“Mini Madoff” gets 18 months for fake Super PAC (and credit card fraud)
Christopher Richardson was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty in March in the Americans for Progressive Action affair.
Sentences for campaign finance fraud charges seem to be of interest lately.
Credulous coverage of probable vaporware
The AP’s lede:
The Republican National Committee on Friday launched a swing state initiative to mobilize thousands of polling place monitors, poll workers and attorneys to serve as “election integrity” watchdogs in November — an effort that immediately drew… Continue reading
“En Banc Court Hears First Amendment Challenge to Campaign Finance Restriction”
Trane Robinson reviews arguments in the Sixth Circuit’s National Republican Senatorial Committee v. FEC case, about limits on political party expenditures coordinated with particular candidates. It’s an issue that’s been in the deregulatory community’s sights for a while now, and… Continue reading
“Changes sought in Florida felon voting process”
Unfortunately, even the changes contemplated are small – modifications in how individuals with convictions can apply for an advisory opinion on whether they’ve managed to figure out how much they owe the state in fines and fees.
This Year’s Clearies
Federal News Network has a feature on the EAC’s Clearinghouse awards from this past year, for innovation and best practices in election administration.
It’s important to lift up successes and best practices – and there’s an impressive diversity of… Continue reading
Structural Reform of U.S. Elections: The Choice Between Instant Runoff (Hare) and Convergence (Condorcet) Voting [updated]
The Election Law team at Ohio State University is hosting a thought-provoking webinar on Wednesday, June 26, from 3-4 pm to discuss the possibilities of Structural Reform of U.S. Elections, with a focus on the nuanced differences two different electoral methods:… Continue reading
“The Stanford Internet Observatory is being dismantled”
Stanford disputes the characterization, but if this report is true, that’s a disturbing and unfortunate loss to the study of online communications ecosystems.
UPDATE: Looks like there’s at least a radical downsizing. WaPo with more.
Citing First Amendment, Michigan Supreme Court narrows construction of voter intimidation statute after 2020 robocall prosecution
People v. Burkman and People v. Wohl, decided yesterday by the Michigan Supreme Court, a 5-2 decision. The majority narrowed construction of the statute and remanded for further consideration. The dissenting opinions, which concurred in part, would have held… Continue reading
“Georgia requires police training on election intimidation and interference”
The AJC says that this makes Georgia the first state in the country to train police in protections against election threats as part of the basic statewide training.
Police response to alleged incidents of interference has to be reeeeeeeeeeeeally carefully… Continue reading
“Arizona lawmakers agree to let voters decide on retention rules for state Supreme Court justices”
The ballot initiative – in the wake of controversy over the state Supreme Court ruling on abortion, affecting two Justices currently on the ballot in November — would apparently end terms for state justices and judges entirely.
“Attorney charged in voting machine tampering case announces run for Michigan Supreme Court”
Welp.
“Harlan Crow Provided Clarence Thomas at Least 3 Previously Undisclosed Private Jet Trips, Senate Probe Finds”
These flights were revealed by the Senate Judiciary Committee based on disclosure by Crow, not Justice Thomas.
Justice Thomas has maintained (including in response to the latest) that he was told that these flights fall under an exception in… Continue reading
“Top Wisconsin lawmaker has new plan to find non-citizens on voter rolls”
Sigh. The new plan is an old plan: compare DMV information to the rolls, but without any apparent plan to ensure the rigor of the matching protocol or to assess whether people who were noncitizens when they got their… Continue reading