Monthly Archives: December 2018

“In N.C. election fraud case, witness says operative held onto 800 absentee ballots”

December 12, 2018, 7:15 amcampaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

NBC News: McCrae Dowless, the man whose “get-out-the-vote” activities are the center of the election fraud investigation in North Carolina, told a local political campaign volunteer that he was holding onto 800 absentee ballots, according to a new affidavit… Continue reading

“Democracy by the People: Reforming Campaign Finance in America”

December 12, 2018, 7:13 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

This new book edited by Gene Mazo and Tim Kuhner looks like it will be terrific. Enter the code MAZO2018 at the checkout on Cambridge’s website for a 20 percent discount. Table of Contents Introduction Democracy by the Wealthy: Campaign… Continue reading

“J.H. Snider: A jury should decide on Maryland’s next redistricting map”

December 11, 2018, 6:02 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Column in the Capital Gazette.

“Bladen counted early votes too soon in 2018. Witness alleges numbers were leaked.”

December 11, 2018, 5:18 pmchicanery, election administrationRick Hasen

Charlotte Observer: Bladen County election workers tallied the results of early voting before Election Day in violation of state rules and are accused of allowing outsiders to view them, a precinct worker wrote in an affidavit released by state Democrats.… Continue reading

“With Power Grabs in the Midwest, G.O.P. Risks a 2020 Backlash”

December 11, 2018, 7:37 amredistrictingRick Hasen

NYT: The continuing legislative maneuvers in Michigan and Wisconsin are part of a broader war for power in the Midwest, a politically prized region for both parties — but especially for Republicans, who are trying to dilute Democratic control ahead… Continue reading

“Trump says Cohen’s guilty plea is like the Obama campaign’s civil fine. There’s no comparison, experts say.”

December 11, 2018, 7:32 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Fredreka Schouten for CNN.

“Potent Weapon or Poison Pill? Super PACs Pose Quandary for 2020 Democrats”

December 11, 2018, 7:24 amcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

Shane Goldmacher for the NYT: It is one of the most potent and feared weapons in the arsenal of modern American politics: the super PAC. But as three dozen Democrats ponder presidential runs in 2020 and begin to design their… Continue reading

“Republicans in Wisconsin and Michigan want to weaken incoming Democratic governors. Here’s what’s the usual partisan politics — and what isn’t.”

December 11, 2018, 7:22 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Matt Glassman for The Monkey Cage.

“‘A Simple Private Transaction’: Trump Lays Out a Defense in a Campaign-Finance Case”

December 10, 2018, 6:25 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Charlie Savage in the NYT: President Trump defended himself on Monday against prosecutors’ accusation that he directed illegal payments ahead of the 2016 election to two women to stay silent about alleged extramarital affairs with him, insisting that the payments… Continue reading

“Thousands Of Mailed Ballots In Florida Were Not Counted”

December 10, 2018, 5:36 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

AP: Florida officials say thousands of mailed ballots were not counted because they were delivered too late to state election offices. The Department of State last week informed a federal judge that 6,670 ballots were mailed ahead of the Nov.… Continue reading

Interview with Me on PBS News Hour: “Why Cohen’s hush money places the president at legal risk”

December 10, 2018, 4:58 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

I spoke to the PBS News Hour about the President and the alleged campaign finance violations.

Michigan Junior Scholars Conference

December 10, 2018, 4:32 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Announcement via email: The University of Michigan Law School invites junior scholars to attend the 5th Annual Junior Scholars Conference, which will be held on April 26-27, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The conference provides junior scholars with a platform… Continue reading

“Vote-by-mail scandal in North Carolina exposes Florida’s lax laws”

December 10, 2018, 4:30 pmelection administrationRick Hasen

Tampa Bay Times: A contested election. Accusations of election fraud. Widespread attention from the national media. No, it’s not in Florida, which has had its fair share of election hijinks over the decades. It’s in North Carolina, where a Congressional… Continue reading

“Trump’s ‘Obama Did It Too’ Legal Defense Does Not Hold an Ounce of Water”

December 10, 2018, 11:45 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

I have written this piece for Slate. It begins: President Donald Trump may never face a criminal penalty or impeachment proceedings for violating campaign finance laws in alleged conspiracy with his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. But on Monday,… Continue reading