New federal report aims for honesty surrounding Havana Syndrome
CERL Executive Board member Mark Zaid speaks extensively with Wisconsin Law Journal about the report published in response to 60 Minutes’ recent Havana Syndrome report broadcast which seeks transparency from the federal government. Mark S. Zaid, Esq., is a Washington, D.C. based attorney who specializes in crisis management and innovatively handling simple and complex administrative […]
“Confession driven tactics get confessions”: Fallon on season finale of ABC 20/20′s The Interrogation Tapes
Airing tonight, April 29 on ABC, catch CERL Advisory Council member Mark Fallon providing expert analysis on the season finale of 20/20′s Interrogation Tapes. “Confession driven tactics get confessions,” says Fallon in one clip. Stream the episode next day on Hulu. Mark Fallon is the co-founder of Project Aletheia at John Jay College of Criminal […]
Int’l Lawyers Network releases new Data Protection Guide
Developed by their cybersecurity and data privacy experts, the International Lawyers Network (ILN) has released a new Data Protection Guide, which provides an extensive analysis of governing legislation, scope of application, legislative framework, data processing requirements, data providers’ rights and duties, regulatory authorities, consequences of non-compliance, and more. CERL Executive Board member Stuart Gerson is […]
Roosevelt responds to Supreme Court immunity case
On Thursday, nine justices of the Supreme Court heard lawyers for former President Donald Trump and Special Counsel Jack Smith in a case on whether former presidents have immunity from criminal prosecution for actions they take while in office. Speaking with Anthony Zurcher of BBC News, CERL Affiliated Faculty member Kermit Roosevelt offers some criticism […]
How the U.S. should respond to Israel-Iran strikes
As we enter an era of open military strikes between Iran and Israel, the U.S. may need to revisit its strategy of temporary deployment in the Middle East. Speaking with Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali of Reuters, CERL Executive Board member Joseph Votel says that the U.S. should be considering sustainability in its response approach. General Joseph […]
Israel’s latest attack on Iran could mean the ‘messaging phase is perhaps over’
CERL Executive Board Emeritus James Clapper talks with CNN’s Abby Phillip after Israel carried out a strike inside Iran early Friday morning. Clapper stated this latest strike signifies the ‘messaging phase is perhaps over’ in the decades-long Israel-Iran hostility, and that controlling escalation will become more and more difficult. Lt. Gen. (ret.) James Clapper is an emeritus […]
Havana Syndrome report renews bipartisan concern
In response to the March 31 report broadcast on CBS News’ 60 Minutes about the 2016-2018 Havana Syndrome phenomenon, bipartisan members of Congress penned a letter to President Biden calling for a “renewed assessment by the U.S. government” of what officials call “anomalous health incidents.” CERL Executive Board member Mark Zaid, who represents more than […]
Could the latest Israel-Iran standoff result in all-out war?
After decades of mutual hostility between the two countries, April 13 marks the first direct attack on Israel by Iran. In an episode of TRT World’s the Newsmakers, CERL Advisory Council member David Jonas discusses where this latest standoff could take the region and the world. David S. Jonas is a Partner at Fluet, as […]
True self-defense rather than retaliation in Israel-Iran escalation
A U.S.-led team of allies was able to intercept 99% of the armaments Iran used in its direct attack on Israel on April 13, which in total included over 300 drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. In an analysis penned by Kate Scanlon for OSV News, CERL Advisory Council member Mary Ellen O’Connell offers that […]
Finkelstein weighs in on the SCOTUS hearings that could undo charges against Trump
CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein spoke with Ian Masters of Background Briefing about the recent oral argument that could lead to the Supreme Court undoing charges against former President Donald Trump, as well as the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. “[We’re] trying to ensure that there’s the ability to bring about the kind […]
Interpretation of a 2002 obstruction law could undermine charges against Trump
In a case that could undermine charges against former President Donald Trump, as well as over 350 rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, the Supreme Court will soon consider whether the prosecutors’ interpretation of a 2002 federal obstruction law can be used against the rioters. CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein spoke with […]
Biological agents: The future of warfare
Breakthroughs in gene editing hold great promise for scientific advancement but also portend danger for the future of warfare. Establishing regulatory and ethical frameworks will be critical for countering the weaponization of biological agents, Yelena Biberman-Ocakli and CERL Affiliated Faculty Jonathan D. Moreno present in an essay for the Hastings Center. Jonathan D. Moreno is […]
What the Iraqi PM’s visit to Washington could yield
Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani of Iraq arrived in Washington this week to discuss the U.S.-Iraq relationship, as well as erupting tension in the Middle East after Iran’s retaliatory attacks. In a “Special Briefing” of the Middle East Institute, CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph Votel emphasizes the importance of a strong partnership between […]
Inaccuracy of Iran’s attacks likely deliberate to avoid wider war
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph Votel is quoted in The New York Times discussing Iran’s aerial attack against Israel involving over 300 cruise missiles, drones, and ballistic missiles. That Iran provided early warning of their retaliatory response may be telling, General Votel explains. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.) is the former […]
Trump team’s doctrine for presidential immunity threatens the military chain of command
In an op-ed for The Atlantic, CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein and University of Minnesota Law School Professor Richard W. Painter argue that the doctrine of presidential immunity being presented by former President Donald Trump’s legal team should be utterly denied by the U.S. Supreme Court. Citing the amicus brief they filed in conjunction with 13 […]
“Mistake magnification” can affect how public perceives Israel-Hamas war
For the Cipher Brief, CERL Advisory Council member Geoff Corn weighs in on how “mistake magnification” with regards to the Israel-Hamas war can lead to single incidents of error in battle having a defining effect on how the public perceives the legitimacy of a war. Geoffrey S. Corn is the George R. Killam, Jr. Chair of […]
Civil cases involving U.S. citizen accused of committing war crimes
In a statement to the Associated Press, CERL Executive Board member Mark Zaid reacted to U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema’s ruling in the civil cases involving Libyan commander Khalifa Hifter, who stands charged of war crimes committed in Libya’s civil war. Mark S. Zaid, Esq., is a Washington, D.C. based attorney who specializes in crisis […]
What Iran’s aerial attack against Israel signals
CERL Executive Board Emeritus James Clapper spoke with Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union about Iran’s direct attack on Israel in the early hours of April 14. The “measured” nature of the attacks suggests that Iran is not interested in a broader war, Director Clapper explains. Lt. Gen. (ret.) Clapper is an emeritus […]
ISIS-K terror activities on the rise
CERL Executive Board member General (ret.) Joseph Votel spoke with Business Insider about the growing influence of a particularly virulent arm of the Islamic State: ISIS-K. Absent military and other efforts to constrain their operations, these groups can build capacity and reach, General Votel explains. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.) is the former […]
Why it is essential to reauthorize FISA
CERL Executive Board member General Joseph Votel appeared on Fox News to discuss the importance of FISA reauthorization for protecting U.S. national security interests and what an Iranian attack on Israel would mean for security in the region. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.) is the former Commander of the U.S. Central Command. He […]
Holding the president accountable to the rule of law
CERL’s Prof. Claire Finkelstein spoke with The Daily Beast about an amicus brief she and 14 national security experts, including six CERL affiliates, among them two four-star generals, filed in Trump’s immunity case. The U.S. Supreme Court must hold a president accountable to the rule of law, she asserts. Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon Biddle […]
Why Trump’s sweeping theory of presidential immunity poses danger to democracy
CERL Executive Board member Stuart Gerson is among a group of high-ranking former government officials who filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Donald J. Trump v. United States, arguing that a former president does not have blanket immunity from committing criminal acts as part of efforts to overturn the results of […]
UN top court to hear case accusing Berlin of enabling war crimes in Israel-Hamas war
The United Nations’ top court will hear on Monday a case brought by Nicaragua alleging that Germany has enabled war crimes by providing military support to Israel in its campaign against Hamas. CERL Advisory Council member Mary Ellen O’Connell is quoted by PBS on this case. Mary Ellen O’Connell is the Robert and Marion Short […]
Open expression at universities since Oct. 7
CERL’s Professor Claire Finkelstein spoke on a panel hosted by the UCLA School of Law about freedom of speech on U.S. college campuses since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict, as reported by the Daily Bruin. Universities have an obligation to limit speech that is antisemitic or discriminatory in nature, Prof. Finkelstein argues. Claire Finkelstein […]
Does the “SAFE” Act sufficiently protect U.S. national security interests?
With the current extension to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) expiring on April 19, CERL Advisory Council member George Croner analyzes the latest efforts by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mike Lee (R-UT) to reauthorize the foreign intelligence program but with significant reforms. In an opinion for Just Security, Croner explains […]
Legal experts and fmr gov officials file brief against Trump’s bid to dismiss Espionage Act charges
Nineteen legal experts and former government officials, including CERL Executive Board member Stuart Gerson, filed a brief opposing former President Donald Trump’s motion to dismiss his Espionage Act charges based on the “unlawful appointment” of special counsel Jack Smith. The brief argues that Trump’s claims are devoid of merit and consistency, as reported by Law […]
How interrogation methods have evolved to generate accurate intelligence
CERL Advisory Council member Mark Fallon joined Dave Thompson of Truth Be Told podcast to discuss science-based investigative practices, the importance of empathy, and the critical role research plays in enhancing interrogation techniques and preventing coercive methods. Mark Fallon is the co-founder of Project Aletheia at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, director of ClubFed, […]
Is the Kremlin behind Havana Syndrome?
CERL Executive Board member Mark Zaid spoke with SpyTalk and appeared on CBS News’ 60 Minutes to discuss investigations into the mysterious neurological symptoms reported initially by U.S. diplomats and their families in Cuba between 2016-2018 and, later, by Americans in Washington, D.C., China, Russia, China, Germany, India, and Latin America. Common to the clients […]
Maintaining U.S. support for Syrian Kurdish forces
CERL Executive Board member General (Ret.) Joseph Votel spoke on a panel hosted by the Kurdish Peace Institute about the security landscape in Syria and the U.S. partnership with Syrian Kurdish forces. Maintaining support for the Kurds in Syria is critical for conflict resolution, General Votel explains. General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Army (Ret.) is […]