Category Archives: campaigns

“Federal judge blocks California law to force disclosure of Trump’s tax returns”

September 19, 2019, 2:40 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

LAT: A federal judge ordered a temporary injunction Thursday against California’s first-in-the-nation law requiring candidates to disclose their tax returns for a spot on the presidential primary ballot, an early victory for President Trump but a decision that will undoubtedly… Continue reading

“Political Fundraiser Pleads Guilty To Fraud”

September 19, 2019, 7:19 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

ProPublica: In one of the first Justice Department cases of its kind, Maryland political consultant Kelley Rogers pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Tuesday for operating multiple fraudulent political action committees that raised money from donors for conservative causes… Continue reading

“Democracy vouchers are supposed to be an answer, but big money is swamping Seattle’s elections”

September 18, 2019, 9:12 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Seattle Times: What Yang’s talking about was Initiative 122, which Seattle voters approved in 2015 as an experiment in public financing of elections. Through a property tax it gives every Seattle voter $100 worth of “democracy vouchers” to… Continue reading

“Warren releases plan to tackle Washington corruption”

September 16, 2019, 7:01 amcampaigns, chicanery, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

WaPo: Sen. Elizabeth Warren released a new plan Monday to tackle corruption in Washington, part of the Democratic presidential candidate’s ongoing promises to enact “big structural change” if elected.Warren’s wide-ranging new proposal seeks to dramatically limit the influence of federal… Continue reading

Kentucky: “Jury convicts dad of Alison Lundergan Grimes for giving illegally to Senate campaign”

September 13, 2019, 7:26 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports.

“PACs that raise small-dollar donations — and spend mostly on themselves — are proliferating”

September 12, 2019, 7:56 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Troubling trend detailed by CPI.

ProPublica’s Brad Parscale Profile Discusses His Use of Social Media for Trump

September 11, 2019, 8:30 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

I found this part especially interesting (my emphasis): “If you don’t know what you’re talking about, you think he’s a 21st-century Steve Jobs,” says a Republican consultant who knows Parscale. “He’s not an asshole. He’s kind of a huckster. But… Continue reading

“Weaponizing the Ballot” (on Laws Requiring Candidate Disclosure of Tax Returns)

September 9, 2019, 1:03 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

Derek Muller has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: States are considering legislation that would exclude presidential candidates from appearing on the ballot if they fail to disclose their tax returns. These proposals exceed the state’s power… Continue reading

“How Elizabeth Warren Raised Big Money Before She Denounced Big Money”

September 9, 2019, 8:14 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT reports.

“Russia Accuses Facebook And Google Of Illegal Election Interference”

September 9, 2019, 7:46 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Forbes: The irony will not be lost on anyone—Russia has just accused both Facebook and Google of “illegal” and “unacceptable” election interference during a poll in the country. And, no, you didn’t read that wrong.The “facts,” the country’s communications… Continue reading

Lots of Election Law/Non-Profit Tax Law Issues Raised in Major Jerry Falwell Jr. Expose in Politico

September 9, 2019, 7:37 amcampaign finance, campaigns, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Quite a read. In January, the Wall Street Journal reported that in 2014 and 2015, Michael Cohen hired Gauger’s side business, RedFinch LLC, to rig online polls in Donald Trump’s favor while he considered a run for the presidency. Gauger’s… Continue reading

“The Influence of Technology on Presidential Primary Campaigns”

September 2, 2019, 2:36 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

Tony Gaughan has posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming in Eugene Mazo and Michael Dimino (eds.), The Best Candidate: Presidential Nomination in Polarized Times (2020)). Here is the abstract: There is no doubt that the American people object to the… Continue reading