Category Archives: campaigns

“Prominent Democratic law firm pays questionable ‘bonuses’ to partners for campaign contributions”

October 29, 2016, 5:40 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Boston Globe/Center for Responsive Politics: From 2010 through 2014, Strouss and Bradley, along with founding partner Michael Thornton and his wife, donated nearly $1.6 million to Democratic Party fund-raising committees and a parade of politicians — from Senate minority… Continue reading

Breaking: Divided 6th Circuit Restores Michigan Ban on Ballot Selfies for this Election

October 28, 2016, 3:22 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

A majority opinion (by Judge Sutton), a concurrence, and a dissent. Judge Sutton’s main point is that this comes too late in the election season for Michigan to make a change now: “Call it what you will—laches, the Purcell principle,… Continue reading

“Man Arrested For Wearing ‘Basket Of Deplorables’ Shirt At Texas Polling Place”

October 28, 2016, 9:09 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Ban on electioneering.

“NY Becomes Latest State To Face Suit Over Ballot Selfie Ban”

October 28, 2016, 7:47 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Law 360 reports.

“Money Flows Down Ballot as Donald Trump Is Abandoned by Big Donors (Even Himself)”

October 28, 2016, 7:25 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday revealed tens of millions of dollars in late donations and transfers to Republican “super PACs” focused on down-ballot races, suggesting a significant last-ditch effort to protect Senate and House candidates… Continue reading

“Union dumps consultant, PAC treasurer in Petit ad fiasco”

October 28, 2016, 7:15 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Ct. Mirror: House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, told reporters Thursday morning that someone should lose their job over the digital attack ad a union political action committee placed against Dr. William Petit, a home-invasion survivor. By nightfall, someone did.

“Democratic megadonor bankrolls ‘Republicans for Clinton’ super PAC”

October 28, 2016, 7:11 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

CPI reports.

McConnell’s SuperPac to Save Republican Senate Gets $11 Million Infusion from Non-Disclosing 501(c)(4)

October 28, 2016, 7:07 amcampaign finance, campaigns, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Teddy Schleifer for CNN: The super PAC has flipped that money almost immediately into a new advertising push in a half-dozen states financed entirely by the late checks. Those contributions will not be reported until December, though many expect Sheldon… Continue reading

“Donald Trump hasn’t invested $100 million in White House race – yet”

October 27, 2016, 9:52 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Fredreka Schouten for USA Today: WASHINGTON — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has repeatedly declared he’s putting $100 million of his own money into his White House bid. But he still has a long way to go, according to reports… Continue reading

“Arizona Republicans All In For Sending Swing District Green Party Candidate To Congress”

October 27, 2016, 9:40 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

Arizona’s Politics.

“One more way lobbyists could support Hillary Clinton”

October 27, 2016, 9:38 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, lobbyingRick Hasen

WaPo: Lobbyists have not been allowed onto Hillary Clinton’s transition team, nor has the Democratic presidential nominee indicated whether she, if elected, would lift President Barack Obama’s restrictions on lobbyists working in the administration. But lobbyists have raised millions of… Continue reading

“Worried About a Rigged Election? Here’s One Way to Handle It; Why the GOP should pay attention to Nixon vs. Kennedy, 1960”

October 27, 2016, 9:26 pmcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Josh Zeitz for Politico Magazine.

“Oath Keepers Founder Says ‘Undercover’ Poll Watching Effort Won’t Intimidate Voters”

October 27, 2016, 9:23 pmcampaigns, chicanery, election administrationRick Hasen

Ryan Reilly for HuffPo: The founder of a fringe right-wing group issued a “call to action” this week asking members of the organization to go undercover to watch for voter fraud and voter intimidation at polling places on Election Day.… Continue reading

#JohnDoe: “Schimel asks for leak investigation”

October 27, 2016, 9:21 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Patrick Marley: Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel asked Wisconsin’s top judge Thursday to investigate a leak in September that hurt conservatives — but not earlier ones that helped them. “Even a cursory review of those documents published (by the Guardian… Continue reading