Supreme Court Consolidates Two Alabama Redistricting Voting Rights Cases, Squarely Sets Up Meaning of Section 2 of VRA in Question Presented

February 22, 2022, 7:00 amSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

From today’s order list: 21-1086 ) MERRILL, AL SEC. OF STATE, ET AL. V. MILLIGAN, EVAN, ET AL.) 21-1087 ) MERRILL, AL SEC. OF STATE, ET AL. V. CASTER, MARCUS, ET AL.These cases are consolidated, and a total of… Continue reading

Must-Read Politico: “Dems fear for democracy. Their big donors aren’t funding one of its main election groups.”

February 22, 2022, 6:51 amelection subversion risk, The Voting WarsRick Hasen

Politico: Democratic secretaries of state say they’re at the vanguard of protecting democracy, pushing back against election disinformation and attempts to suppress the vote.But while the party’s base has largely rallied behind them, its biggest donors have not.During the… Continue reading

Major NYT Magazine Story on Justice Thomas and His Wife Ginni Thomas Highlights Ginni Thomas’s Active Role in January 6-Related Activities

February 22, 2022, 6:49 amchicanery, election subversion risk, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

NYT: The call to action was titled “Election Results and Legal Battles: What Now?” Shared in the days after the 2020 presidential election, it urged the members of an influential if secretive right-wing group to contact legislators in three… Continue reading

“Signatures of Florida voters whose registration changed to Republican different than prior samples”

February 22, 2022, 6:47 amchicaneryRick Hasen

WUSF: Signatures of some voters in apartment buildings and high-rise towers in South Florida whose registration was changed to Republican appeared noticeably different than on paperwork those same voters signed earlier, according to a new review of voting… Continue reading

“U.S. census director says the bureau needs to reduce chances of meddling after Trump”

February 21, 2022, 3:47 pmcensus litigationRick Hasen

Hansi Lo Wang for NPR.

“The Supreme Court and the Pro-Business Paradox”

February 21, 2022, 2:55 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Elizabeth Pollman: One of the most notable trends of the Roberts Court is expanding corporate rights and narrowing liability or access to justice against corporate defendants. Citizens United and Hobby Lobby are the most well-known cases in this vein,… Continue reading

California “Supreme Court denies preliminary relief in partisan gerrymandering case”

February 21, 2022, 2:54 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

At the Lectern: The Supreme Court last week declined to overturn a superior court denial of a preliminary injunction that would have stopped the use at this year’s election of a newly drawn district map for the San Luis… Continue reading

“Louisiana’s reasons for withdrawing from ERIC don’t add up”

February 19, 2022, 3:58 pmvoter registrationRick Hasen

Jessica Huseman: In late January, Louisiana suspended its participation in a multi-state voter-roll-matching program known as ERIC, one week after rightwing conspiracy site Gateway Pundit baselessly accused ERIC of being “a left-wing voter registration drive disguised as voter… Continue reading

Harvard Law Review Note Questions Value of American Democracy, Embraces “Textual Fidelity”

February 19, 2022, 3:56 pmelection subversion riskRick Hasen

Oh man: Oh man https://t.co/QpcBPyVlwC pic.twitter.com/gN8MGj1E8F— Rick Hasen (@rickhasen) February 19, 2022 More: This part in particular made me wonder pic.twitter.com/O8dU0CuCJN— Dan Epps (@danepps) February 19, 2022

Political Fragmentation, Republican Edition

February 19, 2022, 4:55 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

There two recent stories capture the internal fragmentation of the Republican Party, part of the larger story about political fragmentation more generally: From the NYT: Fringe Scheme to Reverse 2020 Election Splits Wisconsin G.O.P. From Politico: GOP Plunges Into Season … Continue reading

“Wisconsin Republicans seek to jail more officials as part of their review of the 2020 presidential election”

February 18, 2022, 4:45 pmchicanery, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Patrick Marley for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Assembly Republicans sought Friday to jail the chairwoman of the state Elections Commission, Racine’s mayor and other officials as part of their months-long review of the 2020 presidential election.The court filing marked the… Continue reading

“Judge allows lawsuits against Trump for January 6 to go forward but tosses cases against Giuliani and Trump Jr.”

February 18, 2022, 1:45 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

CNN: Civil lawsuits seeking to hold Donald Trump accountable for the January 6 insurrection can move forward in court, and the ex-President doesn’t have absolute immunity from litigation, a federal judge ruled Friday.Trump’s statements to his supporters before… Continue reading

Watch Video of My Appearance on CBS News Talking About the Supreme Court’s Order in the Alabama Redistricting Case

February 18, 2022, 12:56 pmredistricting, Supreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

You can watch here.

Watch Archived Video of Council on Foreign Relations Webinar on How Local Journalists Should Cover the Voting Wars

February 18, 2022, 12:53 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

I was happy to participate in this event with Clara Hendrickson and Carla Anne Robbins. The link will take you to a video and a transcript. Or you can watch here:

Election Law Blog

The law of politics and the politics of law