Monthly Archives: January 2014

Voting Discrimination Differs from Election Administration Challenges

January 24, 2014, 12:14 pmPCEA (Bauer-Ginsberg Commission), Voting Rights ActSpencer Overton

Earlier today, Heritage Sr. Legal Fellow John Malcolm and I had a lively discussion on the Voting Rights Amendment Act and the Presidential Commission on Election Administration’s recommendations on NPR’s Tell Me More. You can listen here. My take… Continue reading

Practical Consequences and Missing Legislative History in Mississippi ex rel. Hood v. AU Optronics Corporation

January 24, 2014, 12:06 pmUncategorizedAnita Krishnakumar

This past week, the Supreme Court issued a decision in a seemingly straightforward case that involved some noteworthy statutory interpretation maneuvers (and omissions): Mississippi ex rel. Hood v. AU Optronics Corporation. The State of Mississippi sued manufacturers of liquid… Continue reading

Quote of the Day

January 24, 2014, 10:25 amThe Voting Wars, voter id, Voting Rights Act, VRAARick Hasen

“People have to understand that we are not opposed to photo identification in a vacuum,” he said, but it must not be used “to disenfranchise” people for racial or “partisan reasons.” While some GOP lawmakers may have a “good faith”… Continue reading

“Koch World 2014”

January 24, 2014, 9:35 amcampaign finance, campaigns, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Vogel (who else?).

“Alabama would avoid federal elections supervision under new bill; Congress debates renewing part of Voting Rights Act that U.S. Supreme Court tossed”

January 24, 2014, 7:29 amVoting Rights Act, VRAARick Hasen

Gannett reports.

“IRS Documents Highlight Uncertainty Over Social Welfare Threshold Language”

January 23, 2014, 8:48 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: To qualify for tax-exempt status, applicants for tax code Section 501(c)(4) status must ensure that 51 percent of their activities and expenditures go toward social welfare causes, Internal Revenue Service training materials say. The materials, created for employees… Continue reading

“Exclusive: Federal Probe into New Jersey Sen. Menendez Is Widening”

January 23, 2014, 8:43 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

NBC News reports.

Mickey Edwards Pens NYT Oped Calling for Repeal of Sore Loser Laws

January 23, 2014, 8:41 pmpolitical parties, political polarization, primariesRick Hasen

Here.

Duke Feb. 7 Campaign Finance Symposium Details

January 23, 2014, 5:05 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

I mentioned earlier that I have posted this draft about Super PACs, corruption and coordination on SSRN and that I’ll be presenting it at a Feb. 7 symposium at Duke. I now have the full program for the day. (There… Continue reading

Dinesh D’Souza Indicted for Campaign Finance Violations:

January 23, 2014, 3:09 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

US Attorney’s office (SDNY): Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and George Venizelos, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today an Indictment charging… Continue reading

“Don’t Use MLK to Push Harmful Election Laws”

January 23, 2014, 2:29 pmSupreme Court, Voting Rights Act, VRAARick Hasen

Ilya Shapiro at Forbes opposes the VRAA.

“5 Things You Didn’t Know About Citizens United”

January 23, 2014, 2:25 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

CCP: Today the Center for Competitive Politics marked the fourth anniversary of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling by releasing a video about the decision by noted YouTube artist GoRemy.

“New Study Counters Assumptions About Impact of Citizens United”

January 23, 2014, 2:18 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

WSJ Law Blog: For supporters of tighter limits on campaign finance, Citizens United has become a kind of shorthand for the distorted influence of big money in politics. But a new study on independent political spending by two law… Continue reading