All posts by Justin Levitt

More back-and-forth on ALEC’s role

July 20, 2011, 3:09 pmcampaign finance, lobbying, tax law and election lawJustin Levitt

The National Institute on Money in State Politics has a new report out today: Beyond Dinner and a Movie: ALEC Actively Courts State Lawmakers. And Sean Parnell draws parallels between ALEC and the Progressive States Network.

“ACLU sues secretary of state over voter investigation”

July 20, 2011, 2:21 pmfraudulent fraud squadJustin Levitt

The fight to take a look at the evidence of alleged potential fraud in New Mexico heats up another notch.

Illinois state redistricting plan lands in court

July 20, 2011, 2:13 pmredistrictingJustin Levitt

And now Illinois joins Alaska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Texas as states with court challenges to final state legislative plans. More here and here.

Latest public redistricting contest gets underway

July 20, 2011, 1:31 pmredistrictingJustin Levitt

This citizens’ contest in Ohio follows on the heels of public redistricting competitions in several other states, including Arizona, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Virginia. Ohio had a test run of the idea in 2009, which I… Continue reading

“Republican Presidential Candidates Keep Top Fundraisers Secret, Breaking With Precedent”

July 20, 2011, 12:25 pmcampaign financeJustin Levitt

The Note reports.

Corporate election expenditures linked to ownership structure

July 20, 2011, 12:24 pmcampaign financeJustin Levitt

An intriguing topline from a new paper by Susan Clark Muntean: This paper proposes a theory of political action based upon ownership structure and tests this theory utilizing data on independent expenditures during the campaign finance regulatory regime consisting of… Continue reading

“Angering their own party, Rhode Island Democrats approve voter ID”

July 20, 2011, 12:21 pmvoter idJustin Levitt

Stateline reports. One particularly unfortunate aspect of the report: like others, it apparently gives credence to the argument that you can assess the impact of an ID law on minorities in places like Indiana and Georgia by looking at turnout… Continue reading

“More questions about Vince Gray’s mayoral campaign”

July 20, 2011, 12:20 pmcampaign financeJustin Levitt

The Washington Post on Gray’s campaign finance irregularities. Update: The Washington Examiner adds more.

“Elections as a Distinct Sphere Under the First Amendment”

July 20, 2011, 12:20 pmtheoryJustin Levitt

Rick Pildes, with a new piece on elections exceptionalism. From the abstract: This essay asserts that the strongest legal arguments for justifying regulations of election financing, such as electioneering paid for out of a corporation’s or union’s general treasury funds,… Continue reading

Summary judgment in CIF v. Tennant: three intriguing rulings

July 20, 2011, 12:17 pmcampaign financeJustin Levitt

This case is a challenge to West Virginia’s campaign finance laws — mostly disclosure requirements — that has been up to the Fourth Circuit and back, with a few changes to state and federal law in the interim. On Monday,… Continue reading

Quid for the quo

July 20, 2011, 12:13 pmcampaign finance, lobbying, vote buyingJustin Levitt

Evidence of campaign contributions for votes on a gambling bill in Alabama.

More on the c4 denials of party-related nonprofits

July 20, 2011, 12:12 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawJustin Levitt

The Times has more on this story, including a connection to similar action in 2003.

“Campaign cash flying from Northeast Florida”

July 20, 2011, 12:12 pmcampaign finance, redistrictingJustin Levitt

An interesting look at one impact of redistricting on campaign finance.

“FEC Fines Former Rep. Grayson, Campaign Over Invitation Asking for Corporate Money”

July 19, 2011, 8:44 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionJustin Levitt

BNA (subscription required) has the details. Spoiler alert: Rep. Grayson’s name was on a fundraising invite for a state candidate, asking for contributions from an “individual, corporation, PAC, or trust.” Grayson contends that a staffer approved his participation without… Continue reading