Category Archives: chicanery

“Court Lifts Confidentiality on Hofeller Files in Several Key States”

November 4, 2019, 1:46 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

Common Cause: Today Wake County Superior Court Judge Vince Rozier lifted a confidentiality designation on more than one hundred thousand documents created by the late Thomas Hofeller, the Republican operative responsible for many of the most controversial GOP gerrymanders of… Continue reading

Gates: RNC Had Advanced Notice of Wikileaks’ Release of Democrats’ Emails During 2016 Election

November 2, 2019, 3:13 pmcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

BuzzFeed: President Donald Trump’s team was “very happy” that Wikileaks released emails hacked from the Democratic party during the 2016 race, a former campaign official told investigators from the special counsel’s office.Rick Gates, who served as Trump’s deputy campaign chair,… Continue reading

“Threat to US elections in 2020 is not limited to Russia”

October 30, 2019, 12:56 pmcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

AP: Russia interfered in the 2016 election and may try to sway next year’s vote as well. But it’s not the only nation with an eye on U.S. politics.American officials sounding the alarm about foreign efforts to disrupt the 2020… Continue reading

“As Russia makes 2020 play, Democratic campaigns say they are in the dark, and experts fear U.S. elections are vulnerable”

October 28, 2019, 8:51 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

WaPo: Several Democratic presidential campaigns targeted by a Russia-based operation on Facebook’s popular Instagram app said they had been unaware of the new foreign disinformation efforts until the tech giant announced them publicly last week, raising alarms that American… Continue reading

“Justice Dept. Is Said to Open Criminal Inquiry Into Its Own Russia Investigation”

October 24, 2019, 10:19 pmchicanery, Department of JusticeRick Hasen

NYT: For more than two years, President Trump has repeatedly attacked the Russia investigation, portraying it as a hoax and illegal even months after the special counsel closed it. Now, Mr. Trump’s own Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation… Continue reading

Shah Zuberi, Los Angeles Financier Who Donated $900K to Trump Inaugural, Pleads Guilty to “making almost $1 million in illegal campaign contributions that included funneling money from foreign entities and individuals to influence U.S. elections.”

October 22, 2019, 1:55 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Daily Beast: A Los Angeles financier who donated $900,000 to President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee has admitted to falsifying records to hide his work as a foreign agent while he lobbied prominent U.S. government officials, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.Shah Zuberi,… Continue reading

“‘Get Over It’? Why Political Influence in Foreign Policy Matters”

October 21, 2019, 6:54 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT explainer.

“Public, election officials may be kept in the dark on hacks”

October 21, 2019, 6:44 amchicanery, election administrationRick Hasen

AP: If the FBI discovers that foreign hackers have infiltrated the networks of your county election office, you may not find out about it until after voting is over. And your governor and other state officials may be kept in… Continue reading

“Tulsi Gabbard Lashes Back at Hillary Clinton After Claim of Russian Influence”

October 19, 2019, 5:38 amchicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: Hillary Clinton waded into the Democratic primary on Friday by suggesting that Russia was backing Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii for president and that Republicans were “grooming” her as a third-party candidate.In response, Ms. Gabbard lashed out late… Continue reading

“The Pro-Trump Super PAC at the Center of the Ukraine Scandal Has Faced Multiple Campaign Finance Complaints”

October 19, 2019, 5:36 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

ProPublica: Last year, a Department of Defense contractor quietly donated half a million dollars to a group supporting President Donald Trump’s reelection.Once a watchdog organization noticed it, the contribution raised an alarm. Federal contractors are not allowed to donate to… Continue reading

“To Win Giuliani’s Help, Oligarch’s Allies Pursued Biden Dirt”

October 19, 2019, 5:26 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Bloomberg: Associates of a Ukrainian oligarch fighting extradition to the U.S. were working to dig up dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden last summer in an effort to get Rudy Giuliani’s help in the oligarch’s legal case, according… Continue reading

“Macabre Video of Fake Trump Shooting Media and Critics Is Shown at His Resort”

October 14, 2019, 8:13 amchicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: A video depicting a macabre scene of a fake President Trump shooting, stabbing and brutally assaulting members of the news media and his political opponents was shown at a conference for his supporters at his Miami resort last week,… Continue reading

SDNY Investigates Rudy Giuliani for FARA Violation Connected to Ukraine Shenanigans

October 11, 2019, 8:42 pmchicanery, lobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani broke lobbying laws in his dealings in Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the inquiry.The investigators are examining Mr. Giuliani’s efforts to undermine the… Continue reading