Category Archives: Supreme Court

Breaking: Federal Court Strikes Down Key Montana Contribution Limits, Setting Up Quick 9th Circuit Battle and Potential SCOTUS Deadlock

May 17, 2016, 12:52 pmcampaign finance, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Senior federal district court judge Charles Lovell has issued this 30 page opinion granting summary judgment to plaintiffs challenging key provisions of Montana’s campaign finance law, including individual and committee contributions to candidates for governor and state offices. This case… Continue reading

“Beyond Severability”

May 17, 2016, 9:43 amstatutory interpretation, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I just had a chance to read Lisa Manheim’s excellent article, forthcoming in the Iowa Law Review. Here is the abstract: Severability is a wrecking ball. Even the most cautious use of this doctrine demolishes statutes in contravention of… Continue reading

“Justice Sotomayor on Signaling in the Contraception Cases”

May 17, 2016, 8:21 amSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Must-read Richard Re.

“Don’t make a federal case out of it”

May 17, 2016, 7:18 ambribery, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Wendy Kaminer on Gov. McDonnell case.

“Courts may play pivotal role on voting rights in 2016 election”

May 16, 2016, 8:04 amelection administration, Supreme Court, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Richard Wolf in USA Today: The Supreme Court decided a presidential election 16 years ago based on how votes were counted. This year, a shorthanded court seeking to avoid the limelight may help decide who can vote in the… Continue reading

“Are Plutocrats Really Uniting?”

May 15, 2016, 9:15 pmcampaign finance, Plutocrats United, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Paul Jossey: The anti-First Amendment Campaign Legal Center recently hosted noted election-law professor Rick Hasen to discuss his book ‘Plutocrats United.’ Hasen presented the book’s reform themes of undue donor influence, corruption, and political inequality. And although… Continue reading

Justice Stevens Reflects on Indiana Voting Case, Calls It “Unfortunate”

May 15, 2016, 9:10 pmelection administration, Supreme Court, The Voting Wars, voter idRick Hasen

Watch him at the 7th Circuit judicial conference with Justice Kagan and Judge Wood. He says that he decided the case correctly on the record, but based on his own internet research on material outside the record he believed the… Continue reading

“With Bob McDonnell Appeal, SCOTUS Can Clarify Line Between Politics and Crime”

May 13, 2016, 7:41 amcampaign finance, chicanery, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I have written this oped for the National Law Journal. It begins: You don’t have to be a lover of the U.S. Supreme Court’s noxious Citizens United v. FEC case to be troubled by the corruption prosecution of Virginia governor… Continue reading

“Denied Pro Bono Help, Wisconsin Prosecutors Appeal Campaign Finance Ruling”

May 13, 2016, 7:06 amcampaign finance, judicial elections, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Marcia Coyle: he U.S. Supreme Court petition was extraordinary—so heavily redacted that even parts of the question presented to the justices could not be read. Still, in an election year in which money is flowing like Niagara Falls, the petition… Continue reading

“Blaming the Chief Justice”

May 12, 2016, 7:04 amSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Fascinating Linda Greenhouse in the NYT: Do you hold Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. responsible for the ascendancy of Donald Trump? The thought never crossed your mind? Then you probably haven’t been reading the conservative blogosphere, where Chief Justice… Continue reading

“Down a justice, John Roberts looks to find compromise, avoid 4-4 ties”

May 11, 2016, 9:15 pmSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Ariane de Vogue writes for CNN.

“FEC Seeks to Derail Soft-Money Challenge”

May 9, 2016, 5:14 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, political parties, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: The Federal Election Commission is seeking to derail a challenge to limits on “soft-money” contributions to political parties before the case is put on a fast track to the Supreme Court (Republican Party of La. v. Federal … Continue reading

“GOP rallies around court blockade; Republicans are crushing the Democrats in the spending battle over Garland — and it’s only going to get more expensive”

May 9, 2016, 7:22 amSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Politico reports.

“The Supreme Court’s Next Big Fight Over Money in Politics: Will the justices gut the rest of McCain-Feingold — and make it easier for wealthy donors to influence elections?”

May 8, 2016, 8:02 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I have written this piece for The Atlantic. It begins: At some point next year, the U.S. Supreme Court is likely to face a major First Amendment question: whether to overturn what remains of the 2002 McCain-Feingold Act. This measure… Continue reading