“Candidates decry dark money — and reap its benefits”

August 4, 2025, 6:37 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

John Frank in Axios: “The leading Democrats in the 2026 governor’s race are two of the most vocal critics of dark money in politics. Yes, but: Both — U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser — are poised… Continue reading

“Arizona’s secretary of state changes election manual in response to Republican challenges”

August 4, 2025, 6:37 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

From Votebeat’s Jen Fifield: “Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is walking back election rules that he said would better protect voters, after Republicans successfully challenged them in court. In a draft rulebook for the state’s 2026 midterm elections,… Continue reading

“Gov. Greg Abbott threatens Texas House Democrats with removal from office for fleeing state”

August 4, 2025, 6:36 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

Texas Tribune: Gov. Greg Abbott informed Texas House Democrats late Sunday that he would attempt to have them removed from office if they do not return to Austin to pass the GOP’s proposed new congressional maps. The Republican governor’s… Continue reading

“Democratic Group Calls on Blue States to Draw New House Maps”

August 4, 2025, 6:26 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

The DLCC is pressing Democratic legislatures around the country to redraw their states’ maps if Republicans proceed with re-redistricting in Texas, Ohio, and elsewhere. All this activity is deeply unfortunate since the U.S. House is currently quite fair by historical… Continue reading

“Ranked Choice, Election Reform, and the New York City Vote”

August 4, 2025, 6:22 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

Cato will be holding this forum on instant-runoff voting later this week. The dramatic outcome of the New York City mayoral primary, in which Zohran Mamdani outpaced former governor Andrew Cuomo and then clinched the win with second-choice votes from… Continue reading

Yale “MFIA Clinic Report Provides Roadmap for Attorneys to Challenge Election Disinformation”

August 3, 2025, 4:20 pmcheap speech, chicaneryRick Hasen

Important report released by Yale Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic: Students from Yale Law School’s Media Freedom and Information Access (MFIA) Clinic have released a new white paper titled “Using the Ku Klux Klan Act to Combat Election Disinformation: … Continue reading

“Texas House Democrats flee the state in bid to block GOP’s proposed congressional map”

August 3, 2025, 4:11 pmredistrictingRick Hasen

Texas Tribune: Texas Democratic lawmakers fled the state Sunday in a bid to block passage of a new congressional map designed to give the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House next year, raising the stakes in what’s… Continue reading

“The Mothership Vortex: An Investigation Into the Firm at the Heart of the Democratic Spam Machine; How a single consulting firm extracted $282 million from a network of spam PACs while delivering just $11 million to actual campaigns.”

August 3, 2025, 4:10 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, chicaneryRick Hasen

Must-read from Adam Bonica: The digital deluge is a familiar annoyance for anyone on a Democratic fundraising list. It’s a relentless cacophony of bizarre texts and emails, each one more urgent than the last, promising that your immediate $15 donation… Continue reading

“Trump and his allies mount a pressure campaign against US elections ahead of the midterms”

August 3, 2025, 4:06 pmelection administration, election subversion riskRick Hasen

Fredreka Schouten for CNN: A few weeks ago, Republican election officials in Colorado began receiving unsolicited calls and texts from a GOP consultant who said he was working with the Trump administration on “election integrity.” In a text to one… Continue reading

“After 47 years on the political beat for The Post, it’s transition time; Dan Balz writes on his retirement from full-time work at The Washington Post after 47 years.”

August 3, 2025, 4:02 pmelection law bizRick Hasen

A true legend pens his last regular column. Fortunately, Dan plans to write more, just on a less set schedule. Wishing him all the best in (semi-)retirement.

“The Trump Administration’s Campaign to Undermine the Next Election”

August 3, 2025, 3:59 pmauthoritarian threats in US, election administrationRick Hasen

Brennan Center expert brief: In 2020, 2022, and 2024, our nation held federal elections. Despite the pandemic, threats of violence, denial of results, and extraordinary pressure, these were secure and accurate. Election officials worked together across party lines. The system… Continue reading

“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

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