Coming Feb. 2024: My New Book: “A Real Right to Vote: How a Constitutional Amendment Can Safeguard American Democracy”
Very excited to be working with Princeton University Press on this new book. More to come!
DOJ Indictment of George Santos Alleges Campaign Finance Fraud, Conversion of Campaign Funds to Personal Use
Pretty blatant violations of the law if they can be proven. [The headline has been corrected.]
Justice Souter Fought to Avoid Applying “Exacting Scrutiny” to Contribution Limits in McConnell Case
Jimmy Hoover for the National Law Journal, examining the Stevens papers:
Among the many insights from Stevens’ papers are the once-private internal court memos in which justices offer suggestions or critiques of each other’s draft opinions in particular cases.
The… Continue reading
Voting Rights Groups Settle Racial Gerrymandering Case in Florida
Voting rights groups reach a settlement with Jacksonville City Council, which agreed to continue using maps ordered by a federal court that provide fair representation to Black communities through the next redistricting cycle after the 2030 Census. This largely settles… Continue reading
Justice Dep’t Settles N.J. VRA Case
Yesterday, the Justice Department announced a proposed consent decree with Union County, New Jersey and its elections officials in a suit challenging the county’s practices with respect to the availability of election assistance and materials in Spanish for Spanish-speaking voters… Continue reading
“Texas Republicans Push New Voting Restrictions Aimed at Houston”
N.Y. Times: Texas’s Republican-dominated state Legislature is targeting Harris County — the newest urban area to show signs of becoming a Democratic Party stronghold in the state — for voting restrictions. If passed, the law would limit polling places,… Continue reading
Constitutionality of N.Y’s Restrictions on Write-Ins Upheld
A 2021 amendment to N.Y.’s Election Law restricts the permissible universe of write-in candidates in a party primary to members of the party. Essentially applying Anderson-Burdick, the state appellate court upheld the constitutionality of the amendment.
“Political parties have protected… Continue reading
“Rep. George Santos charged by Justice Department in federal probe”
CNN Exclusive:
“Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against New York Rep. George Santos, the Republican lawmaker whose astonishing pattern of lies and fabrications stunned even hardened politicos, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Santos is… Continue reading
“Behind The Dark Money Attack on Voting Rights”
Documented offers more detailed information about the dark money groups behind the incremental assault on voting rights reported in the N.Y. Times yesterday. The four groups identified are:
Cleta Mitchell’s “Election Integrity Network” has organized coalitions of far-right grassroots… Continue reading
“Sort the mail-in ballot envelopes, or don’t?”
Andrew Appel at Freedom to Tinker has a four-part series offering a guide to local election officials about how best to handle mail-in ballot envelopes. He argues that how local officials handle them can make a huge difference in the… Continue reading
“DeSantis takes major step ahead of expected presidential bid”
Politico explains how a seemingly obscure move–severing ties to Friends of Ron DeSantis– is key to the viability of a presidential bid in 2024. Differences between Florida’s permissive campaign finance laws and the laws governing federal campaigns mean that DeSantis… Continue reading
“Federal judge grants injunction in Boston redistricting case: ‘The ball is back in the City Council’s court.’”
Boston Globe: The City of Boston’s new maps for City Council have been enjoined and must be redrawn before the November elections.
“’Plaintiffs have demonstrated a likelihood of success in showing that race played a predominant role in the… Continue reading
Elon Musk Buys into Far-Right Smears of Those Pursuing Election Integrity on a Bipartisan Basis
Pam Fessler:
What’s strange @elonmusk is that you continue to allow blatant lies on Twitter. This conference is bi/nonpartisan and available for anyone to see online. You might want to watch and learn about all the work R and… Continue reading
“Michael Berman, Democratic strategist and force in California politics, dies”
LAT:
Michael Berman, who shaped California politics for generations as the mastermind of Los Angeles’ vaunted “Berman-Waxman Political Machine,” died Friday. He was 75.
Berman burst onto the political scene before he was old enough to vote, running Henry… Continue reading