“Kentucky Activists Step In to Deliver on the Promise of Voting Rights Restoration”

October 12, 2023, 9:48 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Bolts: The outlook changed dramatically for Kentuckians with felonies in 2019, when Democrat Andy Beshear entered office with what he called a “moral responsibility” to help others like Malone. Two days after his inauguration, Beshear issued a sweeping executive order… Continue reading

Superseding Indictment Charges Senator Menendez with Conspiracy to Act as Foreign Agent

October 12, 2023, 9:45 ambribery, chicaneryRick Hasen

Serious.

“Judge denies bid to block Georgia voting law, including drop box limits”

October 12, 2023, 9:07 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

AJC: A federal judge ruled Wednesday that lawsuits haven’t yet proven that Georgia’s 2021 election law is racially discriminatory, a conclusion that leaves in place the law’s limitations on ballot drop boxes, voter ID and water handouts to voters in… Continue reading

“The New Republican Establishment; An alternative Trumpist governing elite gets closer to ruling the party.”

October 12, 2023, 7:35 ampolitical polarizationRick Hasen

Nate Cohn for the NYT: In the final account, the rise and fall of Kevin McCarthy might read like the familiar tale of a Republican congressional leader toppled by a small but uncompromising right-wing faction. But even if the story… Continue reading

“Trump’s Claim That He Can’t Be Prosecuted Collides With Precedents”

October 12, 2023, 7:32 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Adam Liptak for the NYT: Among the bold claims in the motion filed last week by former President Donald J. Trump seeking to dismiss the federal indictment accusing him of conspiring to undermine the 2020 election, there was a significant… Continue reading

“Cenk Uygur running for president as Democrat” Despite Being Born in Turkey and Therefore Not Qualified

October 11, 2023, 6:08 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

Oh man: Uygur was born in Istanbul, and immigrated to the United States from Turkey in 1978, but believed that the Constitution’s “natural born citizen” clause wouldn’t disqualify him from running. The issue would end up in the Supreme Court,… Continue reading

“Samuel Alito Really, Really, Really Wants to Save This Racial Gerrymander in South Carolina”

October 11, 2023, 3:24 pmSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Chris Geidner really nailed it in his recap for Slate of today’s oral argument in the Alexander case (South Carolina racial gerrymandering): As Jackson explained, under the clear error standard, “A finding [from the district court] that is plausible in… Continue reading

Read the Oral Argument Transcript in the Alexander Case (South Carolina Racial Gerrymandering)

October 11, 2023, 1:41 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Find it here. And here is Adam Liptak’s coverage in the NY Times.

“Exclusive: RNC plans to recruit army of poll watchers for 2024”

October 11, 2023, 1:20 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Axios: The Republican National Committee plans to recruit and train tens of thousands of poll workers and watchers in battleground states for the 2024 election, according to plans shared first with Axios. Why it matters: It’s part of the RNC’s ongoing… Continue reading

“2nd former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice advises Republican leader against impeachment”

October 11, 2023, 11:22 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

AP: A second former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice asked to investigate taking the unprecedented step of impeaching a liberal justice came out Wednesday against it. Former Justice Jon Wilcox told The Associated Press that there was nothing to justify impeaching… Continue reading

Tenth Circuit, Following Supreme Court’s Decision in AFPF v. Bonta, Finds Aspect of Wyoming’s Campaign Finance Law Unconstitutional under the First Amendment

October 11, 2023, 10:53 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

What’s most significant in this decision by Judge Tymkovich for a unanimous 3-judge panel is the determination that Bonta makes it harder to sustain campaign finance disclosure laws (as I said in a NYT oped the day after the… Continue reading

“Exclusive: Charles Koch Has Given More Than $5 Billion Of His Stock To Two Nonprofits”

October 11, 2023, 8:23 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Forbes: Charles Koch is making big moves to ensure that his charities and causes are funded long after he’s gone. In an exclusive interview, the 87-year-old chairman and co-CEO of Koch Industries (and the 16th richest person in America, … Continue reading

“Conservative Election Activists Use Virginia as a Dry Run for 2024”

October 11, 2023, 7:50 amfraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

NYT: In 2021, after Republican victories in Virginia, conservative activists were so proud of their work training poll watchers, recruiting election workers and making other attempts to subtly influence the voting system that they wrote a memo called “The Virginia … Continue reading

“We Don’t Talk About Leonard: The Man Behind the Right’s Supreme Court Supermajority”

October 11, 2023, 7:45 amchicaneryRick Hasen

Very illuminating ProPublica report. I highly recommend their accompanying three-part podcast, which included a lot of information I did not know (such as the attempt by Leo and allies to get the Missouri plan for choosing judges thrown out in… Continue reading

Election Law Blog

The law of politics and the politics of law