News
Find out about our most recent news and developments , check our previous newsletters and news archive, or sign-up now to stay up to date with our work.
Press Inquiries
For media inquiries, please contact: levincenter@wayne.edu
Recent News
New Committee Released on Congressional Oversight Report Database
July 2, 2025
We are delighted to announce that the Levin Center’s Congressional Oversight Records Database (CORD) has expanded its collection by adding
Read our New Blog Post “Checks and Balances Under Fire”
July 1, 2025
As we approach Independence Day, it’s worth reflecting not just on freedom, but on the institutions that safeguard it. Our new
What is Learning by Hearings? Watch our promo video now!
June 23, 2025
Oversight is one of Congress’s most important tools—and now, it can be one of yours. The Learning by Hearings curriculum
Jim Townsend’s Expert Commentary Featured in LA Times Article
June 20, 2025
“Denying members of Congress access to facilities is a direct assault on our system of checks and balances. What members
Levin Center Statement on Political Violence
June 17, 2025
Statement by the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy on the Political Violence that Occurred in Minnesota on June
Jim Townsend joins WJR Radio to Discuss Oversight
June 16, 2025
On June 16, 2025, Levin Center director, Jim Townsend, joined former U.S. Representative Dave Trott on WJR Radio to discuss
Read our Spring 2025 Newsletter
May 19, 2025
Read our spring 2025 newsletter with many updates on our growing programs! We released our online and on-demand training course
A Decade of Impact – watch our anniversary video!
May 19, 2025
Founded in 2015 by Senator Carl Levin, the Levin Center is now celebrating a decade of impact! Watch our anniversary
Sign up to our newsletter and stay connected
News Archive
2020
- Jan 14: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy gives congressional testimony on strengthening bipartisan oversight
- Jan 20: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy launches new website on congressional oversight case law
- Jan 23: Pending Cases will have major impact on future congressional oversight
- Jan 28: Levin Center Presents Report on Legislature’s Oversight Capacity & Performance to Michigan Senate Oversight Committee
- Jan 29: Senators Richard Burr and Mark Warner receive 2019 Carl Levin Award for Effective Oversight
- Feb 26: Levin Center Releases Report on Oversight of Michigan Charter Schools and Their Authorizers
- March 4: Levin Center and Lugar Center submit joint Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Support Congressional Subpoenas
- March 30: Senator Carl Levin’s Statement on the Passing of Former Senator Tom Coburn
- April 8: Senator Carl Levin’s op-ed in Bridge Magazine, “Will our Constitution’s system of checks and balances hold?“
- Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy’s Response to Oral Arguments before the D.C. Circuit in the McGahn Case
- Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy Cautions Michigan Legislature to Ensure that COVID-19 Oversight Committee Be Fully Bipartisan and Fact-Based
- April 16: McGahn Amicus Brief filed by Levin Center and Lugar Center
- April 16: Levin Center and Lugar Center submit joint Amicus Brief Urging D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to support Congressional Oversight
- April 30: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy receives $1 million grant from Hewlett Foundation
- May 1: Five Wayne Law Students Placed as Levin Center Legal Interns this summer to work on Congressional Oversight Committees
- May 8: Oversight Delayed is Accountability Denied: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy Urges SCOTUS to Reject Effort to Stay Release to Congress of Mueller Inquiry Grand Jury Materials
- May 28: Levin Center’s Director, Jim Townsend’s, op-ed in The Detroit News, “Improved legislative oversight needed to prevent future dam failure“
- June 30: Eleven Congressional Centers Urge Senate Intelligence Committee to Make Public Reports of Foreign Interference in 2020 Election – Read the Levin Center press release
- June 30: Levin Center Director Jim Townsend and Wayne State University Department of Political Science Professor Kristin Taylor’s op-ed in The Detroit Free Press, “Stopping another Edenville requires more than a panel of experts“
- July 19: Levin Center Director Jim Townsend and Washington Office Director Elise Bean’s submission in a Federalist Society Article I series on modernizing Congress, “Improving Congressional Oversight“
- Aug 5: Levin Center Washington Office Director Elise Bean and Lincoln Network Director of Cyber and National Security Dan Lip’s op-ed in The Hill, “Inspector General independence must be a bipartisan priority in 2020“
- Sept 23: Senator Carl Levin’s op-ed in the Washington Post, “Don’t fall for filibuster abolition. It’s a trap.“
- Oct 23: Levin Center Director, Jim Townsend, and Levin Center Washington Office Director, Elise Bean, published an essay as part of Just Security’s Good Governance Papers entitled “How to Strengthen Oversight by Congress“.
- Nov 18: The Levin Center issued its report entitled “State Legislative Oversight of Emergency Contracts Related to COVID-19: Three Case Studies” underlining the need for strong state oversight in COVID-19 contracting. Read the press release here.
- Dec 7: The Levin Center is delighted to announce that the winning paper for the 2020 Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research is Weaponizing the Office of Legal Counsel by Professor Emily Berman. For more details, please read our full announcement.
- Dec 8: Read the Detroit Legal News article on the 2020 Levin Center Award for Excellence in Oversight Research
2019
- March 1: Levin Center Provides Accountability Training to Foreign Governments
- March 8: Brookings Institute Recognizes Levin Center as Widely Respected Proponent of Fact-Based, Bipartisan Oversight
- March 15: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to Give Keynote Remarks at Levin Center Gerrymandering Symposium
- May 7: Senator Carl Levin Checks Trump’s Defiance of Congress in New York Times Op-Ed
- Levin Center Presents Careers in Government Panel for Wayne Law Students
- Sept 12: Careers in Corporate Government Relations Panel
- Nov 4: Jim Townsend Appointed First Full-Time Levin Center Director
2018
- Mar 4: 2018 Detroit Policy Conference: A Conversation with Carl Levin
- Mar 15: Wayne Law Review, Levin Center join forces for oversight symposium
- May 31: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy to honor Inspector General Act with June 13 symposium
- June 13: C-SPAN features Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy June 13 symposium on Inspectors General
- Aug 19: CNBC: “This exclusive ‘boot camp’ for congressional staffers is trying to make America bipartisan again”
- Aug 28: New book offers exclusive account of ground-breaking Levin investigations
- Nov 9: South Carolina Republican to Receive Inaugural Carl Levin Award for Effective Oversight
- Nov 12: Democrats Can’t Check the White House Alone. Neither Can Republicans
- Nov 16: Ex-Senator Urges a Return to Bipartisan Oversight
- Levin Center’s Elise Bean appears on bipartisan podcast “Bipodisan”
2017
- Jan 4: Wayne Law’s Elise Bean again named to international tax list
- Jan 10: Levin Center to present multinational corporate tax conference in D.C.
- Jan 12: Former members of Congress urge bipartisan oversight, cite constitutional duty
- Feb 8: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy hosts tax conference in DC
- Mar 10: Credibility of Congress’ Russia probes still in question
- Mar 16: The Right Way to Investigate Russia’s Election Meddling
- Mar 24: Devin Nunes has jeopardized the oversight role of Congress
- April 18: For the sake of American taxpayers, companies must pay their fair share
- May 31: Congress must press forward with its Russia investigation
- June 12: Levin Center hosts Scholars Roundtable on Congressional Oversight
- June 25: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy to present conference Tuesday in D.C. on offshore multinational corporate tax
- July 13: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy debuts online congressional oversight tutorials
- Aug 9: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy sends legal interns to U.S. Senate
- Aug 14: Robert Ackerman named director of Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
- Oct 26: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy to host immigration symposium Nov. 10
- Nov 7: MEDIA ADVISORY: Nov. 10 immigration symposium to convene top scholars at Wayne Law
- Nov 13: Bipartisan panel to analyze GOP tax plans Wednesday at Wayne Law
- Nov 22: Levin Center convenes national scholars for immigration symposium at Wayne Law
- Nov 28: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy announces new advisory board member
2016
- 11 Jan: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy provides oversight training in Ukraine
- 12 Jan: A Modest Proposal to Restore Bipartisanship to SOTU
- Jan 31: Anonymous Inc.
- Feb 2: Global Tax 50 2015: Elise Bean
- April 6: Mindful Lawyering: Wayne Law panel looks at the ‘Ethics of Knowing When to Say No’
- Former Sen. Carl Levin issues statement on John Glenn’s passing
- Experts speak at Wayne Law on election outcomes, policy impact
- Wayne Law to convene experts Nov. 15 to discuss election’s impact
- Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy hosts national drug control policy director
- Former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin responds to European Commission ruling on Apple
- Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy announces new advisory board member
- WSU awarded $200,000 grant to support Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
- Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy selects legal interns for U.S. Senate
- Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy plans legal ethics discussion April 4
- Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy co-director named to international list
- Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy provides oversight training in Ukraine
2015
- Mar 10: Wayne State University Launches the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy
- June 4: Carl Levin touts his Wayne State center for good governance
- June 17: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy announces bipartisan advisory board
- June 21: Local leader attends first Levin Center Advisory Board meeting
- Aug 18: Congressional Oversight Boot Camp trains staffers on investigations
- Sept 2: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy to present Oct. 20 conference in D.C. on congressional oversight
- Oct 14: Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy to present conference Tuesday in D.C. on congressional oversight
- Oct 20: 2 former US senators host conference on classified programs
- Nov 5: Church Committee demonstrated value of bipartisan oversight
