The White House suppressed a report showing a toxic substance that is present in several states’ water supplies endangers human health at levels far lower than previously reported by the EPA.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted rules that prevent leading experts from serving on science advisory boards and encourage participation by industry-affiliated researchers.The Interior Department reassigned its top climate scientist to an accounting role after he highlighted dangers posed by climate change.The Department of Agriculture relocated economists across the country after they published findings showing the financial harms to farmers of the administration’s trade policies.The secretary of commerce reportedly threatened to fire top NOAA officials in pressuring them to act. The acting White House chief of staff reportedly instructed the secretary of commerce to have the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - a part of the Department of Commerce - issue a misleading statement in support of the president’s false assertion about the trajectory of a hurricane, contradicting an earlier statement released by the National Weather Service.Now, we are at a crisis point, with almost weekly violations of previously respected safeguards. This trend has culminated in the efforts of the current administration not only to politicize scientific and technical research on a range of topics, but also, at times, to undermine the value of objective facts themselves. In many cases, they have appeared to pay little political price for these missteps. Recent administrations have manipulated the findings of government scientists and researchers, retaliated against career researchers for political reasons, invited outside special interests to shape research priorities, undermined and sidelined advisory committees staffed by scientists, and suppressed research and analysis from public view - often material that had previously been made available. But over the last few decades, the safeguards meant to keep government research objective and publicly accessible have been steadily weakening. Objective data and research are essential to effective governance and democratic oversight. This report focuses on two distinct areas: the growing politicization of government science and research and the breakdown of processes for filling key government positions. There are now far fewer constraints to deter abuse by executive branch actors. In recent years, the norms and expectations that once ensured that our government was guided primarily by the public interest rather than by individual or partisan interest have significantly weakened. Advance Constitutional Change Show / hide.National Task Force on Democracy Reform & the Rule of Law.Government Targeting of Minority Communities Show / hide.Campaign Finance in the Courts Show / hide.Gerrymandering & Fair Representation Show / hide.

Ensure Every American Can Vote Show / hide.

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