Category Archives: legislation and legislatures

Michigan appeals court finds that proof of compliance with state campaign finance laws is an additional qualification for congressional candidates

June 9, 2022, 6:57 amlegislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

A dispute recently arose out of Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. Michael Griffie challenged Adam Hollier’s candidacy and alleged that Hollier filed “a faulty affidavit of identity attesting that he had no outstanding campaign finance issues.” From the Michigan Court of… Continue reading

“Texas GOP donors urge Congress to act on gun control measures”

June 5, 2022, 5:35 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislaturesDonors, governance, policy responsivenessTabatha Abu El-Haj

In a full-page ad in the Dallas Morning News, “Major Republican donors, including some who have contributed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaigns, joined other conservative Texans in signing an open letter supporting congressional action to increase gun restrictions in… Continue reading

Is the House GOP feeling the need to show voters the Party can govern?

June 1, 2022, 3:33 pmlegislation and legislaturesgovernance, Policy ReponsivenessTabatha Abu El-Haj

The Washington Post reports that “House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) plans to unveil a strategy Thursday outlining how Republicans would address climate change, energy and environmental issues if their party gains control of the House in the midterm elections.”… Continue reading

Uvalde, an unlikely opportunity for responsiveness to public sentiment

May 30, 2022, 5:05 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislaturespolicy responsivenessTabatha Abu El-Haj

Public support for gun control, including regulating access to assault-style weapons, is currently extraordinarily high. But will Congress act? It would take ten Republican Senators to break. The odds are not good. And if they did, federal legislation… Continue reading

Supreme Court Poised to Decide within Weeks Whether to Take Up Case Raising “Independent State Legislature” Theory–with Potential Big Implications for 2024 Elections

May 22, 2022, 2:22 pmlegislation and legislatures, redistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

The Supreme Court is poised to decide before it breaks for the summer whether to hear Moore v. Harper, a case raising the question whether the North Carolina Supreme Court had the power to rein in the North Carolina… Continue reading

Tom Daschle and Trent Lott Advocate for Reforms to the Electoral Count Act of 1887

May 17, 2022, 5:41 amelection subversion risk, legislation and legislaturesTabatha Abu El-Haj

Former Senate majority leaders Tom Daschle (D) and Trent Lott (R) have published an Op Ed in the WSJ endorsing the need for swift bi-partisan action to reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887 in advance of the next presidential… Continue reading

Secretary of State websites routinely list incorrect information about qualifications for federal office

May 16, 2022, 9:14 amlegislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

On the heels challenges to federal candidates’ qualifications in places like Tennessee and North Carolina, I took a look at how states describe the qualifications for federal office. The results were quite disheartening. Secretaries of State routinely present erroneous… Continue reading

The Parliamentarians advised Vice President Mike Pence on January 6–not the Parliamentarian

April 25, 2022, 2:04 pmlegislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

Back in 2021, I traced the language that Vice President Mike Pence used when introducing certificates for the counting of electoral votes on January 6 (into January 7). I quoted the language, as was recorded in the Congressional Record: Hearing… Continue reading

Some Article I questions arising out of the federal court’s opinion in Greene v. Raffensperger

April 19, 2022, 3:49 amlegislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

Rick linked to the coverage of the federal district court’s decision in Greene v. Raffensperger, which allows an state administrative hearing over Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s qualifications to proceed. I have been critical of these efforts for states to… Continue reading

“As Earmarks Return to Congress, Lawmakers Rush to Steer Money Home; Democrats and Republicans alike stuffed nearly 5,000 earmarks totaling $9 billion into the $1.5 trillion government spending bill signed by President Biden.”

April 1, 2022, 7:50 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

NYT: Often derided as pork and regarded as an unseemly and even corrupt practice on Capitol Hill, earmarks are also a tool of consensus-building in Congress, giving lawmakers across the political spectrum a personal interest in cutting deals to… Continue reading

“GOP Congressman Jeff Fortenberry Found Guilty in Campaign Finance Case”

March 25, 2022, 6:43 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

Deanna Paul in the Wall Street Journal: A federal jury in Los Angeles on Thursday found Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry guilty of lying to federal investigators in a bid to conceal illegal campaign contributions he received during a 2016… Continue reading

White House Report of the Interagency Steering Group on Native American Voting Rights

March 24, 2022, 6:38 amlegislation and legislatures, Voting Rights ActDerek Muller

PDF here. From the White House Fact Sheet: Since their first days in office, President Biden and Vice President Harris have prioritized strengthening our democracy and taken steps to protect voters from the current efforts to suppress the… Continue reading

“Michigan lawmakers use maneuver to delay Benson’s new absentee signature rules”

March 23, 2022, 4:56 amabsentee ballots, legislation and legislaturesDerek Muller

Beth LeBlanc in the Detroit News: Michigan Republican lawmakers used a rule-making maneuver Tuesday to delay the adoption of rules that would govern signature verification and online applications for absentee ballots. The six GOP members of the Joint Committee… Continue reading

“California Legislature upended by new political maps”

March 22, 2022, 5:23 pmlegislation and legislatures, redistrictingDerek Muller

Associated Press: “New political maps have upended the California Legislature this year by prodding more than two-dozen state lawmakers into early retirement or career changes, while others are forced into unfamiliar new districts ahead of the November election.”