Monthly Archives: September 2017
“Experts Say the Use of Private Email by Trump’s Voter Fraud Commission Isn’t Legal”
Jessica Huseman for ProPublica:
President Donald Trump’s voter fraud commission came under fire earlier this month when a lawsuit and media reports revealed that the commissioners were using private emails to conduct public business. Commission co-chair Kris Kobach confirmed this… Continue reading
“The White House Isn’t Doing Its Staff Any Favors By Not Setting Limits on Who Can Pay Their Legal Fees”
Dan Weiner:
The reality is that, notwithstanding anything OGE says, federal law contains broad prohibitions against bribery, conflicts of interest, and similar misconduct. Any government official or employee who uses her position to benefit a donor to her legal defense… Continue reading
“Arizona agencies feud over policing ‘dark money’ groups; voters could be the losers”
AZ Central:
As next year’s statewide elections get closer, several Arizona agencies are locked in a bitter feud to determine who has the power to police so-called “dark money” groups that spend millions to influence races.
The dispute is playing… Continue reading
“Residents of U.S. Territories Ask Court to Expand Voting Rights”
Courthouse News Service:
U.S. Circuit Judge David Hamilton asked whether the differences in absentee voting rights between the territories could be due to their unique political histories.
After all, “there are unique, one-of-a-kind, custom deals with each territory,” Hamilton said.… Continue reading
Politifact Rates “False” Kobach’s Statements About Fraud in New Hampshire
“10 people in Colorado may have cast two ballots in 2016 election, while 38 might have also voted in another state, study says”
Denver Post:
Ten of Colorado’s nearly 3 million voters in the 2016 presidential election may have cast two ballots, while 38 of them might have voted in another state.
Those are among the findings of a study released Friday and… Continue reading
“Trump’s FEC nominee has questioned the value of disclosing political donors”
Matea Gold for WaPo:
James E. “Trey” Trainor III, the conservative Texas lawyer nominated by President Trump this week to serve on the Federal Election Commission, has challenged the principle that the public benefits from the disclosure of political donors,… Continue reading
FEC’s Weintraub: “Our elections are facing more threats online. Our laws must catch up.”
WaPo oped from Ellen Weintraub, longtime FEC Commissioner:
Would you click on that political ad if you knew it had been generated by a Russian troll farm? Probably not. But without knowing that? Well, you might. Indeed, we now know… Continue reading
“Facebook to launch ‘election integrity initiative’ to prevent meddling of votes, ahead of Canadian elections”
Montana: “Secretary of state denies voter fraud claims”
Great Falls Tribune:
Secretary of State Corey Stapleton said in a letter read by his chief of staff to a legislative committee Thursday that he never made any allegations of 360 cases of voter fraud in the May 25 special… Continue reading
Utah: “Gov. Herbert wishes GOP would drop lawsuit challenging new election law”
Salt Lake Tribune:
Gov. Gary Herbert wished aloud Thursday that the Utah Republican Party would drop its lawsuit challenging the state’s new election law, which is driving a wedge between the party’s right wing and moderates.
But he concedes that… Continue reading
“FEC Votes to Explore Disclosure Rules for Online Ads”
Ken Doyle for Bloomberg BNA:
The Federal Election Commission voted unanimously to jump-start a rulemaking process focused on disclosure requirements for online ads, following the revelation of Russian-linked political ads on Facebook.
The vote, at the end of a lengthy … Continue reading
“Trump’s voter-fraud propagandist cooks up extremely fuzzy math”
E.J. Dionne nails it:
It is neither paranoid nor alarmist to begin asking if the Trump administration plans to rationalize blocking a large number of voters who oppose the president from casting ballots in 2018 and 2020. And it is… Continue reading