Monthly Archives: November 2015

“Inglewood City Council’s new hours aren’t exactly welcoming”

November 20, 2015, 4:39 pmchicanery, legislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

LAT editorial: Earlier this year, the same council took advantage of a loophole in state election law to approve the construction of a giant football stadium without conducting a full environmental review or taking a vote of the people.… Continue reading

“Mysterious pro-Mitch McConnell group bankrolled by megadonors”

November 20, 2015, 4:31 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

CPI: A secretive nonprofit group that helped boost Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky during his hotly contested 2014 re-election bid itself raised more money than McConnell’s challenger, Alison Lundergan Grimes, according to copies of the group’s tax… Continue reading

“Koch Spy Agency Led by Voter Fraud Huckster”

November 20, 2015, 7:25 amfraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Oh this is interesting: The Kochs have been complaining about a “lack of civility in politics” as they seek to boost their public image–but one of their top operatives helped propel perhaps the most egregious case of race-baiting voter… Continue reading

“Liberal ‘dark money’ group rails against ‘dark money'”

November 20, 2015, 7:22 amcampaign finance, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

CPI: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid lambasted secret political cash when he appeared last week in a video filmed and produced by a liberal advocacy group. “Working families can’t compete with billionaires,” Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said in the… Continue reading

Today’s Must Read: Lee Drutman on La Raja and Schaffner on Campaign Finance and Polarization

November 20, 2015, 7:21 amcampaign finance, political parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Vox: Last December, as part of the must-pass “CRomnibus” bill, Congress changed the lawso that political parties could raise considerably more money. Under the new rules, a single donor can now give $1.5 million to the parties during… Continue reading

Bauer on FEC Chair Ann Ravel’s Daily Show Appearance

November 20, 2015, 7:19 amcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bob: To be clear, and to be fair: Commissioner Ravel did not appear to choose the particular example; there is plenty to complain about in the design of the campaign finance law and ample grounds on which to question,… Continue reading

“Federal judge, GOP lawyer have lively exchanges over open-primary lawsuit”

November 19, 2015, 9:05 pmpolitical parties, primariesRick Hasen

News from Montana: In a hearing on a lawsuit to restrict Republican primary elections to party members only in Montana, a federal judge Thursday questioned whether non-Republican voters are actively crossing over to vote in and influence GOP legislative primaries… Continue reading

“Lawyers in voter registration lawsuit against Kobach ask for class-action status”

November 19, 2015, 7:17 pmelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

The latest from Kansas.

“Sanders drops line attacking super PACs from speech after super PAC backs him”

November 19, 2015, 6:36 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Politico: Bernie Sanders’ disapproval of super PACs is a stand-by theme in his stump speech, and it’s a concept that was included in the prepared remarks of his much-anticipated speech on democratic socialism on Thursday. But the pre-written line… Continue reading

“Loyola Law School to Host Symposium on Corporate Rights and Political Spending”

November 19, 2015, 6:07 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Release for an event I’ll be speaking at Friday: Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and Free Speech for People will host the symposium “Corporations, the Constitution, and Democracy” featuring a slate of prominent corporate, constitutional and election-law scholars and a… Continue reading