“Trump’s unusual conflict: Millions in debts to German bank now facing federal fines”

September 30, 2016, 12:45 pmcampaigns, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

WonkBlog: Federal regulators are seeking a $14 billion fine from Deutsche Bank, Trump’s top lender, to settle claims that the bank issued toxic mortgages amid the housing crisis. German media have suggested the bank has sought a state bailout… Continue reading

“Bernie Sanders Scored Victories for Years via Legislative Side Doors”

March 14, 2016, 7:59 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

NYT: The immigration bill, opposed by House Republicans, never became law. But the jobs program amendment was classic Bernie Sanders, a self-described Democratic socialist who has spent a quarter-century in Congress working the side door, tacking on amendments… Continue reading

“Savior Through Severance: A Litigation-Based Response to Shelby County v. Holder”

June 1, 2014, 3:23 pmSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Cody Gray has posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review). Here is the abstract: On June 25, 2013, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Shelby County v. Holder, ruling that the coverage formula in… Continue reading

VRA Preclearance (A Response to Pildes/Tokaji, pt. 2)

August 19, 2013, 5:16 pmelection administration, redistricting, voter registration, Voting Rights ActJustin Levitt

(At Rick Hasen’s request, I’ve posted (with permission) two listserv responses to this post by Rick Pildes and Dan Tokaji. The first was from Mike Pitts. For this one, you can blame me. The version below is modified a… Continue reading

Could Justice Ginsburg Really Have Believed Congress Would Fix the VRA in 2009?

July 26, 2013, 9:16 amSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Josh Blackman poses the question on Twitter following my earlier post. And I think this piece in American Prospect by Heather Gerken from 2009 shows the answer is yes, though it was a longshot: Finally, it’s possible that the… Continue reading

“New Voting Rights Law Hinges on Some Less-Visible Republicans”

July 18, 2013, 8:42 ampolitical parties, political polarization, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

David Hawkins says it may be up to Reps. Sensenbrenner and Westmoreland in the House. Rep. Westmoreland and I were strange bedfellows during the 2006 reauthorization, when the conservative Republican lawmaker offered the pro-active bailout amendment I was pushing to… Continue reading

“Shelby County and the Illusion of Minimalism”

July 9, 2013, 9:34 amSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

I have posted this draft on SSRN, which I will be presenting at an APSA panel on “The Future of Voting Rights After the Shelby County Case.” Here is the abstract: Chief Justice Roberts’ majority opinion in Shelby County… Continue reading

Reactions to Shelby County: Morgan Kousser

June 26, 2013, 6:01 pmVoting Rights ActJustin Levitt

I’ve tried to make the case that the very process of bailout established a continuing connection between current conditions and the 2006 formula for section 4. Here, Morgan Kousser presents one of the alternative continuing connections, with detailed data showing… Continue reading

Reactions to Shelby County: still coming

June 25, 2013, 8:33 pmUncategorizedJustin Levitt

A few more voices from the academic side of the fence. I’ll continue to collect what I receive (and what I can find). David Schultz, The End of the Second Civil Rights Era and the Coming of the Second Great … Continue reading

“JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REACHES AGREEMENT WITH CALIFORNIA SPECIAL DISTRICT ON BAILOUT UNDER THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT”

June 20, 2013, 2:19 pmDepartment of Justice, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Press release about what could be the last section 5 bailout EVER: ______________________________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CRT THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 (202) 514-2007 WWW.JUSTICE.GOV TTY (866) 544-5309 JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REACHES AGREEMENT WITH CALIFORNIA SPECIAL DISTRICT ON BAILOUT UNDER… Continue reading

“Justice Anthony Kennedy and Shelby County”

June 4, 2013, 4:38 pmSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Gerry Hebert: As someone who has devoted the vast majority of my professional career enforcing the Voting Rights Act, the imminent decision in the Shelby County, Alabama case will be of great interest to me. My perspective is a… Continue reading

“More Bailouts of Covered Jurisdictions Moving Forward as Supreme Court Weighs Voting Rights Act”

April 27, 2013, 6:41 pmSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

CLC: “This week more jurisdictions moved forward with bailouts from the preclearance provisions of the Voting Rights Act as the Supreme Court weighs a challenge to the constitutionality of those provisions. Yesterday, a three-judge court in Washington, DC approved… Continue reading

New Hampshire Gets Voting Rights Bailout

March 2, 2013, 9:40 amSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Justin Levitt posts the order and notes its possible significance, As Ryan Reilly reported, a conservative group tried to block the bailout. Both sides are using the New Hampshire case to debate the fairness and necessity of continued section… Continue reading

“What the Voting Rights Act Argument Was Really About”

March 1, 2013, 9:05 amSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Bryan Tyson, who worked for Rep. Lynn Westmoreland during the 2006 VRA reauthorization, penned this oped. Rep. Westmoreland and I were strange bedfellows back in 2006, when he (a conservative Republican) pushed my proposal to have “proactive bailout” added… Continue reading