“The Trump White House’s dishonest spin on its voter fraud commission”
Aaron Blake for WaPo.
Monthly Archives: July 2017
Single Donor Can Give Almost $1 Million Over Two Years to Republican Joint Fundraising Committee
Michael Beckel crunches the numbers.
˚And, to remember, just a few years ago Justice Alito derided talk of million dollar donations bundled by parties as “wild hypotheticals.”
“With elections board vacant, Cooper wants NC Supreme Court to block board designed by GOP”
News and Observer:
North Carolina’s election oversight board has been vacant for more than a month, but the N.C. Supreme Court is poised to decide if Gov. Roy Cooper must make appointments to the new board designed by Republicans.
Cooper… Continue reading
Trump DOJ Opposes Plaintiffs’ Further Remedies in Texas Voter ID Case
DOJ’s position: Now that Texas passed a new law softening its voter id law, there’s nothing more the court should do. No need to find Texas acted with a discriminatory purpose, no need for an injunction, further judicial supervision,… Continue reading
“Maryland argues Republicans not harmed in redistricting case”; Case May Be Postponed for WI SCOTUS Case
Baltimore Sun:
Lawyers deposed former Gov. Martin O’Malley, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Millerand House Speaker Michael E. Busch as part of the lawsuit this year. In transcripts of those interviews, made public this month, O’Malley acknowledged that part… Continue reading
“Fraudulent Voting Fraud” (Borunda Resignation)
Baltimore Sun editorial:
Closer to home, Marylanders got another whiff of this deliberate incompetence with the rather bizarre appointment of — followed by sudden resignation by — Maryland Deputy Secretary of State Luis E. Borunda to the election integrity panel.… Continue reading
Most Prominent Democratic Member of Pence-Kobach Commission, Maine SOS Dunlap, Surprised by Reaction to Letter Requesting Voting Info
HuffPo:
Despite the backlash, Dunlap said he didn’t think the letter was mishandled, nor did he believe outrage was based on a misunderstanding of the kind of information the commission was requesting.
“People are very sensitive about their voter data.… Continue reading
Michael Chertoff: Pence-Trump Data Request Poses Threat to National Security
Michael Chertoff, former head of DHS, with a WaPo oped:
We know that voting information has been the target of hackers. News reports indicate that election-related systems in as many as 39 states were penetrated, focusing on campaign finance, registration… Continue reading
Running Tally of Laws Potentially Broken by Pence-Kobach Commission, or By Commissioners
Hatch Act (Kobach only) (Kobach also sanctioned for misleading court on voting info, but not as part of commission)
Federal Advisory Commissions Act
Paperwork Reduction Act
Federal privacy laws (Judge Kollar-Kotelly wants response, including knowing who is on Commission)… Continue reading
First Pence-Kobach Meeting to Be Live Streamed, May Have “Experts” But No Oral Public Comments
Notice in FR of July 19 meeting:
This meeting will consist of a ceremonial swearing in of Commission members, introductions and statements from members, a discussion of the Commission’s charge and objectives, possible comments or presentations from invited experts, and… Continue reading
Democratic Commissioner Dunlap: Kobach Did Not Vet Voter Data Letter with Other Commission Members
Celeste Katz:
Because the commission hadn’t officially met to begin business, Dunlap said the letter signed by Kobach and sent to all 50 states wasn’t first vetted by other panel members.
As for the reaction, Dunlap said, “some of that… Continue reading
“President Trump’s Election Commission Has Already Violated Federal Law”
Larry Schwartztol for Take Care:
In other words, the Commission’s failure to adhere to the PRA isn’t a matter of mere technical non-compliance; it flouted a legal framework whose provisions would have offered a safeguard against a misguided, and potentially… Continue reading
Kobach Statement Issued by VP’s Office Says Media Distorts Rejection of Requests for State Info
Statement via Jessica Huseman, who adds: “A good way to prevent ‘media distortions’ is to answer the phone when the media calls with questions, or to respond to emails with questions…lot of journalists *did* mischaracterize the email Kobach sent… Continue reading
New Lawyers’ Committee Request for Information from Pence-Kobach Faux Commission
Release:
On Monday, the Lawyers’ Committee submitted a request under the Federal Advisory Committee Act for all of the Commission’s records to date. The request includes all emails from Commission members — including Vice President Mike Pence and the Commission’s… Continue reading