As the @nytimes.com has been reporting, some DC think tanks are torn between their ideas and traditional lust for access to the president. So good to see CATO not cowering in the face of Trump's tariff taxes. Also reveals Dems need to explain how tariffs ->cost of living www.cato.org/blog/75-amer...
Join us at @americanuniversity.bsky.social on Wednesday 9/23 for #Democracy Denied: #Nigeria Annulled 1993 Election and its Lasting Legacies. I'll participate in a discussion with the director of a new film "MKO", Adotei Akwei, Nneka Achapu and Folabi Olagbaju. Join us for networking and learning
September 18, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Join us at @americanuniversity.bsky.social on Wednesday 9/23 for #Democracy Denied: #Nigeria Annulled 1993 Election and its Lasting Legacies. I'll participate in a discussion with the director of a new film "MKO", Adotei Akwei, Nneka Achapu and Folabi Olagbaju. Join us for networking and learning
Can someone just explain to the president that if he tears down the #KennedyCenter in defiance of the law and court orders, that his successor can feel free to to the same to his arch, which no one wants?
September 18, 2026 at 12:17 PM
Can someone just explain to the president that if he tears down the #KennedyCenter in defiance of the law and court orders, that his successor can feel free to to the same to his arch, which no one wants?
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
It can get a little overwhelming deciding which Democrats need your grassroots donations the most, so here are the most competitive Senate races and how I will be donating: shero.substack.com/publish/post...
Help Flip the Senate Blue
As we head into the last few weeks before this monumental November election, there are some Democratic campaigns for Senate that could really use some thoughtful and strategic grassroots donations.
shero.substack.com
September 17, 2026 at 9:15 PM
It can get a little overwhelming deciding which Democrats need your grassroots donations the most, so here are the most competitive Senate races and how I will be donating: shero.substack.com/publish/post...
One year after the destruction of #USAID by Musk and a team of computer hackers who had never been involved in development, State Dept is learning that it lacks the expertise to carry out its new mission (which was taken OUT of State Dept w/bipartisan support in 1990s). mailchi.mp/modernizeaid...
New MFAN Policy Commentary: One Year After USAID, the State Department Should Invest in Expert Local Staff and Partners
mailchi.mp
September 17, 2026 at 3:55 PM
One year after the destruction of #USAID by Musk and a team of computer hackers who had never been involved in development, State Dept is learning that it lacks the expertise to carry out its new mission (which was taken OUT of State Dept w/bipartisan support in 1990s). mailchi.mp/modernizeaid...
Reposted by Prof. Carl LeVan
She's on the moderate end of the House Republican caucus on immigration.
But she voted for the stunningly massive expansions of ICE—with weaker oversight—in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the 2026 Secure America Act.
That speaks louder than any video.
But she voted for the stunningly massive expansions of ICE—with weaker oversight—in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the 2026 Secure America Act.
That speaks louder than any video.
"Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far."
"The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today."
-Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla), a former broadcast journalist, direct to camera in campaign ad #FL27
"The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today."
-Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla), a former broadcast journalist, direct to camera in campaign ad #FL27
September 17, 2026 at 3:45 PM
She's on the moderate end of the House Republican caucus on immigration.
But she voted for the stunningly massive expansions of ICE—with weaker oversight—in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the 2026 Secure America Act.
That speaks louder than any video.
But she voted for the stunningly massive expansions of ICE—with weaker oversight—in the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the 2026 Secure America Act.
That speaks louder than any video.
The last time the Dems had a lead this large heading into the midterms was 2018. And by some analyses this is bigger than the lead the GOP had going into 1994. BUT the election hasn't happened yet. Ya'll remember 2016 right? PS:Very similar poll data from NYT www.realclearpolling.com?utm_campaign...
2026 Latest Election Polls and Political Insights | RealClearPolling
Explore up-to-date 2026/2028 election polls on RealClearPolling. Gain valuable insights into the evolving political landscape and stay ahead of the latest trends.
www.realclearpolling.com
September 16, 2026 at 6:50 PM
The last time the Dems had a lead this large heading into the midterms was 2018. And by some analyses this is bigger than the lead the GOP had going into 1994. BUT the election hasn't happened yet. Ya'll remember 2016 right? PS:Very similar poll data from NYT www.realclearpolling.com?utm_campaign...
Excellent overview of women's under-representation in #Nigeria politics and recent reforms to address them. (Read with: my essay in Oxford Handbook of Nigerian Politics) "Young Nigerian women want to go into politics – party rules and older men keep them out"
theconversation.com/young-nigeri...
theconversation.com/young-nigeri...
Young Nigerian women want to go into politics – party rules and older men keep them out
It’s not lack of ambition that keeps young women out of politics.
theconversation.com
September 15, 2026 at 10:40 AM
Excellent overview of women's under-representation in #Nigeria politics and recent reforms to address them. (Read with: my essay in Oxford Handbook of Nigerian Politics) "Young Nigerian women want to go into politics – party rules and older men keep them out"
theconversation.com/young-nigeri...
theconversation.com/young-nigeri...
Heading to Rome 2027 for @ipsa.org ? Dr. Idris Oladokun is looking for panelists to explore subnational #governance in #Africa. "This panel takes the gap between formal accountability and its actual exercise as its organising concern." Check out the call here: wc2027.ipsa.org/wc/panel/sub...
Subnational Governance in Africa: The Search for Accountability
Africa's democratic future is increasingly decided below the national level with power in the hands of subnational governments: governors and provincial administrations, county and local authorities, ...
wc2027.ipsa.org
September 15, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Heading to Rome 2027 for @ipsa.org ? Dr. Idris Oladokun is looking for panelists to explore subnational #governance in #Africa. "This panel takes the gap between formal accountability and its actual exercise as its organising concern." Check out the call here: wc2027.ipsa.org/wc/panel/sub...
So let me get this straight: President Trump has won 0 out of 23 cases demanding voter data? That is almost as bad as his record litigating the 2020 election. Excellent overview of today's SCOTUS decision on mail in ballots, by @amyhowe.bsky.social www.scotusblog.com/2026/09/supr...
Supreme Court denies Trump administration’s request to implement parts of rule on mail-in voting
www.scotusblog.com
September 15, 2026 at 1:28 AM
So let me get this straight: President Trump has won 0 out of 23 cases demanding voter data? That is almost as bad as his record litigating the 2020 election. Excellent overview of today's SCOTUS decision on mail in ballots, by @amyhowe.bsky.social www.scotusblog.com/2026/09/supr...
Or, adding Donald Trump's name caused the bankruptcy, since subscriptions and donations practically disintegrated as soon as this national cultural treasure was politicized. www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...
Kennedy Center could close as early as Tuesday, warns of bankruptcy, documents show
Officials said the center is facing “certain fiscal collapse” within weeks, insist that adding President Donald Trump’s name may be the only way to avoid bankruptcy.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 14, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Or, adding Donald Trump's name caused the bankruptcy, since subscriptions and donations practically disintegrated as soon as this national cultural treasure was politicized. www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...
Just signed @democracyinafrica.bsky.social petition on cancellation of passports of #Zambia govt critics. "We specifically protest against the use of such action against Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa, a prominent historian, analyst of Zambian political affairs, and Senior Lecturer in History" c.org/RddD7fD7Dq
Sign the Petition
Overturn the cancellation of the passports of Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa and other Zambians
c.org
September 14, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Just signed @democracyinafrica.bsky.social petition on cancellation of passports of #Zambia govt critics. "We specifically protest against the use of such action against Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa, a prominent historian, analyst of Zambian political affairs, and Senior Lecturer in History" c.org/RddD7fD7Dq