Monthly Archives: August 2018

“Those payments to women were unseemly. That doesn’t mean they were illegal.”

August 24, 2018, 8:20 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Brad Smith writes for WaPo. See also this piece at Reason. I disagree with Brad, for reasons I’ve given most recently in this Slate piece from last week and my ELB Podcast with Bob Bauer.

“Manhattan D.A. Eyes Criminal Charges Against Trump Organization”

August 23, 2018, 6:58 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: The Manhattan district attorney’s office is considering pursuing criminal charges against the Trump Organization and two senior company officials in connection with Michael D. Cohen’s hush money payment to an adult film actress, according to two officials with knowledge… Continue reading

“BREAKING: Elections consultant fired over proposal to close Georgia precincts”

August 23, 2018, 6:57 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

AJC: The elections consultant who proposed closing most voting locations in a majority African-American rural Georgia county has been fired ahead of a vote Friday on consolidating precincts. The proposal to shutter seven of the county’s nine precincts before… Continue reading

“White House blocks bill that would protect elections”

August 23, 2018, 6:55 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Yahoo: A bill that would have significantly bolstered the nation’s defenses against electoral interference has been held up in the Senate at the behest of the White House, which opposed the proposed legislation, according to congressional sources.The Secure Elections Act… Continue reading

Lordy, There are Safes

August 23, 2018, 6:53 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

AP: The National Enquirer kept a safe containing documents on hush money payments and other damaging stories it killed as part of its cozy relationship with Donald Trump leading up to the 2016 presidential election, people familiar with the arrangement… Continue reading

“There’s a dark history to the campaign finance laws Michael Cohen broke — and that should worry Trump”

August 23, 2018, 6:52 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy writes.

Will David Pecker Implicate Trump?

August 23, 2018, 10:07 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Yesterday I suggested David Pecker might be next to take a plea deal, but it turns out he got something better: immunity. and it looks like he’s implicating the president (from the WSJ): David Pecker, the chief executive… Continue reading

ELB Podcast, Season 2, Episode 2: Bob Bauer: Unpacking the Trump Campaign Finance Allegations, From Michael Cohen to Trump Tower

August 23, 2018, 9:58 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicanery, ELB PodcastRick Hasen

Does Michael Cohen’s guilty plea to campaign finance violations implicate the President in criminal campaign finance activity? What about the defenses that the President has raised to these charges? Did Trump or the Trump campaign violate the prohibition on soliciting… Continue reading

“FACT CHECK: Trump’s Misguided Defense Of Cohen Payments”

August 23, 2018, 7:35 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Peter Overby for NPR.

Federal Court Rejects Dallas County, Texas Voting Rights Act Claim Brought by Anglo Republicans Claiming Voting Discrimination

August 23, 2018, 7:32 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

You can read the opinion at this link.

“DNC says suspected hack attempt turned out to be a security test”

August 23, 2018, 7:30 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

WaPo: Whoops. What the Democratic National Committee this week thought was an attempted hack of its valuable voter file turned out to be a security test organized by a state party, unbeknownst to the national organization. The committee on Tuesday… Continue reading

“The Campaign Finance Case Against Donald Trump is a Strong One: Just Ask John Edwards’ Prosecutors”

August 23, 2018, 7:18 amcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Paul Ryan for Just Security.

“‘Dark money’ boosts Democratic super PAC that’s battling ‘corrupt campaign finance system’”

August 23, 2018, 7:16 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

CPI: BlackPAC — an upstart super PAC that’s raised millions to support Democrats — has received a new infusion of “dark money” to fuel its 2018 midterm election efforts, according to new federal filings. BlackPAC received $100,000 in July… Continue reading

Is a David Pecker Plea Deal Next?

August 22, 2018, 6:53 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

I‘ve been talking to a lot of reporters today about whether AMI/National Enquirer and its leaders could be liable for campaign finance violations, given their role in paying money to keep Trump mistresses quiet. I explained that the issue… Continue reading