Monthly Archives: January 2013
“The long past and perilous future of gaming the Electoral College system”
Federal District Court Upholds Minnesota Law Barring False Campaign Speech in Ballot Measure Elections
Today a federal district court issued this Order Granting Summary Judgment in the 281 Care Committee case which I’ve been following on the blog. It is the first false campaign speech case I know of decided in light of the… Continue reading
Briefs Available in Arizona Elections Clause Case
Important case flying under the radar at SCOTUS. More about it when I have time. In the meantime, here are the briefs, courtesy of the ABA:
State of Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
Docket No., 12-71
Arguement… Continue reading
“Facts And Myths About The Supreme Court Challenge To The Voting Rights Act”
This item appears at Media Matters.
“FEC Deadlock on 501(c)(4) Fund Raising Will Not Be Reconsidered, Agency Says”
Bloomberg BNA: “The Federal Election Commission will leave intact a deadlocked legal ruling about whether a nonprofit corporation can engage in joint fund-raising activity with an FEC-regulated political action committee, according to a Jan. 22 letter from the FEC.… Continue reading
“‘Hello, quid. Where’s the pro quo?'”
With all the focus on today’s DC Circuit recess appointment decision, it is easy to miss its other decision today in the Abramoff-related U.S. v Kevin Ring case. As BLT reports, it raises interesting questions about campaign contributions a… Continue reading
“Democrats, Don’t Freak Out! Why fears that Republicans will gerrymander the Electoral College are overblown”
Slate has published my new commentary. It begins:
Sound the alarm! Democrats are on high alert! Josh Marshall calls it a big, big deal. Eric Kleefeld says if the blueprint were in place last November, the GOP would… Continue reading
“G.O.P. Mulls a Strategy From Obama’s Playbook”
NYT: “As Republican leaders gathered here on Thursday to consider how to rebuild their party, President Obama was at the center of the conversation. But the sharp criticism directed at him was replaced by something new: envy over his… Continue reading
Why Did the Democrats Cave on Filibuster Reform?
“FL House Speaker Weatherford opposed to GOP Electoral College plans”
The Tampa Bay Times reports.
I’ll have more to say on GOP electoral college machinations soon.
“Justices to Decide Whether to Review Restrictions on Campaign Contributions”
Bloomberg BNA: “The Supreme Court is set to consider next month whether to grant review of a constitutional challenge to the century-old ban on corporate campaign contributions (Danielczyk v. U.S., U.S., No. 12-579, cert. petition filed 11/8/12). The case… Continue reading
“Senate leaders reach deal modifying filibuster rules, keep 60-vote hurdle”
WaPo reports.
The Fix: Why Filibuster Reform Didn’t Happen
Senator Reid tells Ezra Klein: “I’m not personally, at this stage, ready to get rid of the 60-vote threshold,” Reid (D-Nev.) told me this morning, referring to the number of… Continue reading