Category Archives: campaigns

“Campaign Finance Transparency Affects Legislators’ Election Outcomes and Behavior”

August 22, 2018, 1:06 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Abby Wood and Christian Grose have posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: Do audits by executive agencies impact the behavior of those audited? Does revealing negative information about candidates affect electoral results and behavior? Institutions that encourage… Continue reading

“Michael Cohen’s Guilty Plea Directly Implicates Donald Trump in a Felony”

August 21, 2018, 5:22 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. It begins: For the first time since the Trump presidency began, President Donald Trump is in some real legal jeopardy, providing potential grounds for his eventual impeachment, if not indictment. Most people watching… Continue reading

“Microsoft says it has found a Russian operation targeting U.S. political institutions”

August 21, 2018, 6:56 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

WaPo: A group affiliated with the Russian government created phony versions of six websites — including some related to public policy and to the U.S. Senate — with the apparent goal of hacking into the computers of people who were… Continue reading

“Trump Lawyers’ Sudden Realization: They Don’t Know What Don McGahn Told Mueller’s Team”

August 19, 2018, 8:56 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump’s lawyers do not know just how much the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, told the special counsel’s investigators during months of interviews, a lapse that has contributed to a growing recognition that an early strategy… Continue reading

Michael Cohen May Be Indicted for Bank Fraud and Campaign Finance Violations by the End of the Month

August 19, 2018, 8:50 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Federal authorities investigating whether President Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen, committed bank and tax fraud have zeroed in on well over $20 million in loans obtained by taxi businesses that he and his family own,… Continue reading

“‘Oh that’s cool — do that!’: Super PACs use new trick to hide donors”

August 17, 2018, 8:15 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Politico: t wasn’t the first super PAC to pull that trick: The scheme is part of a sharp escalation in super PACs avoiding reporting requirements and keeping voters in the dark about their funding until after key elections. Two other… Continue reading

“The Chance of Michael Cohen Facing Criminal Campaign Finance Charges Just Went Up”

August 16, 2018, 5:06 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. A snippet: The new Wall Street Journal report describes some apparent documentary evidence. According to the Journal, Daniels’ former lawyer Keith Davidson had approached Cohen in September 2016 about securing a payment from… Continue reading

Despite Enthusiasm for Women Candidates, Gender Gap on Campaign Cash

August 16, 2018, 4:15 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

WaPo: Even as a record number of women run for office this year, female congressional candidates overall are lagging behind their male counterparts when it comes to pulling in campaign cash, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal campaign… Continue reading

“In a few hours, Gov. Colyer went from prepping for a recount to endorsing his rival”

August 16, 2018, 8:01 amcampaignsRick Hasen

KC Star: Colyer, who was sworn in as governor in January, faced a Friday deadline to file for a recount, a financially precarious decision because Kansas does not have automatic recounts in close races. “I guess the governor changed… Continue reading

Today’s Must-Read (From Andy Kroll): “Documents Reveal Successful Cyberattack in California Congressional Race”

August 15, 2018, 11:38 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Rolling Stone: FBI agents in California and Washington, D.C., have investigated a series of cyberattacks over the past year that targeted a Democratic opponent of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). Rohrabacher is a 15-term incumbent who is widely seen as the… Continue reading

Lots of Drama in West Virginia Over State Supreme Court Justices; Was Impeachment Timing Way for Republicans to Avoid Holding Election For Judicial Replacements?

August 14, 2018, 7:46 amcampaigns, judicial electionsRick Hasen

See this thread: This is a BFD. The GOP-controlled legislature dragged its feet forvmonths on impeaching these justices to prevent their replacement by voters via special elections this fall. Missing today's deadline lets Republican Gov. Jim Justice appoint their replacements.… Continue reading

North Carolina: “Republican legislators violated a candidate’s constitutional rights, judge rules”

August 13, 2018, 10:20 amballot access, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

News and Observer: A judge threw out a new state law Monday, ruling that it violated the constitutional rights of at least two politicians whose 2018 campaigns the law had targeted. Chris Anglin, a Republican candidate for a seat on… Continue reading

“New coalition plans seven-figure campaign aimed at Puerto Rican voters”

August 13, 2018, 9:53 amcampaignsRick Hasen

CBS News: Critics of the Trump administration’s response to the hurricanes that ravaged Puerto Rico last year are launching a seven-figure campaign to mobilize displaced Puerto Rican voters ahead of the midterm elections – and planning big demonstrations in New… Continue reading

“Nate McMurray doesn’t like ‘giant super PACs.’ But will they be his unlikely salvation?”

August 12, 2018, 2:48 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

CPI: Then, on Wednesday, everything changed. That was the day the feds arrested Collins and charged him with securities fraud, wire fraud and making false statements to the FBI. McMurray’s phone blew up — with new friends, congressmen, aides to… Continue reading

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