Category Archives: campaigns

“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

“PA James Announces Legislation to Close Loophole Allowing Foreign Contributions to NYC Political Campaigns”

August 8, 2018, 5:47 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Press release: Public Advocate Letitia James announced major new legislation designed to prevent foreign entities from circumventing New York City’s strict campaign finance laws through a loophole created by Citizens United. Introduced in the wake of substantial new evidence of… Continue reading

Interview with Me on NPR: Trump Says His Son’s Meeting With Russians Was ‘Totally Legal.’ But Was It?

August 8, 2018, 8:55 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Listen at NPR’s Here & Now.

“Judge’s ruling invalidates FEC regulation allowing anonymous donations to ‘dark money’ groups”

August 8, 2018, 8:54 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Big ruling while I was gone flagged here by Politico: A U.S. District Court judge on Friday issued a ruling invalidating a Federal Election Commission regulation that has allowed donors to so-called dark-money groups to remain anonymous, the latest development… Continue reading

“Why Russian Money Ends Up in U.S. Elections; America needs a new model of campaign finance not to supplant the political marketplace but to correct for its inadequacies.”

August 8, 2018, 8:46 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Bob Bauer NYT oped.

“Sitting Rep’s Campaign Collected Dead Man’s Signature On Challenger’s Behalf”

August 8, 2018, 8:44 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

TPM: A Virginia judge appointed a special prosecutor Tuesday to look into a case of potential forgery and other election law violations after multiple suspicious signatures were found on a petition to get an independent congressional candidate on the ballot,… Continue reading

“Donald Trump Jr.’s Potential Legal Troubles, Explained”

August 8, 2018, 8:40 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Charlie Savage reports for the NYT.

“Facebook Grapples With a Maturing Adversary in Election Meddling”

August 2, 2018, 8:38 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: They covered their tracks, using software to camouflage their internet traffic. They created Facebook pages for anti-Trump culture warriors, Hispanic activists and fans of alternative medicine. And they organized protests in coordination with real-world political groups. The people behind… Continue reading