The “Escalatory Alan” Edition

<p>This week, Alan, Quinta, and Scott sat down with unofficial fourth co-host, <em>Lawfare</em> executive editor Natalie Orpett, to discuss the week’s big national security news, including:</p><ul><li>“That’s one, one disqualified elector. (Ah ah ah.)” Both the <a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HR-8873.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">House</a> and <a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/S4573-Manager-Amendment.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Senate</a> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/09/27/mcconnell-schumer-electoral-reform/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">finally seem ready</a> to reform the Electoral Count Act, the ambiguity-ridden statute that has (kind of) governed how Congress counts electoral votes since 1887. What threats to our elections process will these reforms fix? Which will they leave unaddressed?</li><li>“It’s No Longer A-Me, Mario.” Recent elections are set to replace Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi with none other than Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy movement. <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/italy-giorgia-meloni-warns-that-national-interests-will-come-first/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What does her victory mean</a> for democracy in Italy and across Europe?</li><li>“Narcnado.” The Treasury Department’s decision to <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0916" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sanction</a> Tornado Cash, an open source cryptocurrency tumbler, has privacy and technology advocates crying foul. Will the sanctions survive a coming legal challenge? Does it put First Amendment rights at risk?</li></ul><p>For object lessons, Alan confessed his love of Jon Hamm, particularly in the movie "<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12718300/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Confess, Fletch</a>." Quinta recommended journalist David Enrich's deep dive into the big law firm Jones Day,