Monthly Archives: August 2014
Jill LePore on Campaign Finance Reform, Corruption, Lessig, Teachout, Mutch, and Post
Here, in the New Yorker.
Rick Perry and the Criminalization of Politics
Texas Governor Rick Perry has been indicted for coercion and abuse of power in a potentially politically motivated prosecution for actions Perry possibly took out of political motivation to shut down possible politically motivated prosecutions. Got that?
I haven’t studied… Continue reading
“Senator Brian Schatz Wins Close-Fought Democratic Primary in Hawaii”
NYT: “Mr. Schatz secured the victory over his challenger, Representative Colleen Hanabusa, by fewer than 1,800 votes — less than 1 percent of the total cast — after two precincts here on the east coast of the Big Island… Continue reading
“L.A. Ethics Commission suggests a new approach to buying votes”
Jon Healey (LAT ed board) does not like payment for turnout.
“How Ferguson exposes the racial bias in local elections”
Brian Schaffner, Wouter Van Erve and Ray LaRaja:
The conflict in Ferguson, Mo., has captured the nation’s attention and once again put race front and center in American politics. This piece, for instance, notes that while Ferguson is… Continue reading
“Shelby County v. Holder and the gutting of federal preclearance of election law changes”
Dick Engstrom has written this article in Politics, Groups, and Identities. Here is the abstract:
The preclearance provision of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act was rendered ineffective by the United States Supreme Court in 2013 in Shelby County,… Continue reading
Gov. Perry Indicted
Texas Tribune: “A grand jury indicted Gov. Rick Perry on Friday on charges of abuse of power and coercion as part of an ethics inquiry into his veto of funding for the state’s public integrity unit.”
Background.
“Yay, Democracy”
Ben Jacobs profiles the potential Democratic nominee for the Montana U.S. Senate election, to replace Sen. Walsh. The candidate has a position so far on campaign finance reform but not Iraq.
“Storm-weary residents start voting in Puna”
The latest from Hawaii.
“Cuomo campaign files Teachout appeal”
“McDaniel Wants Closed Primaries”
The Jackson Free Press reports. As I told the reporter, that’s a whole different question from whether there is a basis to challenge the election under the rules as they were on election day.
District Court Holds Irving Texas School Board Election System Violates Voting Rights Act Section 2
You can read the 55-page opinion. It contains an interesting discussion near the end about what to do about the treatment of large non-citizen populations in Hispanic districts.