Category Archives: campaigns

“‘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

“For Voters Sick of Money in Politics, a New Pitch: No PAC Money Accepted”

August 12, 2018, 2:37 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Campaign finance was once famously dismissed by Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, as being of no greater concern to American voters than “static cling.” But since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in 2010 opened the floodgates for… Continue reading

Secret Spending on Both Sides of Michigan Governor’s Race

August 12, 2018, 2:31 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

New Yorker: One day this summer, in the midst of this escalation, while he was scrolling through political sites on his phone, a Democratic operative in Lansing named Bob McCann came across a fifteen-second video advertisement attacking Whitmer. McCann spent… Continue reading

“Representative Chris Collins Suspends Bid for Re-election After Insider Trading Charges”

August 11, 2018, 3:01 pmcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: Days after federal prosecutors charged him with insider trading, Representative Chris Collins announced on Saturday that he was abandoning his re-election bid amid worries that his legal troubles could make vulnerable his otherwise solidly Republican district in western… Continue reading

“Kansas governor accuses Kobach of not counting all votes in governor race”

August 11, 2018, 2:56 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

The Hill: Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer (R) accused Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) on Friday of intentionally pushing a miscount of the number of ballots cast in the gubernatorial primary race. “Secretary Kobach’s office was instructing counties not to… Continue reading

“The Trump White House’s new hush-money problem”

August 11, 2018, 2:46 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Aaron Blake for WaPo: In this case, about the only campaign finance question would be whether this would be considered a legitimate campaign expense, said election-law expert Rick Hasen of the University of California, Irvine. “I’m not sure I’ve seen… Continue reading