A Victory for Democracy in the Supreme Court

June 27 marked a significant victory for democracy as the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling, decisively rejected an indefensible interpretation of the Constitution's Elections Clause — known as the independent state legislature theory. This theory proposes that state legislatures can regulate elections unrestricted by state constitutional provisions, state courts, or even potentially, a governor's veto.

Leadership Now was proud to submit an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in Moore v. Harper with the support of pro bono counsel from Covington and Burling LLP. Our brief distinctively argued that independent state legislatures could pose substantial threats to businesses and markets through gerrymandering and election interference.

With this victory and the successful reforms to the Electoral Count Act last year, we’ve been a part of bringing about real and significant changes to diminish election risks in 2024.

Leadership Now remains committed to advocating for certainty and stability in our elections and upholding the rule of law. We will persist in presenting the business case for these crucial democratic principles.

Smooth Midterm Elections Relieve CEOs

“As long as the political system isn’t functioning, CEOs are going to be pulled in all the time to solve political issues . . . So it is in [their] interest to have a functioning system,” said our CEO Daniella Ballou-Aares in a recent Financial Times article titled: “Business Leaders See a Split Congress as Reason to Celebrate.”

Daniella also shared that several of the Leadership Now Members expressed “a lot of relief” that the midterm elections ran smoothly.

Read the full story here: https://www.ft.com/content/3428b2bc-a2d8-4df3-9247-20e1aaff2de8.

Launch of the Business and Democracy Initiative

Leadership Now Project, in partnership with the Black Economic Alliance and Public Private Strategies, today announced the Business & Democracy Initiative to empower business leaders to collectively stand up for American democracy, rebuild trust in democratic institutions, and secure the next generation of stable and inclusive American prosperity.

Business leaders across the country are concerned about the health of our democracy. New research by Morning Consult on behalf of the Business & Democracy Initiative shows the business community wants to be active in protecting American democracy, and their customers will support them. The results show:

• 96% of business leaders say the existence of a well-functioning democracy is “important” to a strong economy.

• 80%+ of business leaders think that businesses should act to protect democracy and act to ensure safe and fair elections.

• 51%+ of business leaders say their business is more likely than they were five years ago to encourage employees to take a stance or speak out in support of democracy, or to take a public stance as a business.

• 64%+ of consumers say that a business with a public commitment to democracy shows the business cares about its customers, their employees, and has the right values.Tomorrow, the House Select Committee’s first public hearing will surface findings from the more than 1,000 interviews conducted in its months-long investigation of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“The Business & Democracy Initiative will provide business leaders with the knowledge and platform to lead on the issues — from preventing election crises to expanding civic engagement — and secure a strong economy for the next generation,” said Daniella Ballou-Aares, CEO of the Leadership Now Project.

We encourage you to read and share the full announcement with your networks, and please let us know if you’re interested in getting involved. Thank you for your continued commitment to our democracy.