Monthly Archives: April 2017

“Two plaintiffs join suit against Trump, alleging breach of emoluments clause”

April 17, 2017, 7:25 pmconflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

WaPo: Two new plaintiffs — an association of restaurants and restaurant workers, and a woman who books banquet halls for two D.C. hotels — plan to join a lawsuit alleging that President Trump has violated the Constitution’s emoluments clause because… Continue reading

Court Orders Kobach to Produce Voting Document Shared with Trump, Suggests ACLU May Pursue Sanctions Against Kobach

April 17, 2017, 7:19 pmchicanery, NVRA (motor voter)Rick Hasen

Bryan Lowry in the KC Star: A federal magistrate judge has ordered Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to disclose documents outlining a strategic plan he presented to President Donald Trump in November, a decision that could have ramifications from… Continue reading

“Does the World Really Belong to the Living? The Decline of the Constitutional Convention in New York and Other US States, 1776–2015”

April 17, 2017, 1:08 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

J.H. Snider has written this article for American Political Thought. Here is the abstract: In the preamble to the US Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote that people have an “unalienable” right “to alter” their government. A total of 37… Continue reading

Supreme Court Takes No Action Today in North Carolina Voting Case

April 17, 2017, 7:19 amSupreme Court, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Today’s order list means the Court has not ruled on whether or not to dismiss the cert. petition in the big North Carolina voting case, as the Democratic governor and AG ask, on the Republican legislature’s attempt to intervene in… Continue reading

“The Supreme Court as “Electoral Prize””

April 17, 2017, 7:10 amSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Bauer blogs.

“With Trump Appointees, a Raft of Potential Conflicts and ‘No Transparency’”

April 16, 2017, 7:30 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump is populating the White House and federal agencies with former lobbyists, lawyers and consultants who in many cases are helping to craft new policies for the same industries in which they recently earned a paycheck. The potential… Continue reading

Nevada Secretary of State, Department of Motor Vehicles Spar over SOS’s Allegations of Voter Fraud

April 15, 2017, 12:45 pmelection administration, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Nevada Independent: Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske said she’s launching a voter fraud probe after discovering evidence that “noncitizens” cast ballots in the 2016 election. Cegavske’s office didn’t immediately answer additional questions about the alleged illegal votes, including how… Continue reading

“Nevada: State Supreme Court rules that Judges aren’t subjected to recall law”

April 14, 2017, 5:56 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Recall Elections Blog: In its long delayed ruling, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled 4-2 that judges are not subject to the state’s recall law. Both the ruling and the dissent hold that judges are “public officers” as provided for in… Continue reading

“Freedom Caucus Member’s Book Slams Money-Obsessed Politicians”

April 14, 2017, 5:52 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Roll Call reports: In his book, Buck writes: “Money rules in Washington.” He recounts in detail the contributions that House Republicans are expected to forward to their campaign arm as dues to serve on congressional committees. Lesser committee spots,… Continue reading

“The Entirely Preventable Battles Raging Over Voting Rights”

April 14, 2017, 9:21 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Matt Ford for The Atlantic: Four years later, a series of lawsuits and legal challenges in states formerly covered by preclearance suggest the country perhaps hasn’t changed as much as Roberts thought. Had the provision, Section 4(b), remained intact, it… Continue reading

Harvard Law Review Covers New Hampshire Ballot Selfie Case, Rideout v. Gardner

April 14, 2017, 9:19 amcampaignsRick Hasen

Very nice treatment of the case: Vote buying, a practice carried over from England’s early experiments with democracy, was widespread in United States elections until the modern era.. A 1905 study of a New York City election, for example, found… Continue reading

Fewer Than 200 Ultra-Wealthy People Collectively Spent $1 Billion on 2016 Election

April 14, 2017, 9:11 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

That tidbit and much more in Open Secrets tally of Election 2016: That’s why we also looked at the top 1 percent of 1 percent of donors, a group of less than 200 people who spent almost $1 billion combined… Continue reading