The Resilience of Democratic Institutions: A Conversation With Timothy Heaphy
Timothy J. Heaphy, Elaina Plott Calabro (Moderator)
Public trust in government institutions and faith in democracy itself have eroded over six decades. Why has this happened, and what can we do about it? Legal expert and author Timothy J. Heaphy draws on his unique role as the lead investigator for two pivotal events: the 2017 racist and antisemitic riot in Charlottesville and the January 6, 2021, insurrection. He explores what these moments reveal about the declining trust in institutions and, more broadly, the state of American democracy.
Heaphy joins moderator Elaina Plott Calabro, acclaimed journalist and staff writer at The Atlantic, to discuss his new book, Harbingers: What January 6 and Charlottesville Reveal About Rising Threats to American Democracy. Together, they explore the challenges and lessons learned from these pivotal events, as well as the implications for the resilience of democratic institutions.
This event is hosted by the Karsh Institute of Democracy in partnership with the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, the Karsh Center for Law and Democracy, Public Service Pathways, and the Virginia Festival of the Book.
Speakers
Timothy J. Heaphy
Former Chief Investigative Counsel, House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol
Timothy J. Heaphy
Former Chief Investigative Counsel, House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol
Timothy J. Heaphy was chief investigative counsel of the House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. He also oversaw the independent investigation into the August 12, 2017, riot in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is currently a partner at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher LLP and previously served as the Barack Obama–appointed U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia. He lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, with his family.
Elaina Plott Calabro (Moderator)
Staff Writer, The Atlantic
Elaina Plott Calabro (Moderator)
Staff Writer, The Atlantic
Elaina Plott Calabro is a staff writer at The Atlantic. Previously, she covered politics and the 2020 election for The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine. She is currently at work on a book about the relationship between former Alabama Governor George Wallace and Frank Johnson, the federal judge who regularly upended Wallace’s segregationist agenda. She was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.