Monthly Archives: August 2012

“Ohio’s Jon Husted, the New Bad Boy on the Voting Rights Block”

August 29, 2012, 9:41 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

This item appears at The Nation‘s “Voting Rights Watch” blog. My own view of Husted is more complex—and I certainly would not call him a “new bad boy” or compare him to hard-core partisans, including his two Ohio Secretary of… Continue reading

“The Tea Party’s Enemy No. 1; Benjamin Ginsberg, Bush’s lawyer in the 2000 recount, has orchestrated a major power grab for Romney”

August 29, 2012, 9:28 amelection law biz, political parties, primariesRick Hasen

The Tablet reports.

‘Author of Voter ID Law Admits to Racist Email”

August 29, 2012, 8:52 amchicanery, The Voting Wars, voter idRick Hasen

Political Wire reports. More from McClatchy.

Kuff’s World on the Texas Redstricting Decision

August 29, 2012, 8:52 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Here.

‘Congressional Staff and the Revolving Door: The Impact of Regulatory Change’

August 29, 2012, 8:43 amlegislation and legislatures, lobbyingRick Hasen

Lee Drutman and Bruce Cain have posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: We ask whether the 2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act lobbying regulations had the desired impact. We also develop and test a theory of… Continue reading

“Democracy on the High Wire: Citizen Commission Implementation of the Voting Rights Act”

August 29, 2012, 8:35 amcitizen commissions, redistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Justin Levitt has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: The Voting Rights Act, often praised as the most successful civil rights statute, is among the most fact-intensive of election regulations. California, the country’s most populous and most… Continue reading

“Texas Voter District Maps Rejected by U.S. Judges”

August 29, 2012, 8:08 amDepartment of Justice, redistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Bloomberg reports.

“Donors Invest Millions in Romney for Billions in Returns”

August 29, 2012, 8:04 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Bloomberg: ‘Top Republican contributors say they back the party’s presidential candidate Mitt Romney because they agree with his small-government philosophy or oppose President Barack Obama’s new regulations on banks and the health-care industry. Yet Romney is more than… Continue reading

“Not Last, At Last: Online Voter Registration Comes to New York”

August 29, 2012, 8:01 amelection administration, voting technologyRick Hasen

A ChapinBlog.

“Judge Issues Injunction Against Ohio’s ‘Wrong Precinct’ Election Law”

August 29, 2012, 7:58 amelection administration, provisional ballots, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

The Daily Beast reports.

Texas Redistricting Story Roundup

August 28, 2012, 8:22 pmDepartment of Justice, redistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Reuters Austin American-Statesman Houston Chronicle National Law Journal San Antonio Express-News Washington Post CNN New York Times SCOTUSBlog AP

“Over Loud Boos, Romney Supporters Pass New Rules”

August 28, 2012, 7:57 pmpolitical parties, primariesRick Hasen

NYT’s “The Caucus” blog: ” Mitt Romney’s supporters passed new rules governing future primaries over the loud boos of Ron Paul supporters and other conservative activists who had objected to what they said was a power grab by the… Continue reading

Will the Texas Redistricting Opinion Affect This November’s Elections?

August 28, 2012, 7:25 pmDepartment of Justice, redistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

I thought the answer was certainly “no,” but Michael Li offers some alternative possibilities.

Greg Colvin Sends Letter to IRS to Try to Get Some Clarity on What 501(c)4s Can Do in Terms of Political Activity

August 28, 2012, 7:19 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Reprinted below with permission: From: Gregory L. Colvin Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 3:36 PM To: ‘Lerner Lois G’ Subject: General Information Letter on 2 Issue Advocacy Revenue Rulings You’ll recall my May 7, 2012, letter suggesting that the IRS… Continue reading