“The Neutral Criteria Myth”

May 14, 2025, 5:16 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

The Wisconsin Law Review just published this article by James Piltch. Here’s the abstract: Academics, policymakers, and judges alike almost universally agree that local subdivision preservation and compactness serve essential roles in redistricting. They often argue—and other times accept… Continue reading

“DOJ ‘weaponization’ group will shame individuals it can’t charge with crimes, new head says”

May 13, 2025, 1:58 pmauthoritarian threats in US, Department of JusticeRick Hasen

Ryan Reilly for NBC News: The conservative activist named by President Donald Trump as the head of the Justice Department’s “Weaponization Working Group” said Tuesday he planned to “name” and “shame” individuals the department determines it is unable to charge… Continue reading

May 20 Webinar: “Federalism and Elections 101: The Constitution and Federal Statutes”

May 13, 2025, 10:05 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Offered by NCSL.

“Trump’s Plan to Take Jet From Qatar Heightens Corruption Concerns”

May 13, 2025, 7:43 ambribery, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

Charlie Savage for the NYT: During President Trump’s first term, the idea that special interests and governments were buying meals and booking rooms at his hotels set off legal and ethical alarms about the potential for corruption. Mr. Trump’s second… Continue reading

“The Pa. House is set to approve new voter ID rules, reversing years of Democratic opposition”

May 13, 2025, 7:27 amelection administration, voter idRick Hasen

Philadelphia Inquirer: fter years of opposing such a measure, Pennsylvania Democrats are poised on Tuesday to allow a vote in the state House on a bill that, if passed, would create new ID requirements to vote in the commonwealth, alongside… Continue reading

“A VIP Seat at Donald Trump’s Crypto Dinner Cost at Least $2 Million”

May 13, 2025, 7:20 ambriberyRick Hasen

Wired: Ten days from now, 220 crypto investors will sit down to a lavish three-course dinner and enjoy “stunning views of the Potomac river” with US president Donald Trump at his 600-acre golf club in Washington, DC. To earn an invitation,… Continue reading

“Rule of law is ‘endangered,’ chief justice says”

May 13, 2025, 7:16 amauthoritarian threats in US, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Josh Gerstein for Politico: Chief Justice John Roberts described the rule of law as “endangered” and warned against “trashing the justices,” but speaking in Washington Monday he didn’t point fingers directly at President Donald Trump or his allies for publicly… Continue reading

Two from Mike Pitts on SSRN

May 13, 2025, 7:11 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Underruling Voting Rights: An “underrule” occurs when the Supreme Court renders a decision diametrically opposed to a prior case without explicitly overruling the prior case. With the decision in Alexander v. South Carolina State Conference NAACP (2024), the Court has… Continue reading

“Voter Harassment and the Limits of State and Federal Power”

May 13, 2025, 7:07 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Ellen Katz has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: Acts of voter harassment are often difficult to prevent. One longstanding, albeit underused, tool for addressing such harassment is found in section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act… Continue reading

“Hispanic and Latino Voters’ Declining Political Cohesion: A Thorn in the Side of Thornburg v. Gingles’s Framework for Evaluating Claims Under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act”

May 13, 2025, 7:05 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Jacob Maguire has posted this draft on SSRN. Here is the abstract: This paper argues that, based on recent electoral trends, the United States’ Hispanic and Latino community may no longer constitute a “politically cohesive” minority group under the U.S.… Continue reading

“DOJ Voting Section Has Just Three Lawyers Left, Watchdog Estimates”

May 12, 2025, 10:12 amDepartment of JusticeRick Hasen

Democracy Docket: The voting section of the U.S. Department of Justice has only three attorneys left on staff, according to an estimate provided by a group working to support the department’s remaining staff. It’s a severe reduction in the voting… Continue reading

“Disputed North Carolina race offers playbook for beaten candidates, experts warn”

May 12, 2025, 7:50 amelection subversion riskRick Hasen

Sam Levine for The Guardian: A disputed North Carolina state supreme court race that took nearly six months to resolve revealed a playbook for future candidates who lose elections to retroactively challenge votes, observers warn, but its ultimate resolution sent… Continue reading

“Auction to Dine With Trump Creates Foreign Influence Opportunity; When the bidding stops Monday, the top buyers of a Trump family crypto coin will win a tour of the White House.”

May 12, 2025, 7:30 ambribery, chicanery, conflict of interest lawsRick Hasen

NYT: The sale of face-to-face access to President Trump using the Trump family’s own cryptocurrency has done more than benefit him financially, though it has certainly done that. Mr. Trump announced last month that leading buyers of a digital… Continue reading

Who Wins or Loses in Louisiana if the Supreme Court Strikes Down LA’s Congressional District as a Racial Gerrymander?

May 12, 2025, 4:56 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

As a practical matter, the issue in Louisiana v. Callais is not whether LA will have a second Voting Rights Act (VRA) district, in which black voters will have an equal opportunity to elect their candidate of choice. The issue… Continue reading