Georgia: “Trump probe: DA urges law enforcement to prep for indictments this summer”

April 24, 2023, 1:46 pmelection subversion riskRick Hasen

AJC: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Monday said she would announce this summer whether former President Donald Trump and his allies would be charged with crimes related to alleged interference in Georgia’s 2020 election. Willis revealed the timetable… Continue reading

Pennsylvania: “Lackawanna County officials seek solution to mail-in ballot issue at county prison”

April 24, 2023, 1:20 pmfelon votingRick Hasen

Times-Tribune: Lackawanna County Prison and election bureau officials say they’re working to resolve an issue that could prevent inmates who are legally eligible to vote from casting mail-in ballots in the May primary election. Under the prison’s current mail policy,… Continue reading

Mitchell on gov’t agencies at the RNC donor retreat

April 24, 2023, 7:38 amelection administration, NVRA (motor voter), redistricting, voter registrationJustin Levitt

As this blog noted, Cleta Mitchell was invited to give a “special legal presentation” to a recent RNC donor retreat — either because of or despite her role in proceedings attempting to overturn the 2020 election. There has already… Continue reading

“For Saner Politics, Try Stronger Parties; Well-intended reforms have made the national parties weak and ineffective—and unable to resist their most extreme elements”

April 24, 2023, 7:33 ampolitical parties, political polarizationRick Hasen

Gerald Seib WSJ column.

“Supreme Court to decide if First Amendment stops government officials from blocking social media critics”

April 24, 2023, 7:27 amcheap speech, First Amendment theory, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Tierney Sneed for CNN: The Supreme Court said Monday that it will consider whether the First Amendment protects social media users from being blocked from commenting on the personal pages that government officials use to communicate actions related to their… Continue reading

“Whitman & Torricelli: Why we need a 3rd political party in New Jersey | Opinion”

April 24, 2023, 7:23 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

At NJ.com, advocating fusion.

“Looking Behind the Curtain: Corporate due diligence of political spending essential to protect companies from growing risks”

April 24, 2023, 7:21 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

CPA at the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance.

“Testimony Suggests Trump Was at Meeting About Accessing Voting Software”

April 22, 2023, 11:27 amchicanery, election subversion riskRick Hasen

NYT: Former President Donald J. Trump took part in a discussion about plans to access voting system software in Michigan and Georgia as part of the effort to challenge his 2020 election loss, according to testimony from former Trump advisers.… Continue reading

“Ohio Republicans try to change rules to defeat abortion rights amendment”

April 22, 2023, 11:20 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

Dan Balz WaPo column: or 111 years, Ohio voters have lived with a set of rules for amending their state constitution through citizen initiative. The requirements have not changed and the threshold for enactment has always been 50 percent plus… Continue reading

“Alaska Supreme Court, in landmark ruling, says partisan gerrymandering violates state constitution”

April 22, 2023, 11:18 amredistrictingRick Hasen

ADN: In a landmark decision, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled Friday that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional under the Alaska Constitution’s equal protection doctrine. The decision follows a contentious recent reapportionment cycle: The Alaska Redistricting Board was twice found by the… Continue reading

“Exclusive: Text messages reveal Trump operatives considered using breached voting data to decertify Georgia’s Senate runoff in 2021”

April 21, 2023, 10:36 amchicanery, election subversion risk, voting technologyRick Hasen

CNN: In mid-January 2021, two men hired by former President Donald Trump’s legal team discussed over text message what to do with data obtained from a breached voting machine in a rural county in Georgia, including whether to use… Continue reading

(Anti-democratic) Quote of the Day

April 21, 2023, 7:29 amelection subversion riskRick Hasen

“Let me tell you this. Whenever anybody starts telling you that they’re worried about our democracy or protect democracy, or they’ve got democracy in their name, those are not friends of ours.” —Cleta Mitchell, lawyer for Donald Trump… Continue reading

“I.R.S. Official Is Said to Assert Political Meddling in Hunter Biden Inquiry”

April 21, 2023, 7:24 amchicanery, tax law and election lawRick Hasen

NYT: As Justice Department officials weigh whether to indict Hunter Biden, the investigator overseeing the Internal Revenue Service’s portion of the case has come forward with allegations of political favoritism in the inquiry that stand to add to the already… Continue reading

“Trump touts authoritarian vision for second term: ‘I am your justice'”

April 21, 2023, 7:20 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

WaPo: Mandatory stop-and-frisk. Deploying the military to fight street crime, break up gangs and deport immigrants. Purging the federal workforce and charging leakers. Former president Donald Trump has steadily begun outlining his vision for a second-term agenda, focusing on unfinished… Continue reading

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