“American democracy is cracking. These forces help explain why.”

August 18, 2023, 5:01 amUncategorizeddemocratic responsiveness, political partiesNed Foley

Must-read major analysis by Dan Balz and Clare Ence Morse in the Washington Post, in what promises to be “the first in a series of reports examining what is fueling the visceral feeling many Americans have that their government… Continue reading

“Mark Meadows Is Everywhere and Nowhere”

August 18, 2023, 4:35 amUncategorizedJanuary 6, The Big LieNed Foley

N.Y. Times opinion essay by Katherine Miller. This is an interesting summary of Meadow’s relevance to some key issues. From my perspective, I would add that Meadow’s testimony would be especially relevant to any adjudication that might occur of Trump’s… Continue reading

“The 6 Kinds of Republican Voters”

August 18, 2023, 4:12 amUncategorizedpolitical partiesNed Foley

Fascinating Nate Cohen analysis in the N.Y. Times. “The results [of a recent poll] depict a Republican coalition that consists of six groups: The Moderate Establishment (14%). Highly educated, affluent, socially moderate or even liberal and often outright Never Trump. The… Continue reading

“FBI arrests Las Vegas telemarketer in wire fraud case during raid”

August 17, 2023, 4:42 pmUncategorizedcampaign finance fraudNed Foley

Las Vegas Journal-Review. “An FBI raid resulted in the arrest of a Las Vegas telemarketer on Thursday after his indictment in New York on wire fraud charges. “Richard Zeitlin was removed from his multimillion-dollar home in the northwest… Continue reading

The Smerconish Podcast on Procedural Issues Relating to Section 3 of Fourteenth Amendment

August 17, 2023, 12:56 pmUncategorizedSection 3Ned Foley

I was on today’s episode of the show to discuss this topic. It was a good discussion, I think, that emphasized the need to settle this issue before next year’s election, rather than have Congress potentially consider it in its… Continue reading

“Trump supporters post names and addresses of Georgia grand jurors online”

August 17, 2023, 12:49 pmUncategorizedJanuary 6, The Big LieNed Foley

NBC News. “The purported names and addresses of members of the grand jury that indicted Donald Trump and 18 of his co-defendants on state racketeering charges this week have been posted on a fringe website that often features violent rhetoric,… Continue reading

Democratic Group Plans $10 Million Push to Protect Election Officials

August 17, 2023, 11:29 amUncategorizedelection administrationNed Foley

Nick Corasaniti in the N.Y. Times. “A group that works to elect Democrats as the top election officials in states around the country is planning a $10 million venture to pay for private security for election officials of both parties,… Continue reading

“Inside the right’s effort to build a voter fraud hunting tool”

August 17, 2023, 10:05 amUncategorizedelection administration, voter registrationNed Foley

Jane Timm reports this important story for NBC News. “Activists are currently testing a computer program called EagleAI NETwork, a database loaded with voter rolls and other records that promises to quickly churn through the data and find registrations… Continue reading

“Fight over felons’ voting rights heats up for 2024”

August 17, 2023, 9:38 amUncategorizedfelon disenfranchisementNed Foley

Axios. “Democrats in Congress have begun an uphill push for a national standard on restoring felons’ voting rights. … “‘Their plan wouldn’t let the people of Kentucky or our elected representatives in Frankfort make this important decision,'” Senate Minority… Continue reading

“Texas Woman Charged With Threatening to Kill Judge in Trump Election Case”

August 17, 2023, 9:27 amUncategorizedJanuary 6, The Big LieNed Foley

N.Y. Times. I think this extremely disturbing story qualifies as election law news given that the case concerns election law. Also, it relates to the concerns about the possibility of violence, or threats of violence, surrounding the 2024 election–and the… Continue reading

“North Carolina Republicans finalize passage of an elections bill that could withstand a veto”

August 17, 2023, 9:19 amUncategorizedelection administrationNed Foley

NBC News. “The Republican-controlled North Carolina legislature finalized a far-reaching elections bill late Wednesday that would end a grace period for counting mailed absentee ballots, toughen same-day registration rules and empower partisan observers at polling places. … “The bill… Continue reading

“DeSantis Allies Reveal Debate Strategy”

August 17, 2023, 9:12 amUncategorizedCampaign financeNed Foley

N.Y. Times. Is there a campaign finance law angle here, given coordination rules? From the article: “The New York Times was alerted to the existence of the documents by a person not connected to the DeSantis campaign or the… Continue reading

“Request for Information: Understanding and Examining the Political Activities of Tax- Exempt Organizations under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code”

August 17, 2023, 9:06 amUncategorizedCampaign financeNed Foley

From the House Ways and Means Committee: press release and letter.

“Trump triggers the politics of emergency”

August 17, 2023, 7:50 amUncategorizedJanuary 6Ned Foley

Important Jason Willick column in the Washington Post on the perilous nature of disqualification politics: “Baude and Paulsen concede that their sweeping constitutional vision of disqualification-for-disloyalty could “perhaps” be “a little dangerous” for ‘First Amendment liberties of speech, press,… Continue reading