“Inside Facebook’s high-stakes debate to reinstate Trump after a two-year ban”

January 12, 2023, 8:11 amcheap speechRick Hasen

CNN: “It’s a judgment call,” acknowledges Katie Harbath, a former public policy director at Facebook. “It’s very important to recognize that both of these decisions are going to have a ton of impactful consequences. And it would be foolish… Continue reading

“Man arrested at gunpoint in DeSantis voter fraud crackdown, video shows”

January 12, 2023, 7:56 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

The Guardian: Heavily armed Florida police officers descended on the homes of two men accused of illegally voting and arrested one of them at gunpoint as part of Governor Ron DeSantis’s crackdown on voter fraud, new body-camera footage obtained… Continue reading

“Former New York Election Official Admits to Vote Fraud Scheme”

January 12, 2023, 7:49 amabsentee ballots, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: A former upstate New York election official pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal identity theft charges arising from his fraudulent use of voters’ personal information to apply for a dozen absentee ballots in 2021. In entering his plea in… Continue reading

“The Mysterious, Unregistered Fund That Raised Big Money for Santos”

January 12, 2023, 7:48 amcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: A month before George Santos was elected to Congress, one of his large donors received a call asking him to consider making another sizable contribution. The request came from a Republican loyalist calling on behalf of RedStone Strategies, which… Continue reading

Alabama: “Perry County Commission Chairman charged with voting multiple times, ‘stuffing’ ballot box”

January 11, 2023, 6:04 pmabsentee ballots, chicaneryRick Hasen

Al.com: Perry County Commission Chairman Albert Turner Jr. has been indicted on voter fraud charges. Fourth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Michael Jackson, along with Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, announced the two-count indictment Wednesday. Turner, the son of civil… Continue reading

Wishing Comfort to the Family and Friends of the Great Journalist, Blake Hounshell

January 11, 2023, 5:58 pmelection law bizRick Hasen

Like so many others, I am shocked and saddened by the tragic death of journalist Blake Hounshell. I pitched Blake a number of stories when he was a Politico Magazine editor. He was never an easy sell, and everything… Continue reading

“Trump campaign officials got subpoena asking new questions about Jan. 6”

January 11, 2023, 5:50 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

WaPo: A wide-ranging subpoena sent to Trump campaign officials last month shows new areas of investigative interest as part of the Justice Department’s extensive Jan. 6 criminal probe, according to a copy reviewed by The Washington Post, and lawyers say… Continue reading

“Wisconsin Elections Commissioner blasted for voting comment”

January 11, 2023, 3:33 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

AP: Democratic member of the Wisconsin Elections Commission called Wednesday for a Republican member who bragged about GOP efforts to suppress votes in Milwaukee to resign from the bipartisan panel. Commissioner Robert Spindell’s comments sent in an email to Republicans… Continue reading

“Another ‘radical’ change to the Voting Rights Act could reach the Supreme Court”

January 11, 2023, 7:57 amVoting Rights ActRick Hasen

Tierney Sneed for CNN: A case that could further shrink the scope of the Voting Rights Act is before a federal appeals court Wednesday, with the appellate panel considering whether private entities – and not just the US Justice Department… Continue reading

“Exclusive: New reports aim to help lawmakers, advocates with advancing voter-friendly policies”

January 11, 2023, 7:51 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Law Dork (Chris Geidner): It may be a truism to say that voting is political, but throughout our nation’s history the questions of who can vote and how also have been viewed through a political lens. The past few years have been no different.… Continue reading

“Preventing the Next George Santos”

January 10, 2023, 2:00 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Goldfeder’s latest.

“What Drove a Mass Attack on Brazil’s Capital? Mass Delusion.”

January 10, 2023, 7:34 amcheap speech, comparative election law, election subversion riskRick Hasen

Jack Nicas for the NYT: For the past 10 weeks, supporters of the ousted far-right President Jair Bolsonaro had camped outside Brazilian Army headquarters, demanding that the military overturn October’s presidential election. And for the past 10 weeks, the protesters… Continue reading

“House Republicans pass ethics changes that Democrats say would hamper probes”

January 9, 2023, 5:53 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

WaPo: The House on Monday passed a rules package that included changes to how ethics-related complaints about members of Congress are handled. According to a summary of the GOP’s proposed rules changes released last week, the package imposes term… Continue reading

Issacharoff: “Democracy Unmoored: Populism and the Corruption of Popular Sovereignty”

January 9, 2023, 8:38 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Looking forward to this new book out at the end of March from Sam Issacharoff. Kirkus: “An incisive diagnosis of the debilitating disease that has infected democracy and subverted its egalitarian promise.” More from Sam when the book is out.