All posts by Rick Hasen

“A fund backed by Abu Dhabi . . . would be making a $2 billion business deal using the Trump firm’s digital coins.”

May 1, 2025, 1:39 pmbribery, chicanery, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

The corruption isn’t hidden; it’s right in front of our eyes: Sitting in front of a packed auditorium in Dubai, a founder of the Trump family cryptocurrency business made a brief but monumental announcement on Thursday. A fund backed by… Continue reading

“Elections expert says DOGE’s 57 potential voter registration fraud referrals are ‘a drop in the ocean'”

May 1, 2025, 1:23 pmfraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Ryan Reilly for NBC News: Election law expert Rick Hasen told NBC News on Thursday that the 57 referrals that DOGE reportedly made to the Justice Department involving resident aliens who were allegedly registered to vote are a “drop in… Continue reading

Bizarro Quote of the Day (Elon Musk Edition)

May 1, 2025, 11:20 amauthoritarian threats in US, chicaneryRick Hasen

“Doesn’t the absurdity of that seem, like, like, are we in a simulation here or what’s going on? But, like, it was a meme coin at one point . . . How did we get here?” —Elon Musk,… Continue reading

“With lawmakers’ help, Alaska political donation limits could come before 2026 election”

May 1, 2025, 11:13 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Alaska Beacon: Four years after a federal appeals court eliminated Alaska’s limits on political campaign contributions, the Alaska House of Representatives has taken a step toward reimposing them. On Monday, the House voted 22-18 to approve House Bill … Continue reading

“Coming Soon for CEOs, a MAGA-Infused Business Association”

May 1, 2025, 8:52 amlobbyingRick Hasen

WSJ: A new group out of Washington, D.C., aims to offer an alternative to longstanding executive networks like the Business Roundtable, but with a MAGA makeover. American Growth Partnership, founded by several former Republican campaign and congressional aides, will offer… Continue reading

“As of Today, the FEC Can’t Enforce Campaign Finance Laws — and That’s Only One of Its Problems”

May 1, 2025, 8:48 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Dan Weiner for the Brennan Center: Starting today, the bipartisan Federal Election Commission won’t be able to do its job. That’s because the independent agency, which oversees money in campaigns for federal office, will no longer have the minimum four… Continue reading

“Ex-Trump Official Targeted for Investigation Loses Global Entry Status”

May 1, 2025, 7:37 amauthoritarian threats in USRick Hasen

NYT: Chris Krebs, the former cybersecurity official in President Trump’s first term whom the president recently targeted for investigation because he had said that the 2020 election had been conducted securely, learned this week that his membership in a program… Continue reading

“Departure on FEC hobbles the election enforcement agency”

May 1, 2025, 7:31 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Politico: The Federal Election Commision, the agency responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws, is again without enough members to take official action after a Republican commissioner announced his departure on Wednesday. The agency is paralyzed without a quorum and cannot… Continue reading

“Trump wants voters to prove citizenship. Arizona tried that and bungled it.”

May 1, 2025, 7:26 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

WaPo: For 30 years, no one questioned Danny Dobosz’s citizenship when the lifelong Republican cast his ballot. So when a letter arrived from a local election official last month asking him to send back a copy of his birth… Continue reading

“Court of Appeals clears path for Republicans to take over NC Board of Elections. Stein to appeal”

April 30, 2025, 5:57 pmelection administration, election subversion riskRick Hasen

WRAL: Control over elections administration in North Carolina could flip from Democratic to Republican control within hours, following a decision late Wednesday from the state Court of Appeals. Elections decisions in North Carolina are made by political appointees, who make… Continue reading

“Grants tie Trump’s anti-DEI order to election security money”

April 30, 2025, 1:44 pmelection administration, Election Assistance CommissionRick Hasen

WaPo: Federal election officials are suggesting states must pledge to follow President Donald Trump’s directive curbing diversity, equity and inclusion programs as a condition for receiving $15 million in election security funding. The new requirement for the grants has sent… Continue reading

New Jersey: “Paterson council president indicted, allegedly destroyed ballots for other candidates”

April 30, 2025, 8:39 amchicaneryRick Hasen

Paterson Press: City Council President Alex Mendez faces a new indictment on voter fraud charges in a case that has dragged on for almost five years involving an all vote-by-mail election that took place at the beginning of the COVID… Continue reading

“Trump’s Maximalist Assertion of Presidential Power Tests the Rule of Law”

April 30, 2025, 8:21 amauthoritarian threats in USRick Hasen

Charlie Savage for the NYT: Nearly every president has pushed the bounds of executive power to try to achieve something specific. And a handful of presidents who took office during a true national crisis, like the Civil War or the… Continue reading

“The Battle for the Ballot in New Jersey”

April 30, 2025, 8:18 amballot accessRick Hasen

Gene Mazo has posted this draft at SSRN (Seton Hall Law Review). Here is the abstract: A scholarly literature has recently emerged to study, document, and measure the effects of New Jersey’s unique ballot bracketing system, colloquially known as the… Continue reading