“The Mystery of How Tim Scott’s Campaign Is Spending Its Millions”

July 28, 2023, 12:51 pmcampaign financeDan Tokaji

NYT: [Sen.] Scott entered the 2024 race with a war chest of $22 million, and his campaign raised $5.8 million from April through June. In that same time, he laid out about $6.6 million, a significant clip — but… Continue reading

Federal court dismisses lawsuit challenging Illinois mail ballot deadline

July 28, 2023, 12:47 pmabsentee ballotsDan Tokaji

Democracy Docket: “a federal judge in Illinois tossed out a lawsuit brought by three Republicans — including the current representative for the state’s 12th Congressional District, Michael Bost (R) — alleging that the state’s mail-in ballot receipt deadline violates… Continue reading

“Alabama Is Defying the Supreme Court on Voting Rights”

July 28, 2023, 8:59 amredistricting, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

Atlantic: “In an echo of mid-century southern defiance of school desegregation, the Yellowhammer State’s Republican-controlled legislature defied the conservative-dominated Court’s directive to redraw its congressional map with an additional Black-majority district.”

“A Black prosecutor was elected in Georgia – so white Republicans made their own district”

July 28, 2023, 5:11 amVoting Rights ActDan Tokaji

The Guardian reports on a different kind of circuit split: Since 1870, the Augusta judicial circuit has been home to the criminal justice system of a three-county area on Georgia’s border with South Carolina. In that time, no African American… Continue reading

Arkansas Voting Machine Case Remanded to State Court

July 28, 2023, 4:58 amvoting technologyDan Tokaji

You can find the order here and coverage here. USDJ James Moody remands the case for lack of federal question jurisdiction. Although the complaint includes a declaratory judgment claim under HAVA, the court concludes that there’s no private right… Continue reading

“Changing Facebook’s algorithm won’t fix polarization, new study finds”

July 28, 2023, 4:45 amcheap speech, political polarizationDan Tokaji

WaPo: For years, regulators and activists have worried that social media companies’ algorithms were dividing the United States with politically toxic posts and conspiracies. The concern was so widespread that in 2020, Meta flung open troves of internal data… Continue reading

“Inside Alabama Republicans’ plan to overturn Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act”

July 28, 2023, 4:43 amredistricting, Voting Rights ActDan Tokaji

Alabama Political Reporter: The decision by Alabama Republican legislators to seemingly defy a Supreme Court directive to redraw congressional voting maps with a second majority-Black district was part of a larger strategy intended to force the high court to… Continue reading

Breaking: New Charges Against Trump in Documents Case

July 27, 2023, 5:11 pmUncategorizedDan Tokaji

AP: Former President Donald Trump is facing accusations that he and aides asked a staffer to delete camera footage at his Florida estate in an effort to obstruct the classified documents investigations. The allegations were made Thursday in an… Continue reading

“The 2024 Election Could Be the End of the Cases Against Donald Trump”

July 27, 2023, 10:02 amDepartment of Justice, election subversion riskDan Tokaji

Paul Rosenzweig in The Atlantic: “[The 2024 election will] be a referendum on whether Trump will ever be held legally accountable for his actions. Trump faces multiple civil suits and at least two criminal indictments (with two more seemingly… Continue reading

Suspect in Michigan Voting Machine Probe Says She’s Been Indicted

July 27, 2023, 9:59 amelection subversion risk, voting technologyDan Tokaji

Bridge Michigan: “My attorney has been informed that I have been indicted by DJ Hilson, the special prosecutor in Michigan, working at the request of (Attorney General) Dana Nessel,” Stefanie Lambert said Wednesday on a conservative podcast, where she… Continue reading

“DOJ Will Not Pursue Campaign Finance Charge Against Sam Bankman-Fried”

July 27, 2023, 9:55 amcampaign finance, Department of JusticeDan Tokaji

Forbes: “The Justice Department will not pursue a campaign finance charge against Sam Bankman-Fried as part of an effort to adhere to the legal obligations of the FTX founder’s extradition from the Bahamas.” You can find the letter here… Continue reading

“Wisconsin’s Election Office In Limbo After GOP Tries To Force Out Its Director”

July 27, 2023, 9:51 amelection administration, election subversion riskDan Tokaji

Bolts: “[Administrator of the Wisconsin Election Commission, Meagan] Wolfe is widely respected by local clerks and election experts from both parties. But she has become a target for right-wing conspiracy theorists touting false claims that the 2020 election was… Continue reading

“Trump Lawyers Meet With Special Counsel’s Team as Jan. 6 Indictment Looms”

July 27, 2023, 9:48 amDepartment of Justice, election subversion riskDan Tokaji

WSJ: Donald Trump’s lawyers met Thursday with special counsel Jack Smith’s team, people familiar with the matter said, as federal prosecutors move closer toward bringing an indictment against the former president over efforts to cling to power after… Continue reading

“Republicans pile on Raffensperger for not upgrading voting machines”

July 27, 2023, 7:20 amvoting technologyDan Tokaji

The Jolt at AJC: Powerful Georgia House Republicans joined the chorus of conservatives criticizing Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s decision not to upgrade Georgia’s Dominion voting machines before the presidential election. A letter obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution panned… Continue reading