All posts by Rick Hasen

“Elon Musk donated $288 million in 2024 election, final tally shows”

February 1, 2025, 7:19 amcampaign finance, Plutocrats UnitedRick Hasen

WaPo: Billionaire Elon Musk spent at least $288 million to help elect President Donald Trump and other Republican candidates, according to a Washington Post analysis of new Federal Election Commission filings that offered an end-of-year snapshotof what was spent during… Continue reading

“Campaign Cash Clash” (Interview with me on Marist’s polling podcast)

January 31, 2025, 7:42 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

I spoke with the Marist polling folks for their podcast on campaign finance and the 2024 elections. Listen.

“D.C. U.S. attorney fires Jan. 6 prosecutors, launches new probes”

January 31, 2025, 7:38 pmauthoritarian threats in US, Department of JusticeRick Hasen

WaPo: Interim D.C. U.S. attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., on Friday dismissed about 30 federal prosecutors who have worked on Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot cases over the past four years, undertaking a housecleaning of the top prosecutor’s office… Continue reading

“How Trump Could Defy the Constitution — or Find a Loophole — and Seize a Third Term”

January 31, 2025, 7:43 amauthoritarian threats in US, election subversion riskRick Hasen

Politico: But it can’t happen, right? After all, the Constitution imposes an explicit two-term limit on the presidency — even if those two terms, like Trump’s, are non-consecutive. “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more… Continue reading

“Musk Lawyer Tries to Build a Powerhouse Firm With a Billionaire Client”

January 31, 2025, 7:41 amelection law bizRick Hasen

NYT: Several top Republican lawyers are joining forces with the lawyer for the billionaire Elon Musk in hopes of building a new conservative legal powerhouse. Chris Gober, a swaggering Texas-based lawyer who has represented Mr. Musk in high-profile political fights… Continue reading

“Paramount in Settlement Talks With Trump Over ’60 Minutes’ Lawsuit” (Political Wire: Trump’s Lawsuit Settlements Look a Lot Like Bribery)

January 31, 2025, 7:30 ambribery, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: When Donald J. Trump sued CBS for $10 billion days before the 2024 election, accusing the company of deceptively editing a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, many legal experts dismissed the litigation as a far-fetched attempt… Continue reading

“Census Bureau Director Robert Santos is resigning, making way for Trump’s pick”

January 31, 2025, 7:24 amcensus litigationRick Hasen

Hansi Lo Wang for NPR: The director of the U.S. Census Bureau, Robert Santos, announced Thursday he is resigning, giving President Trump an early opportunity to nominate a new political appointee to lead the agency. Arturo Vargas, chair of the… Continue reading

Watch Archived Video of Safeguarding Democracy Project Conversation with Amy Gardner, Pam Karlan, and Stephen Richer on What To Expect with Voting and Elections over the Next Four Years

January 30, 2025, 4:49 pmchicanery, election administration, election subversion risk, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

I learned a ton from this excellent discussion. Watch:

California Appeals Court Publishes Opinion Rejecting Argument That the Elections Code Allows Election Observers to “Breath[e] Down the Necks of the Election Workers”

January 30, 2025, 4:44 pmelection administration, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

A California Court of Appeal issued this opinion a few weeks back, but did not deem it suitable for publication. I filed a request for publication, as did the defendant Ventura County election officials and the California State Association of… Continue reading

“Internal Emails Offer Glimpse Into Early Days of Trump Election Inquiry”

January 30, 2025, 12:36 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: A series of internal F.B.I. emails released on Thursday showed that agents and officials followed standard procedure nearly three years ago when they opened the historic criminal investigation into Donald J. Trump’s attempts to stay in power after he… Continue reading

“Scorched-earth Shanahan: RFK Jr’s former running mate threatens political war against confirmation opponents”

January 30, 2025, 12:25 pmPlutocrats UnitedRick Hasen

Fox News: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s former presidential running mate Nicole Shanahan called out various senators by name, warning that she will fund primary challenges against them if they oppose confirming Kennedy to serve as secretary of Health and… Continue reading

“Virginia Democrats Advance a Measure to End Lifetime Voting Ban. Now It Gets Complicated.”

January 30, 2025, 11:59 amfelon votingRick Hasen

The latest at Bolts.

“Job satisfaction among election administrators continues to sink, survey shows”

January 30, 2025, 11:58 amelection administrationRick Hasen

Jessica Huseman for Votebeat: The vast majority of America’s local election administrators would not encourage their children to do the same job, and a shrinking share of them say they would be proud to tell others about their work. The… Continue reading

“Trump Kicks Congress to the Curb, With Little Protest From Republicans”

January 30, 2025, 7:08 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Carl Hulse for the NYT: Congress passed a law shutting down TikTok, and President Trump flouted it. Congress required advance notification for firing inspectors general, and the Trump administration ignored it. Congress approved trillions of dollars in spending on a… Continue reading