USCIS updates SAVE immigration database to be queried with Social Security numbers

May 26, 2025, 1:38 pmvoter registrationproof of citizenshipJustin Levitt

From the press release this past Thursday: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to ensure a single, reliable source for verifying immigration status and U.S. citizenship nationwide. State and local authorities can… Continue reading

“Qatari foreign agents frequently donate to the congressional offices they lobby”

May 26, 2025, 1:36 pmcampaign finance, lobbyingJustin Levitt

From the Washington Examiner. I suspect the practice isn’t limited to Qatar.

Judicial elections at home and abroad

May 26, 2025, 1:36 pmjudicial electionsinternational electionsJustin Levitt

The Kansas City Star reports the latest on a plan to switch from merit elections to direct elections for the Kansas Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the International Crisis Group summarizes the landscape ahead of Mexico’s impending June 1 elections, when the… Continue reading

“Controversial voting machine gaining use in NY elections”

May 26, 2025, 1:35 pmelection administration, voting technologyJustin Levitt

Per the Times-Union, the controversy with the ES&S ExpressVote XL is the barcode used to tally results (which also drew the ire of President Trump’s executive order on elections, though the purported mandate with respect to voting machines… Continue reading

“Venezuela’s ruling party claims election win as opposition boycotts poll”

May 26, 2025, 1:34 pmUncategorizeddemocratic backsliding, internationalJustin Levitt

The BBC reports on the democracy mess in Venezuela.

You got me again

May 26, 2025, 1:33 pmUncategorizedJustin Levitt

Hi, folks. It’s Justin again. As Rick mentioned, I’ll be your temporary guest host this week. For tips and praise, you can find my email address here. For critique, please fill out the comment form here.

“How Donald Trump Has Remade America’s Political Landscape”

May 25, 2025, 1:59 pmpolitical partiesRick Hasen

NYT: Donald J. Trump’s victory in 2024 was not an outlier. It was the culmination of continuous gains by Republicans in much of the country each time he has run for president, a sea of red that amounts to a… Continue reading

“Judge strikes down Trump’s sanctions against Jenner & Block law firm”

May 25, 2025, 1:55 pmauthoritarian threats in US, election law bizRick Hasen

WaPo: A federal judge on Friday struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order sanctioning the law firm Jenner & Block, the second time a court has quashed one of Trump’s efforts to punish a firm. U.S. District Judge John D.… Continue reading

“In the face of election denial in North Carolina, the judiciary upholds democracy”

May 25, 2025, 1:53 pmelection subversion riskRick Hasen

Stephen Richer: It took six months, but the race for the North Carolina Supreme Court is finally over. The rules of the game held – just as they did following the 2020 election – and the winner is now in… Continue reading

“As Trumps Monetize Presidency, Profits Outstrip Protests”

May 25, 2025, 1:50 pmbribery, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

Peter Baker for the NYT: When Hillary Clinton was first lady, a furor erupted over reports that she had once made $100,000 from a $1,000 investment in cattle futures. Even though it had happened a dozen years before her… Continue reading

“Prove citizenship to vote? For some married women, it might not be so easy.”

May 24, 2025, 10:04 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

WaPo: Some Republican-led states are moving to require voters to prove their citizenship, as Texas advances a controversial measure that could make it harder for eligible voters to get on the rolls because of changed names, mislaid paperwork or database… Continue reading

North Carolina Supreme Court, on 5-2 Party Line Vote, Allows (Pending Appeal) Republican Party Takeover of State and County Board of Elections

May 23, 2025, 2:02 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

Is anything more predictable these days than the North Carolina Supreme Court?

“Trump dines with top meme coin holders, shrugging off ethics concerns”

May 23, 2025, 7:22 amchicanery, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

WaPo: President Donald Trump dined with the top purchasers of his meme coin at a black-tie gala Thursday night, demonstrating his willingness to cross what was once seen as an ethical red line: profiting off the presidency while in office.… Continue reading

“Trump’s $600 million war chest: How he plans to wield his power in the midterms and beyond”

May 23, 2025, 7:17 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

AP: Between a barrage of executive orders, foreign trips and norm-shattering proclamations, Donald Trump has also been busy raking in cash. The president has amassed a war chest of at least $600 million in political donations heading into the midterm… Continue reading