Arizona Supreme Court sanctions Kari Lake’s attorneys

May 4, 2023, 2:14 pmchicanery, election law biz, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

Hot off the press: an order by the Arizona Supreme Court sanctioning Kari Lake’s attorneys for false factual statements to the court. I believe this is at least the second sanctions order issued against Kurt Olsen related to false statements… Continue reading

BREAKING: Four Proud Boys Convicted of Sedition in Key Jan. 6 Case

May 4, 2023, 8:34 amelection subversion riskJustin Levitt

From the NYT: Four members of the Proud Boys, including their former leader Enrique Tarrio, were convicted on Thursday of seditious conspiracy for plotting to keep President Donald J. Trump in power after his election defeat by leading a… Continue reading

Why did Justice O’Connor abandon her own Article II argument in Bush v. Gore?

May 4, 2023, 7:59 amBush v. Gore reflections, electoral collegeDerek Muller

Yesterday, I looked at the draft memorandum Justice Sandra Day O’Connor circulated on December 10, 2000, ahead of the December 11 oral argument in Bush v. Gore. Her memorandum focused on Article II. By December 12, however, the per… Continue reading

“Emails Reveal ‘Jaw-Dropping’ Herschel Walker Money Scandal”

May 3, 2023, 11:54 pmcampaign financeJustin Levitt

New from the Daily Beast: Emails show Herschel Walker solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars for his own business from a billionaire donor, with the donor believing he was giving to Walker’s campaign. and In the best possible circumstances,… Continue reading

“Shemia Fagan resigns as Oregon secretary of state following cannabis consulting scandal”

May 3, 2023, 4:08 pmelection law bizJustin Levitt

Oregon Public Broadcasting has a deeper dive.

Disney v. DeSantis

May 3, 2023, 4:07 pmFirst Amendment theoryJustin Levitt

On April 26, Disney sued DeSantis in federal court. And on May 1, DeSantis (well, the five DeSantis appointees to the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District) sued Disney in state court. The federal case is essentially about a… Continue reading

“Microsoft economist warns of A.I. election interference from ‘bad actors’”

May 3, 2023, 4:05 pmcheap speech, election subversion riskJustin Levitt

I’m also on an upcoming panel (at Caltech, this Friday!) about the “Societal Implications of Generative AI” … but when the chief economist of a company with a $1 billion investment in the technology raises a flag at… Continue reading

“Trump Vows to Empower Political Pastors on Christian Nationalist Broadcast”

May 3, 2023, 4:04 pmcampaign finance, tax law and election lawJustin Levitt

Rolling Stone cites the former President’s plans on the Johnson Amendment: “We never enforced it. We essentially ended it. I wasn’t able to finish it. But I’ll finish it this time.” The Johnson Amendment prohibits 501(c)(3) nonprofits, contributions to which… Continue reading

“The Jolt: Georgia megadonor tells Trump attorney election was clean”

May 3, 2023, 4:03 pmcheap speech, election subversion risk, fraudulent fraud squadJustin Levitt

Lauren Windsor with another audio reveal from the Cleta Mitchell conversation to RNC donors. More here at the AJC. From a donor apparently identified as Tommy Bagwell, to the assembled crowd: I’m one of the largest donors to Trump… Continue reading

The other other Dominion case

May 3, 2023, 4:02 pmelection administration, voting technologyJustin Levitt

The AP reminds us that this case about a touchscreen ballot-marking system, first filed August 8, 2017 (challenging what were then paperless DREs), went to a summary judgment hearing on Tuesday.

“Court ruling risks letting election fraud off the hook. Lawmakers must fix it.”

May 3, 2023, 4:01 pmfraudulent fraud squadJustin Levitt

Texas AG Ken Paxton lobbies for more legislation on election crime, after the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on separation of powers grounds struck down a law purporting to give the AG power to prosecute. The underlying dispute was about… Continue reading

“Mathematical Flaws in Ranked Choice Voting Are Rare but Real”

May 3, 2023, 4:00 pmalternative voting systemsJustin Levitt

That’s the title of this new piece, accompanying this new paper (with a title that I prefer, not that anyone’s asking: “An Examination of Ranked Choice Voting in the United States, 2004-2022”). The authors identify the “primary value of… Continue reading

“Beer can launched to remind people of huge change in election voting rules”

May 3, 2023, 4:00 pmelection administrationJustin Levitt

Leave aside the controversy over the underlying rules for a moment: this is a marketing innovation I’d love to import from across the pond.

“Party affiliation can be misleading in local Pa. elections. Here’s why”

May 3, 2023, 3:59 pmpolitical parties, primaries, third partiesJustin Levitt

Spotlight PA has a feature on Pennsylvania school board elections with closed primaries (you’ve got to be a member of the party to vote in that party’s primary) and cross-filing (in which candidates can appear on multiple parties’ ballots). I’m… Continue reading