Category Archives: chicanery

NC: “Lawmakers will return to write constitutional amendment ballot descriptions”

July 23, 2018, 12:47 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

News & Observer: The state legislature will return to Raleigh on Tuesday to write short introductions to six constitutional amendments after a high-ranking House Republican voiced suspicions about a special three-member commission responsible for writing them. The legislature “must prevent… Continue reading

“RNC Spokesperson: Democrats Want ‘a Few Hundred Thousand Russians’ to Vote in U.S. Elections”

July 22, 2018, 11:54 amchicaneryRick Hasen

Newsweek: A Republican National Committee spokesperson was shut down during a Fox News segment on Saturday after suggesting that Democrats want “hundreds of thousands of Russians” to come to the United States and vote in elections.

“Tabloid Company, Aiding Trump Campaign, May Have Crossed Line Into Politics”

July 21, 2018, 1:26 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: Federal authorities examining the work President Trump’s former lawyer did to squelch embarrassing stories before the 2016 election have come to believe that an important ally in that effort, the tabloid company American Media Inc., at times acted more… Continue reading

“Ethics complaints target eight write-in candidates as bogus, including two in Tampa”

July 21, 2018, 1:13 pmcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Tampa Bay Times: If only members of one party are running in an election, so the primary will decide the race, the primary is open to all voters. But if any other candidate files, including a write-in, the primary is… Continue reading

“Michael Cohen Taped Conversation With Trump About Buying Rights to Playmate’s Story”

July 20, 2018, 2:35 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

WSJ: MIchael Cohen taped a conversation in person with Donald Trump in which the two men discussed buying the rights to a former Playboy Playmate’s story that she had an affair with Mr. Trump more than a decade ago, according… Continue reading

“Russian firm indicted in special counsel probe cites Kavanaugh decision to argue that charge should be dismissed”

July 20, 2018, 2:20 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Bob Barnes in WaPo: A Russian company accused by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III of being part of an online operation to disrupt the 2016 presidential campaign is leaning in part on a decision by Supreme Court nominee Brett… Continue reading

“Was Georgia’s Election System Hacked in 2016? Robert Mueller’s latest indictments raise new questions about the integrity of Georgia’s voting infrastructure. Why is the state stonewalling?”

July 18, 2018, 9:10 amchicanery, election administration, voting technologyRick Hasen

Kim Zetter for Politico.

“NSA and Cyber Command to coordinate actions to counter Russian election interference in 2018 amid absence of White House guidance”

July 17, 2018, 12:40 pmcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

WaPo: The head of the nation’s largest electronic spy agency and the military’s cyberwarfare arm has quietly directed the two organizations to coordinate actions to counter potential Russian interference in the 2018 midterm elections. The move, announced to staff at… Continue reading

“Candidate arrested for posting ‘revenge porn’ of his wife on campaign website, police say”

July 17, 2018, 8:03 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

WaPo reports.

“Indicted Russian firm says it was backing free political speech, not disrupting 2016 election”

July 17, 2018, 7:45 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

WaPo: A Russian company accused of bankrolling a massive online operation to disrupt the 2016 presidential election argued Monday that it had broken no federal laws, that it was merely supporting free political speech and that the fraud charge against… Continue reading

“Mariia Butina, Who Sought ‘Back Channel’ Meeting for Trump and Putin, Is Charged as Russian Agent”

July 17, 2018, 7:40 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: Russian woman who tried to broker a secret meeting between Donald J. Trump and the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, during the 2016 presidential campaign was charged Monday and accused of working with Americans to carry out a secret… Continue reading

“FBI Official Overseeing Election-Meddling Task Force Has Left”

July 16, 2018, 8:52 amchicanery, election administrationRick Hasen

WSJ: A senior FBI official overseeing a government task force that addresses Russian attempts to meddle in U.S. elections has left the government for a job in the private sector, a departure that comes just months ahead of the 2018… Continue reading

Back to You Rick

July 16, 2018, 8:43 amchicaneryDan Tokaji

I very much appreciate Rick allowing me to guest-blog this past week during his well-deserved vacation. Subbing for him is an honor, and I’m invevitably reminded of all the work that he devotes to keeping all of us aware and… Continue reading

Mueller Indictment Reveals Election Security Vulnerabilities

July 15, 2018, 7:36 amchicanery, voter registrationDan Tokaji

Politico: “Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said Friday that hackers within Russia’s GRU military intelligence service targeted state and local election boards, infiltrated a Florida-based company that supplies software for voting machines across the country, and broke into a state… Continue reading

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