Five Questions about Project 2025 with Joanna Lydgate, CEO of States United

Project 2025. The 920-page document is Trump’s plan for radical, even authoritarian, changes to our way of life. We don’t have to speculate or guess what’s in the works for a second Trump administration because much of it is there for the reading. We’ve discussed it in broad terms in Civil Discourse ever since news about its existence broke late last year.

Our job beginning tonight is to further our understanding of it—to parse the details and consider the effect on our lives if Trump wins the election in November. Then, we can share what we learn as widely as possible.

We can’t overestimate the value of bringing accurate information to our communities. A recent study revealed that 17% of Americans blame Joe Biden for the end of Roe v. Wade and abortion rights. Shocking, but true. Misinformation is everywhere. It’s going to be important to ensure people have an accurate understanding of Project 2025 ahead of the election instead of learning about its consequences when it’s too late.

We’re joined tonight by Joanna Lydgate, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the States United Democracy Center (full disclosure, I’m on their advisory board). States United is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to free, fair, and secure elections. They work with state and local officials and their goals include protecting elections, keeping elections safe, promoting truthful information about elections, and making sure people and groups who undermine democracy are held accountable.

Joanna was quoted in the New York Times last weekend in a piece discussing Trump’s intentions for a second term: “Trump has made clear that he’ll disregard the law and test the limits of our system. What we’re staring down is extremely dark.”

Before launching States United, Joanna served as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Massachusetts. Joanna has served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, was a law clerk to Judge Norman H. Stahl on the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and worked in nonprofit legal services in New York City. She is a graduate of Yale University and the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.

We’re fortunate that she’s agreed to share her insight into Project 2025 with us tonight.

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