“Trump, 18 others indicted for trying to overthrow 2020 Georgia election”

August 14, 2023, 10:10 pmelection subversion riskRick Hasen

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Former President Donald Trump orchestrated a sweeping criminal enterprise, committing more than a dozen felonies, as he tried and failed to overturn his defeat in Georgia’s 2020 election, according to an indictment handed up Monday by a… Continue reading

The Georgia Indictments

August 14, 2023, 6:10 pmUncategorizedJanuary 6, The Big LieNed Foley

CNN is reporting that there are ten indictments. Details to follow (in one or more subsequent posts as information becomes available). (Update from Rick H.: At 11 pm eastern, we got the 98 page indictment. More to come.) (Second update… Continue reading

“Lawsuit targets Wisconsin legislative districts resembling Swiss cheese”

August 14, 2023, 4:27 pmUncategorizedredistrictingNed Foley

AP reports. “Wisconsin’s nationally peculiar practice of detached districts is cited as one of several alleged violations in a recent lawsuit seeking to strike down current Assembly and Senate districts and replace them before the 2024 election. … “Wisconsin’s… Continue reading

“Former Republican legal officials endorse special counsel’s speedy trial date proposal in Trump Jan. 6 case”

August 14, 2023, 1:44 pmUncategorizedJanuary 6, The Big LieNed Foley

CNN reports on amicus brief filed by eleven prominent former Republican judges and government officials, including Judge Michael Luttig and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

“New Ohio redistricting ballot proposal would end lawmakers’ map-drawing power”

August 14, 2023, 12:29 pmUncategorizedredistrictingNed Foley

Cleveland.com reports on the effort to adopt in Ohio a citizens redistricting commission (like the kind in Arizona, California, or Michigan), rather than the failed political-insiders commission that Ohio adopted in the previous effort at redistricting reform in the state.

“Does Ranked Choice Voting Promote Legislative Bipartisanship? Using Maine as a Policy Laboratory”

August 14, 2023, 12:21 pmUncategorizedpolarization, ranked choice votingNed Foley

Rachel Hutchinson of FairVote and Ben Reilly of the East-West Center have posted this new paper on SSRN. Here’s the abstract: Political polarization in the United States has increased dramatically, hampering the functioning of American government. Some scholars attribute… Continue reading

“Georgia court website briefly publishes, removes document about potential Trump charges”

August 14, 2023, 10:54 amUncategorizedJanuary 6, The Big LieNed Foley

Reuters. A premature preview of what’s to come? Reuters notes that the DA’s office says no charges have been filed (yet).

“Trump jabs at judge in election case, testing warning against ‘inflammatory’ statements”

August 14, 2023, 6:09 amUncategorizedFirst Amendment, January 6Ned Foley

Politico reports. “In a Truth Social post just before 1 a.m., Trump assailed U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan as ‘highly partisan’ and ‘very biased and unfair,’ citing as evidence a statement she made during the sentencing of a… Continue reading

“Former Tenn. state senator sentenced to 21 months in campaign finance scheme”

August 14, 2023, 5:51 amUncategorizedCampaign financeNed Foley

Washington Post reports: “a federal grand jury indicted Kelsey for conspiracy, alleging that he funneled “soft money” — or funds not subject to federal limitations or reporting regulations — to a federal campaign committee to benefit his congressional bid.”

“Why Alabama’s Congressional Maps May Need to Be Redrawn, Again”

August 14, 2023, 5:30 amUncategorizedredistricting, Voting Rights ActNed Foley

N.Y. Times previews new federal court hearing in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling that affirmed the invalidation of the previous map under the Voting Rights Act. “In the new map, Republicans chose to increase the percentage of Black… Continue reading

“Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Bomb Threat to Arizona Election Official”

August 14, 2023, 5:24 amUncategorizedThe Big LieNed Foley

This is serious. While this case is one individual, it’s part of a disturbing development: “Threats against election workers and officials increased after former President Donald J. Trump spread the lie that fraud had cost him the 2020 presidential election.”… Continue reading

“Two Months in Georgia: How Trump Tried to Overturn the Vote”

August 14, 2023, 5:16 amUncategorizedJanuary 6, The Big LieNed Foley

While waiting for the Georgia indictment expected this week, the N.Y. Times recaps in detail the events upon which the anticipated charges are based. One detail I hadn’t seen before: “The Raffensperger family was soon barraged with threats, leading his… Continue reading

Wisconsin: “Vos says lawmakers may consider impeachment if Protasiewicz doesn’t recuse from redistricting cases”

August 13, 2023, 6:45 pmconflict of interest laws, judicial elections, redistrictingRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: If Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz does not recuse from lawsuits challenging the state’s legislative boundaries, Republicans who control the state Legislature might consider impeachment proceedings, the Assembly’s top Republican said Friday. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a… Continue reading