Monthly Archives: December 2015

2 NYT Pieces Shed Light on Current Polarization in Congress

December 5, 2015, 12:13 pmlegislation and legislatures, political polarization, primariesRick Hasen

Lawmakers Near Deal on Billions in Tax Cuts: The package would extend or make permanent around 50 temporary tax breaks that have expired or will soon lapse. By combining business breaks that are priorities of Republicans with tax credits… Continue reading

“The Daily Show Remixes Awkward Ted Cruz Footage, Asks You to ‘Cruz Your Own Adventure”

December 5, 2015, 11:54 amcampaign finance, campaigns, election law "humor"Rick Hasen

Vulture reports on the use of B roll Cruz footage for Super PAC purposes.

“FEC Deadlocks on Santorum Coordination Case”

December 4, 2015, 5:40 pmcampaign finance, federal election commissionRick Hasen

Bloomberg BNA: he Federal Election Commission has deadlocked in a 3-3 vote over allegations of illegal coordination involving the 2012 presidential campaign of former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), a super political action committee supporting Santorum, and Foster Freiss, a… Continue reading

Evenwel Plaintiff Has Disturbing Views of Jews, Gays and Others

December 4, 2015, 2:34 pmSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Wow this Stephanie Mencimer piece at Mother Jones. I don’t care all that much that one of Ed Blum’s Evenwel plaintiffs believes in unicorns. But this is much more disturbing: Evenwel is an outspoken critic of illegal immigrants, and she… Continue reading

“4 Court Cases That Could Impact the 2016 Elections”

December 4, 2015, 1:33 pmcampaigns, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Nathan Gonzales writes for Roll Call.

CLC Video on Harris Redistricting Case at SCOTUS

December 4, 2015, 11:54 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Here.

“Democrats call Ohio’s purgings of voter rolls too aggressive”

December 4, 2015, 11:17 amelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Columbus Dispatch: Ohio House Democrats and some liberal advocacy groups want to put an end to the state’s purging of people from voter-registration rolls just because they move within the state or have not voted for a few years.… Continue reading

LDF Press Briefing on Evenwel

December 4, 2015, 11:14 amredistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Listen (beginning at 46:49): On December 3, 2015, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund hosted a press briefing on Evenwel v. Abbott – to be argued at the U.S. Supreme Court on December 8. The briefing featured insights from: Nina Perales,… Continue reading

“Reps. Sarbanes, Deutch and More Than 110 Members Call on Congressional Leadership to Walk Away from Controversial Campaign Finance Rider”

December 4, 2015, 11:10 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Release.

“Why Clinton’s Fundraising Prowess Cuts Both Ways”

December 4, 2015, 11:08 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Eliza Newlin Carney writes from her new perch at The American Prospect. I’m looking forward to lots of Eliza columns free of a paywall this election season!

ELB Podcast Episode 7. Ellen Weintraub: The Future of Money in Politics, and of the FEC

December 4, 2015, 7:40 amcampaign finance, ELB Podcast, federal election commission, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

What is the state of campaign financing in the U.S.? How have things changed in the Citizens United era? Is the Federal Election Commission dysfunctional, and if so do personalities or ideology explain the spate of high profile Commission deadlocks?… Continue reading

“Bush ‘Super PAC’ to ‘Tell Jeb’s Story’ in 15-Minute Documentary”

December 4, 2015, 7:37 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

NYT reports.

Conservative House Opposition to McConnell Rider to Free Party Campaign Money, Explained

December 4, 2015, 7:31 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

Conservative Action Project: Among the priorities being added as riders to the omnibus spending package is a provision by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that would allow party committees to spend an unfettered amount of money in coordination with… Continue reading

“True Threats: Voter Intimidation and the Constitution”

December 4, 2015, 7:29 amchicanery, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Dan Tokaji has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: Voter intimidation is a recurrent problem that, like so many other aspects of our election system, provokes sharply polarized reactions along party lines. Of particular current interest are… Continue reading