“New Report Alerts Companies to New Level of Risk from Political Spending”

August 3, 2025, 3:57 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Bruce Freed and Jeanne Hanna: In today’s climate of heightened polarization, intensifying public scrutiny, and shifting political dynamics, companies that engage in political spending face significantly greater risks than in the past. To help companies navigate these growing risks,… Continue reading

“Former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces investigation by Office of Special Counsel”

August 2, 2025, 1:11 pmauthoritarian threats in US, chicanery, Department of JusticeRick Hasen

WaPo: The U.S. Office of special counsel said Saturday it is investigating Jack Smith, the former Justice Department official who oversaw two federal prosecutions of Donald Trump, for potentially violating the law barring federal officials from political activity. The… Continue reading

“Democratic governors advise strong counteroffensive on redistricting”

August 2, 2025, 1:08 pmchicanery, redistrictingRick Hasen

Politico: A group of Democratic governors is urging its colleagues to get tough in countering Republican-backed efforts to gerrymander Texas’ congressional districts. “It’s incumbent upon Democrat governors, if they have the opportunity, to respond in kind,” outgoing Kansas Gov. Laura… Continue reading

“Revealed: Elon Musk’s $1 Million Gift to Trump Inauguration”

August 2, 2025, 1:05 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Influence Brief: A Jan. 15 in-kind contribution from X Corp., the social media company previously known as Twitter and owned by Musk, never appeared in any of the Trump inaugural committee’s original disclosure or in multiple amendments. The donation only appeared… Continue reading

“How the New Texas Map Changes the Outlook for Control of the House”

August 2, 2025, 1:03 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Nate Cohn for The Tilt: So far this election cycle, most analysts have assumed that Democrats will win the House next November. No, it’s not a guarantee. But the party out of the White House usually does well in midterms,… Continue reading

“Texas House panel advances redrawn congressional map that would add more GOP seats”

August 2, 2025, 1:01 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Texas Tribune: A Texas House panel on Saturday advanced a draft congressional map aimed at adding five new Republican districts next year over protests from Democrats that the proposal would suppress the votes of people of color. The chamber’s redistricting… Continue reading

“Donor List Suggests Scale of Trump’s Pay-for-Access Operation”

August 2, 2025, 12:59 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, lobbyingRick Hasen

NYT: When the cryptocurrency entrepreneur Eric Schiermeyer heard that President Trump was holding small group dinners with major donors, he saw opportunity. Mr. Schiermeyer reached out to a lobbyist with connections in Mr. Trump’s orbit, who arranged for him to… Continue reading

“The Great Political Money Gap; When it comes to attracting mega-donors, Republicans are crushing Democrats.”

August 2, 2025, 12:58 pmcampaign finance, campaignsRick Hasen

NYT: There are many signs that the Democratic and Republican Parties are in different places. Here’s one: The main Republican presidential super PAC controls almost $200 million. The main Democratic presidential super PAC is still repaying millions of dollars it… Continue reading

“Top Biden Aide Had $4 Million Incentive to Secure a 2024 Win”

August 2, 2025, 12:56 pmcampaignsRick Hasen

NYT: Mike Donilon, the longtime strategist and confidant for former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., told congressional investigators Thursday that he would have received a $4 million bonus had Mr. Biden won re-election last year. That shows how Mr.… Continue reading

Breaking: Supreme Court, in Order Asking for Additional Briefing in Louisiana Voting Case, Appears to Put the Constitutionality of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act into Question

August 1, 2025, 2:28 pmSupreme Court, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

The Supreme Court just issued this order: Louisiana had to create that second majority-minority district in order to comply with the Voting Rights Act, as it had been found to face Section 2 VRA liability for not creating that… Continue reading

Nick Stephanopoulos Blogging Next Week

August 1, 2025, 11:13 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Please direct any tips and comments to Nick. Thanks Nick!

“Eligible Voters at Risk: Examining Changes to USCIS’s SAVE System.”

August 1, 2025, 10:43 amelection administrationRick Hasen

New issue brief from the Fair Elections Center: Changes fueled by election-denier conspiracy theories are in the works for a system created by the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) nearly forty years ago to verify citizenship status and legal presence… Continue reading

“Forged signatures found on Mayor Adams’ petitions to run as an independent”

August 1, 2025, 10:25 amballot access, chicaneryRick Hasen

Gothamist: Mayor Eric Adams’ re-election campaign submitted faked and fraudulently obtained petition signatures in his effort to secure a spot on the November ballot as an independent candidate, a Gothamist investigation has found. Gothamist reviewed signatures submitted from across New… Continue reading

Alaska Supreme Court Finally Explains Its Ballot Access Order from September 2024 in Divided Decision

August 1, 2025, 9:58 amballot accessRick Hasen

Alaska Democratic Party v. Beecher: This case concerns a challenge to the Alaska Division of Elections’ inclusion of Eric Hafner — a federal prisoner in New York — as one of the four candidates on the 2024 general election ballot… Continue reading