Justice in Fearful Times: Law and the Red Scares in Washington State

Originally Recorded 5/13/26 This program brings together leading legal and historical voices to examine how fear and political pressure shaped the American justice system during periods of global conflict. Judge Robert Lasnik and Judge William Downing offer perspectives from the bench on civil liberties under strain, while historians Jennifer Ott of HistoryLink and Julian Pritchard of the Museum of History and Industry provide historical context on the Red Scares and their lasting impact. Together, they explore how law, fear, and democracy intersected in times of crisis and what those lessons mean today. This event was co-sponsored by the M3-FBA, NJCHS, and Protect Our Judges.