“Dark money group linked to Leonard Leo is dissolved”

January 20, 2023, 6:15 amtax law and election lawRick Hasen

Politico: A dark money group tied to conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo was dissolved three days after POLITICO inquired about whether it helped to facilitate the multi-million-dollar sale of former White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway’s polling company, paperwork filed… Continue reading

“Republicans have relied on volunteer election lawyers acting as a ragtag army of free, seasonal law militia”

January 19, 2023, 8:00 pmThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Election lawyer (and candidate for RNC Chair) Harmeet Dhillon: On the watershed day of January 8, 2021, Ronna McDaniel was elected at an RNC meeting to a third term as RNC chairman. At the time, she promised it would… Continue reading

“Judge sanctions Trump, Habba nearly $1 million for ‘completely frivolous’ Clinton suit”

January 19, 2023, 7:56 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Politico: A Florida-based federal judge has ordered nearly $1 million in sanctions against Donald Trump and his attorney Alina Habba, calling the former president a “mastermind of strategic abuse of the judicial process.” In a blistering 46-page order, U.S.… Continue reading

“Americans Deserve a House of Representatives That Better Represents Them”

January 19, 2023, 7:30 pmalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

Ben Raderstorf and Beau Tremitiere in the Bulwark: So in a sense, the real question is not why cross-party coalitions are appearing in state legislatures, but rather, why they aren’t more common—and why a gridlocked House of Representatives refused to elect… Continue reading

“John Eastman Is Unbowed as Investigations Proliferate”

January 19, 2023, 7:04 pmelection subversion risk, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

NYT: The crux of Mr. Eastman’s defense is that he was simply a lawyer offering advice, and that he was acting in good faith, since he still believes many of the fraud claims that were made. “I’m not backing down… Continue reading

“Supreme Court Poised to Reconsider Key Tenets of Online Speech”

January 19, 2023, 8:39 amcheap speech, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

NYT: For years, giant social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have operated under two crucial tenets. The first is that the platforms have the power to decide what content to keep online and what to take down, free… Continue reading

“Cartels” Control Arizona and Stole the Gubernatorial Election from Her, Kari Lake Claims without Evidence

January 19, 2023, 7:47 amchicanery, fraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Oh my: So far, several Arizona judges have ruled against the former television news anchor turned right-wing thought leader’s case, stating she has thus far failed to prove her approximately half-point loss to Hobbs was the result of intentional manipulation… Continue reading

Total Vote Runoff: A Majority-Maximizing Form of Ranked Choice Voting

January 18, 2023, 4:16 pmUncategorizedNed Foley

I’ve posted another paper on SSRN. Here’s its abstract: Total Vote Runoff (TVR) is an electoral system designed to be identical to Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), which is the most commonly understood and implemented form of Ranked Choice Voting… Continue reading

“N.J. county will seek court-ordered recount after voting machines produced erroneous election results”

January 18, 2023, 12:44 pmvoting technologyRick Hasen

David Wildstein: The Monmouth County Board of Elections are expected to ask a judge to order a recount of an Ocean Township school board race after their voting machine vendor, Election Systems and Software (ES&S), acknowledged on Tuesday that … Continue reading

SELF-DISTRICTING: The Ultimate Antidote to Gerrymandering

January 18, 2023, 9:13 amUncategorizedNed Foley

I have posted this new paper on SSRN. Here’s the abstract: It is possible to end gerrymandering by removing the power to draw district lines from government officials and giving this power to the voters themselves. In a self-districting… Continue reading

“Allen announces withdrawal from voter registration group”

January 18, 2023, 8:42 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

AP: Alabama’s new secretary of state announced the state’s withdrawal Tuesday from a 32-state voter registration partnership, a data-sharing effort that was designed to maintain accurate voter rolls but has sometimes become the target of conservative ire and conspiracy theories.… Continue reading

“Special elections for two Pa. state House vacancies will be held Feb. 7, court rules”

January 18, 2023, 7:40 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Philly Inquirer: The special elections to fill two vacant seats in the Pennsylvania state House — the subject of a contentious fight between Democrats and Republicans — will be held Feb. 7, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled Friday. That’s a… Continue reading

“Trump’s Former Lawyer Meets With Prosecutors About Hush Money”

January 18, 2023, 7:32 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

NYT: The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Tuesday took a significant step forward in its investigation of Donald J. Trump, meeting with his former personal lawyer about hush money paid to a porn star who said she had an affair… Continue reading

“Donald Trump prepares for his return to Facebook and Twitter”

January 18, 2023, 7:30 amcheap speechRick Hasen

NBC News: Mounting a comeback for the White House, Donald Trump is looking to regain control over his powerful social media accounts. With access to his Twitter account back, Trump’s campaign is formally petitioning Facebook’s parent company to unblock his… Continue reading