Glossary - Patriot Coach | Patriot University

#

18 USC 208: A federal criminal conflict-of-interest statute that prohibits executive-branch employees from participating personally and substantially in government matters in which they, or their immediate family members, have a financial interest. It is a legal basis for requiring recusal when a decision-maker's finances are at stake.
25th Amendment: A constitutional amendment providing procedures for presidential succession and for removing a president who is unable to discharge the duties of the office. Patriot University's materials reference it in the context of elected officials' unmet constitutional obligations, arguing that Democratic leaders with firsthand knowledge of Biden's cognitive decline had duties under this amendment that went unaddressed.

Back to top

Aa

absentee ballot: A ballot cast before or outside of Election Day, typically by mail or in person at an elections office, without requiring the voter to appear at a polling place on Election Day. Patriot University's materials note Alaska allows absentee voting without requiring an excuse, though deadlines apply.
actual malice: The demanding standard from New York Times v. Sullivan that a public figure suing for defamation must prove: that a false statement was made knowing it was false or with reckless disregard for the truth. Patriot University's materials note it is nearly impossible to satisfy, yet that litigation cost, discovery risk, and regulatory leverage have still pressured media defendants with strong actual-malice defenses into settling.
affinity group: A small, trusted cluster of participants—typically five to fifteen people who know one another well—organized for mutual support, collective decision-making, and coordinated safety during demonstrations or civic actions.
Alien Enemies Act: A 1798 wartime statute (50 U.S.C. sections 21 to 24) allowing the President to detain and remove nationals of a hostile nation during a declared war or an invasion or predatory incursion by a foreign government. Historically invoked in the War of 1812 and both World Wars, its 2025 use for peacetime immigration enforcement against alleged gang members is unprecedented and legally contested, raising due process and individualized-review concerns.
antitrust: A body of law intended to preserve competition and prevent monopolies, price-fixing, and other practices that unfairly restrain trade. In the U.S., antitrust enforcement is carried out mainly by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission and can include lawsuits, fines, and orders to restrict or break up a company.
Appointments Clause: The Article II provision governing how federal officers must be appointed, generally requiring nomination by the President and Senate confirmation for principal officers. In the classified-documents case a district judge dismissed the prosecution by ruling the special counsel's appointment violated this clause, a theory endorsed by only one Supreme Court justice and contrary to precedent such as United States v. Nixon.
appropriations: The legislative process by which Congress authorizes the spending of federal funds for specific purposes and agencies. Because agencies generally cannot spend money Congress has not appropriated, the appropriations power is a primary check on the executive branch.
asylum: A form of legal protection allowing a person who meets the definition of a refugee — someone with a well-founded fear of persecution — to remain in a country where they are not a citizen rather than be returned to their home country.
attestation under penalty of perjury: A formal written declaration made by an individual swearing that information provided is true, with criminal liability attaching if the statement is knowingly false. Patriot University's materials note that Alaska currently requires only this attestation, rather than documentary proof, to affirm citizenship when registering to vote.
authoritarianism: A form of governance characterized by concentration of power, suppression of political opposition, limited civil liberties, and demands for conformity, typically with weak or absent checks on executive authority.
automatic voter registration: A system that registers eligible citizens to vote automatically through interactions with government agencies, without requiring a separate registration application. Patriot University's materials note that Alaska automatically registers residents when they apply for the state's Permanent Fund Dividend.

Back to top

Bb

bail fund: A pooled financial resource established to post bail for people arrested during protests or other actions so they can be released from custody before trial. Bail funds are a common form of pre-protest legal support infrastructure.
ballot tracking: A system enabling voters to monitor the status of their mailed or absentee ballot through the election process, from issuance through receipt and counting. Patriot University's materials note that Alaska's Senate Bill 64, passed in 2026, would implement a new ballot tracking system statewide.
big lie: A propaganda technique in which a falsehood is made so large, and repeated so relentlessly, that many people come to accept it as true. The term is commonly applied to sustained, evidence-free claims that an election was stolen or its results illegitimate.
birthright citizenship: The rule, grounded in the Fourteenth Amendment's Citizenship Clause, that nearly everyone born on U.S. soil is a citizen at birth. In Trump v. Barbara (2026) the Supreme Court struck down an executive order limiting it, holding that children born in the U.S. to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are subject to the jurisdiction of the country and citizens at birth, with narrow exceptions for children of diplomats and hostile occupying forces.
Board of Registrars: A county-level government body in Alabama responsible for overseeing voter registration and election administration within the county. The document identifies the Board of Registrars as the authority voters must contact to resolve provisional ballot issues, absentee ballot problems, and other registration or eligibility questions.
border search: An inspection of a person, vehicle, or electronic device conducted by government agents at a port of entry or border crossing. Under the border search exception to the Fourth Amendment, U.S. courts have generally allowed such searches without a warrant, raising distinct concerns when journalists' devices and source materials are examined.

Back to top

Cc

censorship: The suppression or prohibition of speech, publication, or broadcast by an authority, whether governmental or private. Government censorship of protected expression is generally barred by the First Amendment, though disputes arise over what counts as improper content control versus permissible regulation.
Certificate of Citizenship: An official document issued by USCIS confirming that a person is a United States citizen, typically used by those who derived citizenship through a parent rather than through naturalization. Patriot University's materials note it is obtained using Form N-600 filed with USCIS.
Certificate of Naturalization: An official government document issued to a person who has completed the legal process of becoming a United States citizen after birth abroad. Patriot University's materials list it as a primary citizenship document for naturalized citizens seeking to prove citizenship for voter registration or REAL ID purposes.
certification: The formal process by which authorized government officials review and declare election results final and legally binding. Certification typically follows the tallying of votes and any recounts or audits, and occurs at local, state, and (for presidential elections) federal levels.
chain of custody: The documented, unbroken sequence of possession and handling of evidence from collection through legal proceedings, used to ensure its integrity. It is supported by preserving unedited originals, noting collection times, and creating cryptographic hash fingerprints of files.
chilling effect: A cognizable First Amendment harm in which government action deters people from exercising protected speech, even without a direct ban. Patriot University's materials describe it operating through anticipatory compliance, broadcasters softening coverage, universities settling, and attorneys avoiding disfavored clients to reduce regulatory or financial risk, which the doctrine is designed to prevent.
citizen journalist: A non-professional individual who gathers and publishes news, typically without institutional media affiliation. The term figures in debates over who qualifies for press protections, since First Amendment newsgathering rights are generally not limited to employees of established outlets.
citizenship verification: The process of confirming that a voter registrant is a United States citizen, a legal requirement for federal election participation. Patriot University's materials describe citizenship verification as the stated justification for SAVE system expansion and DOJ voter roll lawsuits, while critics argue the methods used risk wrongful removal of eligible citizens and lack statutory grounding.
civil disobedience: The deliberate, public refusal to comply with certain laws or government demands as a form of nonviolent political protest, typically undertaken openly and with a willingness to accept legal consequences. It is distinct from permitted demonstrations and is used to draw attention to a perceived injustice.
civil disorder: A federal offense addressing acts of violence, committed as part of a public disturbance, that obstruct or interfere with law enforcement officers performing their duties or with the functioning of government or commerce. It is distinct from ordinary assault in that it targets conduct occurring amid collective unrest.
civil resistance: A form of political struggle that relies on nonviolent methods such as protests, strikes, boycotts, and non-cooperation rather than armed force. Research on civil resistance finds it often succeeds by broadening coalitions and maintaining moral authority rather than through violence or ideological confrontation.
civil rights: Legal protections guaranteeing individuals equal treatment under the law and freedom from government abuse or discrimination, rooted in constitutional amendments and civil rights statutes.
class certification: A procedure by which a court allows one lawsuit to proceed on behalf of a whole group of similarly situated people. Patriot University's materials describe it as an increasingly important procedural-due-process substitute after Trump v. CASA (2025) limited universal injunctions, letting challengers obtain broad relief, for example on birthright citizenship and mass removals, through certified classes rather than a single sweeping order.
clemency: The executive power to reduce or eliminate criminal penalties. It encompasses pardons (which forgive an offense), commutations (which shorten a sentence), and remissions (which cancel fines or forfeitures). In the U.S. federal system this power belongs to the president; most states grant a parallel power to governors, often shared with a pardon board.
coalition building: The practice of uniting politically or ideologically diverse groups around a shared immediate objective while setting aside disagreements on other issues. Broad coalitions are widely associated with successful movements, whereas purity tests that exclude potential allies can contribute to failure.
commutation: An executive clemency action that reduces or ends a criminal sentence without erasing the underlying conviction. Unlike a full pardon, a commutation leaves the conviction and many of its collateral consequences in place while lessening the punishment, and may preserve conditions such as supervised release.
concurrence: A separate written opinion by one or more judges who agree with the court's judgment but write separately to explain their own reasoning or emphasize particular points. A concurrence does not change the outcome but can influence how a ruling is later interpreted.
conditional amnesty: A grant of immunity from prosecution that is contingent on the recipient meeting specified conditions, most commonly full disclosure of the truth about offenses committed. This document identifies South Africa's TRC as the primary example of conditional amnesty in transitional justice, contrasting it with unconditional amnesty laws such as those initially enacted in Argentina and Chile.
conflict of interest: A situation in which a person in a position of public trust has personal financial or other interests that could improperly influence their official decisions. In government-accountability analysis, the central question is whether an official's private stakes overlap with matters they decide, warranting transparency, active management, or recusal.
congressional oversight: The constitutional authority of Congress to monitor, investigate, and review the activities of the executive branch and federal agencies, exercised through hearings, investigations, document requests, and reporting requirements.
consent search: A warrantless search that law enforcement conducts after a person voluntarily agrees to it. A person may refuse by clearly stating that they do not consent to a search; even if officers proceed anyway, a verbal objection preserves the person's ability to challenge the search later.
conspiracy: A criminal offense in which two or more persons agree to commit an unlawful act and at least one of them takes a step toward carrying it out. The agreement combined with an overt act can be charged even if the underlying crime is never completed.
contempt of Congress: The authority of Congress to hold individuals accountable for obstructing its work, such as by refusing to testify or to produce documents in response to a lawful subpoena. It can be pursued through criminal referral to prosecutors, civil enforcement in court, or a chamber's own inherent contempt power.
court docket: An official log maintained by a court that lists all filings, hearings, motions, and rulings in a case. Dockets are a primary source for tracking the status and history of litigation, and public court-records systems let researchers search them directly.

Back to top

Dd

dark money: Political spending by nonprofit organizations that are not required to publicly disclose their donors, making the original funding sources opaque to voters. Patriot University's materials cite Brennan Center tracking showing dark money reached a record $1.9 billion in 2024 federal races, identifying it as a metric relevant to the 2026 election threat landscape.
de-escalation: The use of communication, body language, positioning, and tactical choices to slow or reduce the intensity of a potentially violent situation without using force, or with a reduction in force. In protest contexts it helps maintain nonviolent discipline and reduce the risk of injury, arrest, or a justification for crackdowns.
deepfake: Synthetic audio or video content generated by artificial intelligence to make a real person appear to say or do something they did not. Patriot University's materials identify AI-generated deepfakes as an emerging election threat in 2026, citing the circulation of a synthetic video of a state legislator as an example of how deepfakes can mislead voters and erode trust in election results.
defamation: A false statement of fact communicated to others that injures a person's reputation; libel is written defamation and slander is spoken. Under U.S. law, public officials and public figures generally must prove the statement was made with 'actual malice' — knowledge of its falsity or reckless disregard for the truth.
democratic erosion: The gradual weakening of democratic norms, institutions, and practices through legal or extralegal means, often without a single dramatic rupture such as a coup. It is a central concept in the study of how democracies decline from within.
denial of access: The practice of barring journalists from public events, government proceedings, or other spaces they would ordinarily have a right or established practice of attending. It can function as a form of press suppression without a direct legal order restricting publication.
deportation: The formal, government-ordered removal of a foreign national from a country for violating immigration law or on other legal grounds. In U.S. law it is also called removal.
disenfranchisement: The deprivation of a citizen's right to vote, whether through legal restrictions, administrative errors, or physical barriers. Patriot University's materials use the term to describe how the convergence of restrictive state laws and federal data demands translates into individual eligible voters losing access to the ballot.
disinformation: Deliberately false or misleading information spread to deceive, particularly to influence political behavior. Patriot University's materials identify targeted disinformation campaigns, amplified by AI deepfakes and social media, as a distinct threat vector in the 2026 election cycle, noting that proposed policy changes could limit federal counter-disinformation efforts.
double jeopardy: The constitutional prohibition on trying a person twice for the same offense. Under the separate-sovereigns doctrine, however, state and federal governments may each prosecute conduct that violates both their respective laws without triggering double-jeopardy protections. Patriot University's materials identify coordination between federal and state prosecutors as necessary to manage this issue in a parallel prosecution track.
doxxing: The practice of publicly exposing a private individual's personal information, such as home address, employer, or family details, typically to harass or intimidate. It is a common threat to activists and organizers, mitigated through measures like strong account security and careful management of publicly visible personal data.
drop box: A secure receptacle placed in publicly accessible locations where voters may deposit completed mail ballots without visiting a post office or election office. Patriot University's materials describe drop-box availability as a key metric in the 2026 threat landscape, noting that some states restrict 24-hour access while others have eliminated drop boxes entirely.
due process: A Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment guarantee that government may not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without fair legal procedures. Patriot University's legal materials stress that it protects all persons in the United States, including noncitizens regardless of immigration status, and requires at minimum notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard before the government imposes a penalty, removal, or loss of a protected interest.

Back to top

Ee

early voting: A system allowing eligible registered voters to cast ballots in person at designated locations during a set period before Election Day, without needing an excuse. Patriot University's materials note Alaska offers early voting beginning 15 days before Election Day at specific authorized locations.
editorial independence: The principle that news organizations make coverage and content decisions free from government or ownership interference. It is a core press freedom value, and pressure that induces self-censorship can undermine it even without a direct legal order.
election integrity: A term used in political and legal contexts to describe efforts to ensure elections are conducted accurately and free from fraud. Patriot University's materials note the phrase appears in the formal name of an RNC litigation strategy, and that critics argue some actions taken under this banner impose requirements that exceed current law and burden eligible voters.
election subversion: Efforts to undermine, obstruct, or overturn the legitimate outcome of an election, whether through fraud, coercion, manipulation of the vote count or certification process, or refusal to accept valid results. It is distinguished from lawful challenges, such as recounts and court petitions, that work within established procedures.
Electoral College: The body established by the U.S. Constitution through which each state casts official votes to elect the President and Vice President. Electors, allotted to states largely on the basis of congressional representation, meet after the general election to cast votes reflecting their state's result, and those votes are then counted by Congress in a joint session.
emoluments: Financial benefits, profits, or advantages received by a public official. Constitutional and statutory emoluments provisions restrict what officials may accept from foreign or domestic government sources, in order to prevent corruption and divided loyalty.
enemy of the people: A political phrase historically used by authoritarian governments to delegitimize critics and opponents. Applied to the news media, it is treated by press freedom advocates as rhetoric that can chill reporting and undermine the civic role of a free press.
equal protection: A guarantee, rooted in the Fourteenth Amendment and applied to the federal government through the Fifth Amendment, that the law must treat similarly situated people alike. It prohibits discrimination based on race, national origin, and similar classifications. Courts have applied it to strike nationality-based government actions and to bar racial or national-origin profiling, and it protects everyone within a state's jurisdiction, including undocumented immigrants.
ethics waiver: A formal written authorization allowing a government official to participate in a matter that would otherwise be barred by ethics rules due to a conflict of interest. Whether such a waiver was issued, and on what terms, is a standard transparency question in accountability review.
executive order: A directive issued by the President that manages operations of the federal government and carries the force of law unless overturned by Congress or the courts. Patriot University's materials describe a 2025 presidential executive order on elections that the Campaign Legal Center challenged in federal court, with portions blocked by injunction on grounds of unlawful federal overreach.

Back to top

Ff

federalism: The constitutional structure dividing governmental authority between the federal government and the states, each with defined powers. It frames disputes over which federal directives are binding on states and underlies doctrines such as anti-commandeering and state sovereignty.
financial disclosure: The legal requirement for senior federal officials to publicly report their financial interests, including assets, income, and liabilities, so that potential conflicts of interest can be identified and managed. For Senate-confirmed officials, this is governed by the Ethics in Government Act and administered by the Office of Government Ethics.
First Amendment: The constitutional guarantee protecting freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition. It applies to the people, citizens and noncitizens alike. Government generally may not punish, retaliate against, or condition benefits on disfavored speech or association. Courts have used it to strike executive actions targeting law firms, universities, journalists, and student protesters for the content or viewpoint of their expression.
FOIA: The Freedom of Information Act, a federal law that gives the public the right to request access to records held by federal agencies. The document references FOIA as the process through which naturalized citizens can request replacement naturalization certificates from USCIS to serve as proof of citizenship.
Form N-600: The USCIS application form used to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship for individuals who derived U.S. citizenship through a parent. Patriot University's materials note that overseas Alaska residents must file this form by mail to the USCIS Phoenix Lockbox, as online filing is unavailable for overseas applicants.
freedom of assembly: The First Amendment right to gather peacefully, including at protests and demonstrations. Government interference with peaceful assembly is a constitutional violation, and time, place, and manner rules may regulate assembly only in content-neutral ways.
FVAP: The Federal Voting Assistance Program, a U.S. Department of Defense program that helps military members, their families, and overseas citizens exercise their right to vote under UOCAVA. Patriot University's materials list it as a registration resource for Alaska voters who are overseas or in military service.

Back to top

Gg

gag order: A court order prohibiting parties, attorneys, witnesses, or sometimes journalists from publicly discussing or publishing certain information about a case. When applied to the press, gag orders can raise prior restraint and First Amendment concerns.
gerrymandering: The drawing of electoral district boundaries in a manner that advantages a particular political party or group, or dilutes the voting power of a particular population. It is a structural barrier to fair representation that voting rights advocates track alongside other suppression tactics.
get-out-the-vote: Organized civic efforts to encourage eligible citizens to register and cast ballots, typically including voter registration drives, canvassing, phone banking, text banking, and rides to the polls. It is a structured discipline distinct from persuading undecided voters.
government transparency: The principle that government actions, records, and proceedings should be open and accessible to the public so that citizens can hold officials accountable. It underlies open-records laws, open-meeting requirements, and norms of public access to court and prosecution records.
grand jury: A body of citizens convened to review evidence presented by prosecutors and decide whether there is probable cause to formally charge a person with a crime. Grand jury proceedings are typically secret, and the group may have power to subpoena witnesses and documents.
guarantees of non-repetition: One of the five categories of reparation recognized in UN principles on transitional justice. Guarantees of non-repetition are forward-looking measures intended to prevent recurrence of past abuses, including institutional reform, statutory changes, structural redesign, and personnel vetting. The document treats institutional reform as a primary mechanism within this category.

Back to top

Hh

habeas corpus: A fundamental constitutional protection, rooted in Article I, that requires the government to justify a person's detention before a court. Detainees, including immigrants, can seek habeas review to challenge the lawfulness of their confinement. The Constitution allows its suspension only by Congress, not the President, and a government's failure to obey a habeas order is treated as a serious breach of due process and the rule of law.

Back to top

Ii

immigration enforcement: Government actions taken to compel compliance with immigration law, including arrests, detentions, removals, and deportations of individuals alleged to be in violation of immigration statutes.
impeachment: The constitutional process by which a legislative body formally charges a president or other civil officer with misconduct, which if successful can result in removal from office. This document lists it as one possible mechanism for removing a president during the democratic restoration scenario's transition phase.
impunity: The condition in which individuals who have committed serious human rights violations escape legal accountability or meaningful consequence. The document cites the pro-justice position in transitional-justice debates, which holds that truth-telling arrangements that grant amnesty without prosecution risk institutionalizing impunity and fail to deter future abuses.
independent expenditure: Spending by a person or group to expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate, made without coordination with any candidate or campaign. Because it is deemed independent, such spending is not subject to contribution limits, though it must generally be disclosed.
indictment: A formal written accusation issued by a grand jury charging one or more persons with a crime, based on a finding of probable cause. An indictment begins a criminal case but is not itself a determination of guilt.
injunction: A court order directing a party to do something or, more often, to stop doing something. In the constitutional litigation Patriot University tracks, federal courts have issued injunctions blocking executive orders, funding freezes, and removals found to violate the Constitution. After Trump v. CASA (2025) limited nationwide universal injunctions, litigants increasingly rely on class actions to obtain comparable relief.
Inspector General: An independent federal watchdog office within an executive department charged with investigating waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct. Members of Congress and the public may request that an Inspector General open an investigation into agency conduct.
Insurrection Act: A federal law (10 U.S.C. sections 251 to 255), originally enacted in 1807, letting the President deploy active-duty military domestically to suppress insurrection, rebellion, or civil disorder. It is the main exception to the Posse Comitatus Act. It cannot lawfully be used against peaceful protest, and the President still cannot suspend habeas corpus or override constitutional rights. Historically it enforced civil rights-era desegregation orders.

Back to top

Jj

judicial review: The power of courts to examine government actions and strike down those that conflict with the Constitution, established in Marbury v. Madison. This document identifies judicial review as a foundational resistance capability of the judiciary, enabling courts to declare executive orders and legislation unconstitutional.
jury nullification: The act by a jury of acquitting a defendant despite evidence of legal guilt, based on the jurors' conscience or belief that the law itself is unjust. The document lists it under methods of non-cooperation as a legal form of civic resistance available to ordinary citizens.

Back to top

Ll

legal observer: A neutral third-party monitor, usually affiliated with a legal organization, who attends protests to document police conduct, record badge numbers and actions, and gather evidence for potential legal defense. Legal observers are typically identifiable by bright vests and do not intervene in confrontations.
lobbying: The practice of attempting to influence government officials or legislators on policy, regulatory, or contracting decisions, typically conducted by paid professionals on behalf of corporations or interest groups. Federal lobbying expenditures are a matter of public record and a common subject of accountability research.
lustration: A form of administrative justice in which individuals associated with past abusive regimes or institutions are formally screened and excluded from holding public office or positions of authority in successor institutions. The document references lustration as one component of administrative justice within Teitel's five-forms framework for transitional justice design.

Back to top

Mm

mail ballot receipt deadline: A legal cutoff date and time by which a mailed ballot must arrive at election authorities to be counted, distinct from the postmark deadline. Patriot University's materials identify laws in Ohio, Kansas, North Dakota, and Utah prohibiting the counting of mail ballots received after Election Day as a key category of restrictive voting legislation affecting the 2026 midterms.
martial law: The temporary imposition of direct military control over civilian governance and legal processes, typically suspending ordinary civil authority and civil liberties. This document lists martial law in major cities as a feature of the authoritarian consolidation scenario's suppression phase.
metadata: Embedded data within a digital file recording details such as time, date, device, and location of creation. Preserving original metadata and avoiding edits to a recording lets it serve as verifiable evidence; conversely, stripping metadata before publishing protects privacy and location.
Miranda rights: The warnings police must give a person before custodial interrogation, informing them of the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. They are constitutionally required once a person is formally arrested and about to be questioned. Invoking these rights clearly and verbally is essential to preserving them.
moral turpitude: A legal concept referring to conduct considered inherently dishonest, vile, or contrary to accepted moral standards. In Alabama, certain felony convictions classified as involving moral turpitude can disqualify a person from voter eligibility, though not all felony convictions trigger this disqualification.
mutual aid: A form of community-based solidarity in which people voluntarily share resources and support one another outside of formal government or charity structures, often organized locally and reciprocally to meet immediate needs.

Back to top

Nn

nationwide injunction: A preliminary or permanent injunction that applies not just to the parties in a case but to all similarly situated individuals across the country. A nationwide injunction can halt a federal policy everywhere while litigation proceeds, and the practice is itself a subject of legal debate.
newsgathering: The process by which journalists collect information for publication or broadcast, including conducting interviews, photographing or recording events, and obtaining documents. Newsgathering activity can receive First Amendment protection, and government interference with it raises press freedom concerns.
no-excuse absentee voting: A voting policy under which any eligible registered voter may cast an absentee ballot without providing a specific reason or qualifying circumstance. Patriot University's materials identify Alaska as a state with this policy, meaning voters may choose absentee or mail voting freely.
non-cooperation: A category of nonviolent action involving the deliberate withdrawal of cooperation, obedience, or compliance from a government or institution—through strikes, boycotts, or refusal to comply—in order to deprive it of the human and institutional support it needs to function.
non-strict voter ID: A classification for voter ID laws that do not automatically reject a ballot when a voter cannot present required identification. Patriot University's materials use this term to describe Alaska's system, where voters without acceptable ID may cast questioned ballots subject to later verification.
NVRA (National Voter Registration Act): A federal statute governing voter registration procedures and setting requirements for how states maintain voter rolls, including limits on when and how registrants may be removed. Patriot University's materials reference NVRA in the context of an Indiana voter purge law blocked by the 7th Circuit for attempting to circumvent the Act's requirements, and a Louisiana law challenged for restricting registration drives.

Back to top

Oo

obstruction of an official proceeding: A federal offense covering corrupt efforts to obstruct, influence, or impede an official proceeding of Congress, the courts, or a federal agency. It has been applied to conduct aimed at disrupting formal government processes, including the congressional certification of a presidential election.
open meetings law: A statute, sometimes called a sunshine law, requiring government bodies to conduct official business in sessions open to the public and press and to make records of those proceedings available. Such laws support government transparency and press oversight.
open primary system: An election system in which voters may participate in any party's primary election regardless of their own party affiliation or registration. Alabama currently uses this system, but Patriot University's materials note that proposed 2026 legislation (HB541) would end it by requiring voters to register with a party to participate in that party's primary or runoff.
operational security: A set of practices aimed at protecting sensitive information by controlling what is disclosed, to whom, and through what channels. Beyond technical tools, it includes physical precautions, limiting who knows what, and avoiding behavioral patterns that could expose sensitive plans or sources.
OSINT: Open-Source Intelligence: the practice of collecting and analyzing information from publicly available sources such as government records, court filings, corporate databases, and social media. In accountability research it is used to study public figures acting in their official capacity.

Back to top

Pp

parallel institutions: Alternative civic structures—such as independent schools, media, courts, or governance bodies—built by a movement or community to reduce dependence on an existing regime. They can help sustain non-cooperation and provide a foundation for democratic governance during or after a political transition.
pardon: A form of executive clemency that forgives a criminal offense and relieves the recipient of its penalties and legal disabilities. A full pardon is generally understood to restore rights lost through conviction, though it does not erase the historical fact that the conviction occurred. Courts have debated how far a pardon reaches, including whether it can cancel court-ordered restitution to victims.
party registration: A formal process by which a voter affiliates with a political party in official election records, sometimes required to vote in that party's primary election. Alabama does not currently require party registration, but proposed legislation noted in this document would introduce such a requirement for primary and runoff election participation.
pay-to-play: A practice in which political donations or other financial contributions to officials or campaigns correlate with the donor receiving government contracts or favorable regulatory treatment. A documented pattern of donations coinciding with contract awards raises pay-to-play concerns even when individual contributions comply with legal limits.
peaceful transfer of power: The democratic norm by which governing authority passes from one elected administration to the next without violence or coercion after an election. Long regarded as a defining feature of stable constitutional democracies, it depends on the losing side accepting results and cooperating in an orderly handover.
photo voter ID requirement: A law requiring voters to present government-issued photo identification before casting a ballot. Alabama requires valid photo ID to vote in person, accepting documents such as an Alabama driver's license not expired more than 60 days, an Alabama Photo Voter ID card, a federal-issued ID, a US passport, or certain correctional facility photo IDs.
pillars of support: The institutions and groups whose cooperation sustains a government's power, including the military and police, the bureaucracy, the economy, cultural and religious institutions, and the general public. Nonviolent movements aim to erode authoritarian rule by weakening or withdrawing the support of one or more of these pillars.
plea deal: An agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant in which the defendant pleads guilty, often to reduced charges, in exchange for a lighter sentence or other consideration such as cooperation with the prosecution. Most criminal cases are resolved by plea deals rather than trials.
polling place closure: The reduction or elimination of designated physical locations where voters cast ballots in person, which can increase travel burdens and reduce turnout. Patriot University's materials cite Tarrant County, Texas reducing polling sites by 35 percent following state law changes, and the Leadership Conference's Democracy Diverted report documenting disproportionate impact on communities of color.
Posse Comitatus Act: A federal law (18 U.S.C. section 1385) that generally prohibits using the military to perform domestic civilian law enforcement. It applies to the Army and Air Force by statute and the Navy and Marines by regulation. The Insurrection Act is its primary statutory exception: when that Act is lawfully invoked, Posse Comitatus restrictions are overridden, but they otherwise remain in force for non-Insurrection-Act operations.
preliminary injunction: A court order issued early in a case that halts a challenged government action while the lawsuit proceeds, granted when the plaintiff shows likely success and irreparable harm. Patriot University's materials cite preliminary injunctions restoring Voice of America operations, blocking student deportations tied to protected speech, and ordering restoration of altered national-park exhibits, among other actions.
press credentials: Official identification or authorization issued to journalists granting access to specific venues, events, or institutions. Because credentials control physical access to newsworthy proceedings, their selective denial or revocation can raise First Amendment concerns about viewpoint-based exclusion.
press freedom: The legal and practical right of journalists and news organizations to gather and publish information without government interference, grounded in the First Amendment's free press clause. It encompasses protections against censorship, retaliation, and undue restrictions on newsgathering.
prior restraint: A government action that prohibits publication or broadcast of specific content before it occurs, rather than punishing speech after the fact. Prior restraint is generally presumed unconstitutional under the First Amendment, and courts require an especially strong justification before allowing it.
probable cause: The Fourth Amendment standard of reasonable, fact-based grounds that a crime has occurred, required for a valid judicial search or arrest warrant. Patriot University's materials note that this protection covers all persons in the United States, that ICE administrative warrants do not satisfy it, and that people cannot be detained or their homes entered without probable cause or a proper judicial warrant.
procedural due process: The due-process requirement that government provide fair procedures, at minimum notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard, before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property. Courts weigh it using the Mathews v. Eldridge framework, balancing the private interest, the risk of error, and the government's interest. Patriot University's materials apply it to removals, funding freezes, federal employment, and revoked student status.
proof of citizenship: Documentary evidence establishing that a person is a United States citizen, such as a passport, birth certificate, or certificate of naturalization. Patriot University's materials note Alaska currently does not require such proof for voter registration but that proposed federal legislation could change this requirement.
provisional ballot: A conditional ballot cast when a voter's eligibility cannot be confirmed at the polling place, such as when the voter's name does not appear in the poll book. After Election Day, officials investigate the voter's eligibility, and if the voter is found qualified and registered, the ballot is counted.
public interest standard: The requirement under U.S. communications law that broadcast licensees operate in the public interest, convenience, and necessity as a condition of holding a license. Regulators invoke it in licensing and renewal decisions, and its application to news content raises press freedom questions.

Back to top

Qq

questioned ballot: A ballot set aside at the polling place because a question exists about the voter's identity or eligibility, similar in function to a provisional ballot. Patriot University's materials indicate Alaska uses this mechanism for voters who cannot present acceptable photo ID, with the ballot counted after verification.

Back to top

Rr

REAL ID: A federally compliant form of state-issued identification that meets security standards established by the REAL ID Act, required for certain federal purposes such as boarding domestic flights. Patriot University's materials reference it in the context of documents that may require proof of citizenship to obtain.
reconciliation: A contested goal of transitional justice processes referring to the rebuilding of relationships and social trust after mass atrocity or systemic injustice. The document identifies four distinct forms: inter-individual, inter-group, citizen-state, and society-history reconciliation. Gibson's empirical work found truth commission engagement correlated with greater inter-racial trust but effects were uneven, suggesting truth-telling is necessary but not sufficient for reconciliation.
recusal: The formal withdrawal of an official from participation in a decision or proceeding because of a personal conflict of interest. The absence of documented recusal where an official's family or finances intersect with a matter they help decide is a common oversight concern.
regulatory capture: A situation in which a regulatory agency comes to be dominated by, or to act primarily in the interests of, the industries it is supposed to regulate rather than in the public interest.
restorative justice: An approach to accountability focused on repairing relationships and addressing harm rather than on punishment. In transitional justice debates, the restorative tradition emphasizes victim-centered processes, perpetrator reintegration where possible, and reconciliation as the highest goal. The document contrasts this with retributive justice and notes scholarship arguing the two need not be mutually exclusive.
retributive justice: An approach to accountability centered on punishment proportionate to wrongdoing. In transitional justice debates, the retributive position holds that punishment is necessary to vindicate victim rights and that deterrence of future abuses requires meaningful consequence for perpetrators. The document presents this in tension with, but not necessarily opposed to, restorative approaches.
right to observe and record police: A legally recognized right allowing bystanders and protesters to photograph or video-record law enforcement officers performing their duties in public spaces. It is widely used as a tool for accountability and for documenting police conduct, including use of force.
right to record: The recognized legal principle that individuals generally have a First Amendment-based right to photograph or record police and government officials performing their duties in public spaces. It commonly applies when bystanders witness possible constitutional violations or police misconduct.
risk-limiting audit: A statistical post-election check in which a random sample of paper ballots is hand-counted and compared to reported results to confirm, to a defined level of confidence, that the declared winner is correct. If the sample raises doubt, the audit expands, potentially to a full hand recount.
rule of law: The principle that all individuals and government officials are equally subject to publicly established laws, with no person or office above legal accountability.
rulemaking: The formal administrative process through which federal agencies propose, receive public comment on, and finalize binding regulations. Governed largely by the Administrative Procedure Act, rulemaking is a primary way agencies implement statutes and a frequent focus of legal and oversight challenges.

Back to top

Ss

same-day voter registration: A procedure allowing eligible citizens to register to vote on Election Day itself rather than by an earlier deadline. Patriot University's materials note that Alaska does not offer same-day registration as a general rule, with a narrow exception permitting it only for presidential and vice-presidential races.
SAVE Act: A proposed federal bill referenced in Patriot University's materials that would require voters to present documentary proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, in person to election officials at the time of voter registration, changing current practice in states like Alaska that rely on attestation.
SAVE system (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements): A federal database administered by USCIS originally designed to verify immigration status for public benefits eligibility. Patriot University's materials note it has been repurposed and expanded to allow states to run mass cross-checks of voter registration files against citizenship data, with critics warning the process generates false positives that risk wrongful voter removal and chilling effects on registration.
seditious conspiracy: A federal felony (18 U.S.C. section 2384) defined as two or more people conspiring to overthrow or destroy the government by force, to levy war against it, to oppose its authority by force, or to forcibly prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any U.S. law. It is among the most serious charges brought for organized political violence.
Senate confirmation: The constitutional process by which the U.S. Senate approves presidential nominees for principal federal offices, including cabinet secretaries and agency heads. A nominee typically undergoes committee hearings and a full Senate vote before assuming office.
separation of powers: The constitutional division of authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with each checking the others. Patriot University's materials invoke it where the executive freezes congressionally appropriated funds (implicating the Appropriations Clause), where courts review the legality of executive action, and in structural arguments drawn from the Constitution's design and the Federalist Papers.
SLAPP lawsuit: Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation: a lawsuit filed to silence or burden critics, activists, or journalists through litigation costs rather than to prevail on the merits. Common claims include defamation and tortious interference. It is a recognized legal threat faced by people engaged in protected civic activity.
sole-source contract: A government contract awarded to a single vendor without competitive bidding, justified by factors such as unique capability or urgency. Because it bypasses competition, a sole-source award receives heightened scrutiny for fairness and value to taxpayers.
source confidentiality: The journalistic and legal principle protecting a reporter's ability to keep the identity of a confidential source private. It supports candid disclosure by sources and is defended through reporter's privilege and, in many states, shield laws, though its scope varies by jurisdiction.
special master: An independent third party a court appoints to review materials or handle specific issues in a case, often used to sort attorney-client privilege disputes. In the Mar-a-Lago documents matter a district judge appointed one to review seized materials and paused the criminal investigation; the Eleventh Circuit unanimously reversed, finding no precedent for such relief for the subject of a search warrant at that stage.
special prosecutor: An attorney appointed outside the normal prosecutorial structure to handle a specific case, often where the regular prosecutor has a conflict of interest or where independence is deemed important. Related roles include special counsel and independent counsel.
special session: An extraordinary meeting of a legislature convened outside its regular schedule to address specific matters, typically called by the governor for a state legislature or the President for Congress. The agenda of a special session is often limited to the issues for which it was called.
standard of review: The legal lens an appellate court applies when evaluating a lower court's decision, which shapes how much deference the lower ruling receives. De novo review, used for most constitutional questions, gives no deference and is most favorable to appellants; abuse-of-discretion and clearly-erroneous standards strongly favor the original decision. Advocates are counseled to identify it early and frame arguments to fit it.
stare decisis: The legal doctrine requiring courts to follow precedent established in prior decisions. Although not named explicitly, the document implicitly invokes it by treating the overruling of precedents such as Humphrey's Executor and Roe v. Wade as relevant evidence that new legal frameworks were constructed rather than existing law merely applied.
statute of limitations: A law setting the maximum period after an alleged offense during which criminal charges may be filed. In accountability processes involving historical abuses, expired statutes of limitations can bar prosecution. Patriot University's materials discuss options including tolling the period during which a perpetrator held office, statutory extension for specific offenses, and reopening limitations for defined categories of conduct.
strict scrutiny: The most demanding standard of judicial review, applied to content-based speech restrictions and certain suspect classifications. To survive it, the government must prove its action is narrowly tailored to serve a compelling interest, a burden it rarely meets. Patriot University's First Amendment materials note that content-based limits trigger strict scrutiny and that viewpoint-based ones are almost never permissible.
subpoena (journalists): A compulsory legal order requiring a journalist to produce documents, testimony, or unpublished materials in a legal proceeding. Subpoenas directed at reporters to reveal sources or newsgathering materials are considered a threat to press freedom and are limited by reporter's privilege in many jurisdictions.
subpoena power: The legal authority to compel a person to appear and testify or to produce documents for an investigation, trial, or legislative proceeding. Courts, grand juries, and legislative committees may exercise subpoena power, and refusal to comply can carry legal penalties.
substantive due process: The due-process principle that bars government action that is arbitrary, irrational, or that shocks the conscience, regardless of the procedures used. Under the County of Sacramento v. Lewis standard, conduct lacking any legitimate justification and motivated by improper aims can violate it. Courts invoked it in finding executive orders against law firms and funding freezes arbitrary and unsupported by any rational government interest.
super PAC: A type of independent expenditure-only political committee that may raise and spend unlimited sums from corporations, unions, and individuals to advocate for or against candidates, but is legally barred from coordinating directly with a candidate's campaign. Super PACs emerged after the 2010 Citizens United and SpeechNow.org court decisions.
surveillance: The systematic monitoring of individuals or groups, often through technology, by governments or other entities. Surveillance raises civil-liberties and privacy concerns when conducted without adequate legal limits or oversight.

Back to top

Tt

Terry stop: A brief investigative detention by police based on reasonable articulable suspicion that a person is involved in criminal activity. During a Terry stop a person is not free to leave but has not been formally arrested; police may conduct a limited pat-down for weapons but not a full search.
threat model: A structured assessment of who is likely to target your information, what methods they might use, and what level of protection is appropriate. Threat modeling helps individuals choose tools proportional to their actual risk, from basic protection against data brokers to high-risk scenarios involving state surveillance.
time, place, and manner restrictions: Government regulations on expressive activity that are content-neutral and govern when, where, and how speech or assembly occurs, rather than what is said. Such restrictions are constitutionally permissible; restrictions targeting the content of a message are not and may be challenged legally.
transitional justice: A set of judicial and non-judicial processes a society uses to reckon with past human rights abuses and political crimes after a period of conflict or authoritarian rule. This document references it as a post-crisis process including criminal accountability proceedings and truth and reconciliation in the democratic restoration scenario.
truth commission: A temporary, state-sanctioned body that investigates patterns of past human rights abuses over a defined period, engages directly with affected populations, and produces a final public report. Hayner's widely adopted definition requires the body to be focused on the past, investigate patterns rather than isolated incidents, operate temporarily (typically six months to two years), and be authorized by the state.

Back to top

Uu

unconstitutional conditions doctrine: The First Amendment principle that government may not condition a discretionary benefit, such as a contract, grant, license, or access, on a person's surrender of a constitutional right, even where it had no duty to provide the benefit at all. Patriot University's materials identify this as the recurring structure in executive actions tying federal money, clearances, or press access to a target's speech or associations.
UOCAVA: The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, a federal law protecting the absentee voting rights of U.S. citizens serving in the military and citizens residing overseas. Patriot University's materials reference it as a registration pathway for overseas and military voters in Alaska.
USCIS: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency that administers the nation's lawful immigration system and processes citizenship-related applications. Patriot University's materials reference it as the agency to which Form N-600 applications for Certificates of Citizenship must be submitted.

Back to top

Vv

viewpoint discrimination: Government regulation or penalty imposed because of the particular opinion or perspective a speaker expresses. Described in Patriot University's materials as the most disfavored form of speech regulation and almost always unconstitutional, it was the core defect courts found in executive actions targeting law firms for their clients and DEI stances, and in enforcement aimed at specific student political speech.
voter ID law: A law requiring voters to present identification before casting a ballot. Patriot University's materials describe Alaska's voter ID law as non-strict because voters who lack acceptable ID may cast questioned ballots that can still be counted after identity verification rather than being automatically rejected.
voter ID requirement: A law mandating that voters present specified forms of identification before casting a ballot, with rules varying by state on acceptable document types. Patriot University's materials identify tighter ID rules as part of the record wave of restrictive voting laws enacted in 2025-26, noting their burden falls disproportionately on low-income and minority voters.
voter intimidation: Conduct intended to coerce, threaten, or pressure a person regarding their right to vote or their vote choice. Patriot University's materials state that voter intimidation is explicitly illegal and prohibited in Alaska, and advise voters to document any such incidents and report them immediately.
voter privacy: The principle that personal information collected during voter registration and participation should be protected from unauthorized disclosure. Patriot University's materials reference legislative concerns about voter privacy arising from Alaska's sharing of voter data with the federal Justice Department.
voter purge: The removal of names from official voter registration rolls, typically justified by officials as maintaining roll accuracy. Patriot University's materials describe SAVE-based voter purges as a contested practice wherein states use citizenship database cross-checks to remove registrants, with legal challenges arguing the process lacks statutory authority and improperly removes eligible voters.
voter registration deadline: The cutoff date by which a person must complete registration before being eligible to vote in an election. Alabama does not offer same-day registration; the state requires registration to be completed at least 15 days before an election, and registration is closed during the 14 days immediately preceding an election.
voter roll: The official list of registered voters maintained by state or local election authorities, used to determine who is eligible to cast a ballot. Patriot University's materials describe the voter roll as the subject of DOJ lawsuits demanding unredacted state files and of SAVE-based cross-checks, raising concerns about data security and wrongful removal of eligible voters.
voter suppression: Policies or practices that restrict or discourage eligible citizens from registering or casting a ballot. Patriot University's materials describe a record wave of restrictive state voting laws enacted in 2025-26 as voter suppression, including shortened early voting windows, strict mail ballot receipt deadlines, tighter ID rules, and polling place closures that concentrate burden on low-income and minority voters.

Back to top

Ww

whistleblower: A person who reports misconduct, illegality, fraud, or abuse within an organization to authorities or the public. Various laws provide whistleblowers with legal protection against retaliation, particularly in government employment.
writ of certiorari: An order by which the Supreme Court agrees to review a lower court's decision; the Court has discretion over which cases to take. In the birthright-citizenship litigation the Court granted certiorari before judgment, taking the case directly before the appeals court ruled. Case-law research guides advise monitoring certiorari grants because they signal that the legal landscape on an issue may soon shift.
writ of mandamus: A court order compelling a government official or lower court to perform a required duty. Patriot University's materials note its use both as a remedy to force compliance with habeas and other orders, and, conversely, as a tool higher courts used, for example the Fifth Circuit en banc and a D.C. Circuit panel, to direct district judges to halt or vacate rulings against the administration.

Back to top