Category Archives: legislation and legislatures

“Either/Or: Professors Zephyr Rain Teachout and Akhil Reed Amar – Contradictions and Reconciliation”

January 17, 2012, 1:11 pmlegislation and legislatures, statutory interpretationRick Hasen

Seth Barrett Tillman has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: The Foreign Emoluments Clauseis a constitutional backwater. So much so, that there is no substantial discussion of this clause in any federal adjudication (although the Office of… Continue reading

Cert. Denied in Renzi Case Raising Speech or Debate Clause Issue

January 17, 2012, 7:37 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

AP reports. This is a surprise. I and other observers had predicted a cert. grant. There were no noted dissents.

“Donors Gave as Santorum Won Earmarks”

January 16, 2012, 9:55 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

The NY Times offers this front-page report.

Mitt Romney’s K Street Army

January 9, 2012, 12:25 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Must-read Tom Edsall column at NYT’s “Campaign Stops.”

“The Biggest Danger of SuperPACs”

January 9, 2012, 8:16 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

My new oped for CNN concludes: The main reason the Supreme Court has rejected challenges to campaign contribution limits (currently set at $2,500 per election to federal candidates) is that large contributions can create the actuality and appearance of… Continue reading

“Debate Over Appointees Hinges On One Word: Recess”

January 8, 2012, 8:02 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Carrie Johnson reports for NPR. See also this NYT report.

“Obama and the Definition of ‘Recess'”

January 2, 2012, 5:27 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

Wondering what happened to those threatened recess appointments? Read this.

“Sen. Nelson could get $1M from K Street”

January 1, 2012, 11:46 amconflict of interest laws, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

The Hill reports.

“Lawmakers claim Gingrich lobbied them”

December 28, 2011, 2:15 pmlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

This item appears at The Hill’s “Floor Action” blog.

“Economic Downturn Took a Detour at Capitol Hill”

December 27, 2011, 10:49 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

The New York Times offers this report: “Largely insulated from the country’s economic downturn since 2008, members of Congress — many of them among the “1 percenters” denounced by Occupy Wall Street protesters — have gotten much richer even… Continue reading

Will President Obama Make A Recess Appointment of Cordray (and Others?) After All?

December 19, 2011, 1:55 pmlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

It may happen. Maybe some judges in there too? So what’s the downside for President Obama? More partisan divide in the Senate?

“Institute defends challenge to public employees’ right to serve in Legislature”

December 15, 2011, 10:20 amconflict of interest laws, ethics investigations, legislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

News from Nevada.

“Putting Political Reform Right Into the Pockets of the Nation’s Voters”

December 15, 2011, 8:51 amcampaign finance, legislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Tom Edsall reviews Larry Lessig’s new book for the NY Times.

“Sense and Severability”

December 14, 2011, 7:23 amlegislation and legislatures, statutory interpretationRick Hasen

Toby Dorsey has posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, University of Richmond Law Review: When the Supreme Court holds that part of an act is unconstitutional and must be stricken, what does it do with the rest? In almost every… Continue reading