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Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
@levincenter.bsky.social
The Levin Center champions bipartisan, fact-based oversight and is affiliated with Wayne State Law School, but our posts do not present the views of WSU or the Law School.
In 1932, the Senate launched an investigation into the 1929 stock market crash. After hiring Ferdinand Pecora in 1933, the inquiry took off. Pecora personally served subpoenas and waited for documents. The investigation laid the foundation for sweeping financial reforms.
On the 5th anniversary of Sen. Carl Levin’s passing, CORD adds U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee oversight reports—honoring the committee he led and his bipartisan belief that strong national security requires strong oversight. www.cord-levin-center.org
📢Today, we are proud to announce that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appointed LevinCenter Director Jim Townsend as the chair of the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB)! Read our full statement here: levin-center.org/levin-center...
Levin Center Director Jim Townsend Appointed to Chair Michigan Gaming Control Board - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
Today Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that she has appointed Jim Townsend as the chair of the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB).
levin-center.org
Just 4 days after Titanic survivors reached NYC, the Senate Commerce Committee opened hearings at the Waldorf Astoria, later continuing in D.C. The Senate’s “quick, effective, bipartisan” investigation uncovered what happened and helped spur concrete reforms across the maritime industry.
In 1871, a Senate select committee investigated Ku Klux Klan violence. The majority documented murders, whippings, and terror; the minority denied that the KKK existed. The inquiry helped spur civil rights laws, the creation of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the prosecutions of KKK members.
Could Rebooting Congress Help Save American Democracy? Join the Levin Center for Constitution Day as experts, educators, and civic leaders explore the Constitution's enduring impact and the importance of informed citizenship. Learn more and register:
Constitution Day 2026 - RSVP - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
Join us on September 17 for a Constitution Day panel on how to reboot Congress to strengthen American Democracy.
levin-center.org
The closest Congress came to abolishing the Electoral College was in 1969–71, when the House passed a constitutional amendment to replace it with direct election of the president and vice president. The measure passed the House 338–70 but failed in the Senate. @ushousehistory.bsky.social
ICUMI: "As we approach July 4th in this 250th anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence, we are reminded that the American experiment began not with the presidency, but with a demand for representation." Read the Levin Center's full statement:
levin-center.org
We asked our staff: What does Congress mean to you? Here's what the State Oversight Academy said.
We asked our staff: What does Congress mean to you? Here's what the Learning by Hearings civics team said.
We asked our staff: What does Congress mean to you? Here's what the D.C. team said.
"As we approach July 4th in this 250th anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence, we are reminded that the American experiment began not with the presidency, but with a demand for representation." Read the Levin Center's full statement:
levin-center.org
Today, we honor Senator Carl Levin on what would be his 92nd birthday. He showed us how to work together, to treat everyone with dignity, to be compassionate, to ground our work in justice, to embrace the promise of this country, to laugh, and to root for the Tigers. We miss him every day.
Since 1774, Congress has met in nine cities across four states before settling in Washington, D.C., in 1800. In Annapolis in Dec. 1783, George Washington stood before Congress and resigned as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. A life-size statue marks the spot today.
The 1973-74 Watergate hearings led to a number of legislative reforms. Rep. Robert McClory said at the time: “Preserving our Republican Party does not…imply that we must preserve and justify a man in office who would deliberately and arbitrarily defy the legal processes of the Congress.”
Congressional minorities aren't powerless. Dave Rapallo maps the tools available to minority-party lawmakers—from committee rules and federal law to parliamentary maneuvers and bipartisan strategies—to conduct oversight, even under unified government. dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...
Mapping Minority Investigative Powers in Congress
<i>“Shut down the Senate…” “Roll over and play dead…” In the first hundred days of President Donald Trump’s second term, these were the rallying cries of two fa
dx.doi.org
Huge disappointment in Congress’s failure to investigate the Trump family tax immunity agreement. This isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a question of constitutionally responsible oversight on behalf of the American people. That’s Congress’s job. www.politico.com/news/2026/06...
GOP opposition that shelved Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ is much quieter on audit immunity deal
Republican senators are largely ducking questions about the other part of Trump's agreement to drop his lawsuit against the IRS.
politico.com
Read now: Mapping Minority Investigative Powers in Congress by Dave Rapallo, published in the Harvard Law School Journal on Legislation. journals.law.harvard.edu/jol/2026/06/...
Mapping Minority Investigative Powers in Congress – Harvard Journal on Legislation
journals.law.harvard.edu
The State Oversight Academy was on the road this week! We traveled to Mississippi. www.instagram.com/reel/DZm-DMV...
State Oversight Academy on Instagram
1 likes, 0 comments - stateoversightacademy on June 15, 2026
instagram.com
Wayne State’s Juneteenth celebration is June 17 at 4:30PM! Join Associate Dean Billicia Hines and Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney for Centering Stories of Resilience, featuring a history performance, genealogy documentary, and panel on identity, lineage, and community. RSVP: events.wayne.edu/2026/06/17/w...
WSU Juneteenth - Centering Stories of Resilience: A Centennial Celebration
Join Wayne State University for Centering Stories of Resilience: A Centennial Celebration of Black History, a Juneteenth program honoring the legacy of emancipation and the enduring impact of Black hi...
events.wayne.edu
Each year, a senator reads George Washington’s Farewell Address to the Senate. Its warnings about factionalism, disunity, and political revenge remain strikingly relevant today. Read the full address: www.senate.gov/artandhistor...
From 1966–1971, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by William Fulbright, held oversight hearings scrutinizing the Vietnam War’s rationale, tactics, and effectiveness. The hearings informed the public, shaped opinion, and influenced the course of U.S. history.
levin-center.org/read-our-new...
Read our New Explainer on State Oversight of Medicaid - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
Medicaid is one of the largest and most important programs overseen by state governments, providing health coverage to millions of Americans while accounting for a significant share of state spending....
levin-center.org
We’re excited to announce the 2026/27 Elise J. Bean Oversight Fellows, Laura de Castro Quaglia from Roanoke College, and Greg Hunt! Their research will explore legislative oversight, accountability, transparency, and democratic governance, continuing Elise Bean’s legacy.
The June 1 deadline is approaching for the Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research. The award honors impactful scholarship on legislative oversight, accountability, investigations, and democratic governance. Apply today:
Award for Excellence in Oversight Research - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
Our yearly research award promotes the visibility of scholarly papers that examine important oversight issues.
levin-center.org
Congress has the power to expel or censure its members. In 1868, Rep. Fernando Wood (D-N.Y.) was censured by the House for “unparliamentary language” for referring to Reconstruction legislation as a “monstrosity, a measure of the most infamous acts of this most infamous Congress.”
The Levin Center will receive a $250,000 grant from the Erb Family Foundation to support its nonpartisan programs strengthening legislative oversight and democratic accountability. www.erbff.org/nearly-11m-a...
Nearly $11M Awarded Across Southeast Michigan and the Great Lakes
The Foundation envisions a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem and a culturally vibrant, sustainable Southeast Michigan. As we continue our spenddown, that longer-term vision…
erbff.org
Researching legislative oversight, investigations, audits, or government accountability? Apply for the Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research. The deadline to submit is June 1. Learn more:
Award for Excellence in Oversight Research - Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
Our yearly research award promotes the visibility of scholarly papers that examine important oversight issues.
levin-center.org