Monthly Archives: January 2025

“In North Carolina, Republicans Try to Reverse a Supreme Court Election Loss”

January 10, 2025, 3:29 pmchicanery, judicial electionsRick Hasen

NYT: Judge Griffin’s protest includes two arguments against counting a few thousand ballots cast by overseas voters that one Republican justice said this week may have merit. But its centerpiece is a claim that some 60,000 voters in the Supreme… Continue reading

Fourth Circuit Sets Expedited Briefing Schedule in North Carolina Supreme Court Election Dispute, But Does Not Issue Any Orders for Now

January 10, 2025, 2:36 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Here is the order (via Democracy Docket). As things stand on the question of removing this case to federal court, the case for now remains before the North Carolina Supreme Court, which would be deciding an issue relating to the… Continue reading

“Trump Inauguration, Awash in Cash, Runs Out of Perks for Big Donors”

January 10, 2025, 2:22 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

NYT: President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inaugural committee is no longer selling tickets for major donors to attend his swearing-in and accompanying private events in Washington, according to five people briefed on the conversations. The committee has raised over $170 million,… Continue reading

“Rudy Giuliani held in contempt for second time this week”

January 10, 2025, 2:02 pmfraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Politico: A federal judge has held Rudy Giuliani in contempt for continuing to falsely accuse two Georgia women of election fraud in 2020, breaching a court order against further attacking them after the pair won a $148 million defamation suit… Continue reading

“Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Sprint to Remake Meta for the Trump Era”

January 10, 2025, 1:59 pmcheap speechRick Hasen

NYT: Mark Zuckerberg kept the circle of people who knew his thinking small. Last month, Mr. Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Meta, tapped a handful of top policy and communications executives and others to discuss the company’s approach to online… Continue reading

“Fox Corp must face Smartmatic $2.7 billion defamation claim”

January 10, 2025, 9:16 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Reuters: Fox Corp (FOXA.O), opens new tab, the parent of Fox News Network, failed to convince a New York state appeals court to dismiss a defamation claim in electronic voting systems company Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion lawsuit over the network’s… Continue reading

“Trump sentenced to penalty-free ‘unconditional discharge’ in hush money case”

January 10, 2025, 7:30 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

NBC News: The New York judge who presided over Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday sentenced the president-elect to an “unconditional discharge,” meaning he is now a convicted felon in the eyes of New York state law but will… Continue reading

“Appeals Court Declines to Block Release of Special Counsel Report on Trump Cases”

January 10, 2025, 7:27 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: A federal appeals court said on Thursday that it would not block the Justice Department from releasing a report by the special counsel Jack Smith about the two now-closed investigations he conducted into President-elect Donald J. Trump. In a … Continue reading

“How a Phone Call Drew Alito Into a Trump Loyalty Squabble”

January 10, 2025, 7:25 amconflict of interest laws, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

NYT: The circumstances were extraordinary for another reason: Justice Alito was being drawn into a highly personalized effort by some Trump aides to blackball Republicans deemed insufficiently loyal to Mr. Trump from entering the administration, according to six people with… Continue reading

“Watchdog group seeks investigation into RFK Jr. for voting from a ‘sham’ address”

January 10, 2025, 7:06 amchicanery, voter registrationRick Hasen

AP: New York election officials are being urged to investigate whether Robert F. Kennedy Jr. committed voter fraud by casting his November ballot from a discredited address, as the former independent presidential candidate seeks Senate confirmation for a top public… Continue reading

North Carolina: “Attorney went around opposing counsel for order blocking certification of a disputed state Supreme Court election”

January 10, 2025, 6:56 amchicaneryRick Hasen

WUNC: n attorney representing the Republican candidate in a tight race for the North Carolina Supreme Court went before a Wake County judge this week without notifying opposing counsel to seek an order blocking certification of the election. In some… Continue reading

Supreme Court, on 5-4 Vote, Will Not Stop Sentencing of Donald Trump Tomorrow (on Charges for Which the Judge Will Not Impose Jail Time)

January 9, 2025, 4:37 pmSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Here is the order in full: 24A666 TRUMP, DONALD J. V. NEW YORK, ET AL. The application for stay presented to Justice Sotomayor and by her referred to the Court is denied for, inter alia, the following reasons. First, the… Continue reading

“TikTok Case Before Supreme Court Pits National Security Against Free Speech”

January 9, 2025, 4:10 pmcheap speech, First Amendment theory, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

NYT: When the Supreme Court hears arguments on Friday over whether protecting national security requires TikTok to be sold or closed, the justices will be working in the shadow of three First Amendment precedents, all influenced by the climate of… Continue reading