“America is less polarized than it seems. Politicians need better data.”

September 27, 2024, 7:51 amUncategorizedNicholas Stephanopoulos

I wrote this column for The Hill on the potential of TrueViews to improve representation by better informing politicians about their constituents’ policy views. I also did this radio interview about TrueViews with Inside Sources. Politicians’ knowledge of their constituents’… Continue reading

Nebraska: “Local View: Crisis in Democracy Brews”

September 27, 2024, 5:48 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Danielle Jefferis, Brandon Johnson, and Anthony Schutz have written this oped in the Lincoln Journal-Star. A snippet: There is a brewing crisis of democracy in Nebraska. No, not the kind involving lies about stolen elections or outlandish conspiracies, but a… Continue reading

“Consultant fined $6 million for using AI to fake Biden’s voice in robocalls”

September 27, 2024, 5:30 amcheap speech, chicaneryRick Hasen

Reuters: The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday finalized a $6 million fine for a political consultant over fake robocalls that mimicked President Joe Biden’s voice, urging New Hampshire voters not to vote in that state’s Democratic primary. In May, Steven… Continue reading

“Republican Wisconsin congressman falsely suggests city clerk was lying about absentee ballots”

September 27, 2024, 5:27 amabsentee ballots, chicaneryRick Hasen

AP: The mailing of about 2,200 duplicate absentee ballots in Wisconsin’s heavily Democratic capital city of Madison has led a Republican member of Congress to falsely suggest that the clerk was lying about the presence of barcodes on the ballots… Continue reading

“Top Michigan Republican already warns of a stolen election”

September 27, 2024, 5:25 amfraudulent fraud squadRick Hasen

Detroit News: Michigan Republican Party Chairman Pete Hoekstra told the crowd at a Monday fundraiser that he was concerned Democrats “will steal some votes” in a potentially close U.S. Senate race this fall, according to a recording obtained by The… Continue reading

“Iranians indicted in connection with Trump campaign hack”

September 26, 2024, 3:04 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

Politico: A grand jury has indicted multiple Iranians on charges related to hacking Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. The federal charges stem from an Iranian operation that allegedly stole internal Trump campaign communications this summer, according to three people familiar… Continue reading

ELB Podcast 6:1: Democracy and the Risks to the 2024 Elections (Aden, Fortier, & Roth)

September 26, 2024, 2:55 pmcheap speech, ELB Podcast, The Voting Wars, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

We are back with a new season of the ELB Podcast: Season 6, Episode 1 of the ELB Podcast: How prepared are we for a peaceful transition of power in 2024 in light of what we witnessed in the 2020… Continue reading

“Newsmax and Smartmatic settle 2020 election defamation case on eve of trial”

September 26, 2024, 2:35 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Marshall Cohen for CNN: The pro-Trump cable outlet Newsmax and voting technology company Smartmatic settled a major defamation lawsuit Thursday in a last-minute agreement to avert a high-stakes trial over the airing of false 2020 election claims. The terms of… Continue reading

Key Part of Indictment Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams is Foreign Conduit Campaign Contributions

September 26, 2024, 2:31 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

NYT: Mayor Eric Adams of New York City has been indicted on federal charges of bribery conspiracy, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. The indictment, brought by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, was unsealed… Continue reading

“Crunchtime for Election Interference: October Is the Month of Mischief”

September 26, 2024, 2:27 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

NYT: Federal officials battling foreign interference in the coming election say they are entering what may be the most perilous period of the campaign: October, when the prospect for mischief runs high and the time to react runs short. While… Continue reading

“A new mystery firm enters Trump’s orbit, rekindling criticism of his presidential campaign spending”

September 26, 2024, 5:20 amcampaign financeRick Hasen

AP: Launchpad Strategies was incorporated less than a year ago and has since received $15 million from Donald Trump’s election fundraising machine. For what is mostly a mystery. Campaign finance records indicate the limited liability company was hired to provide… Continue reading

“Warning: Elections in Mirror Appear Closer Than They Are”

September 26, 2024, 5:13 amThe Voting WarsRick Hasen

Jesse Wegman NYT opinion column: Yet it would be a mistake to think of what just happened in Nebraska as being in the rearview mirror; rather, as long as we continue to choose our president through the mechanism of… Continue reading

“Watchdog report on Justice Department’s Jan. 6 response won’t be done by election”

September 26, 2024, 5:06 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Politico: A sprawling review of the Justice Department’s handling of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot — and the Trump administration’s actions that preceded it — is unlikely to be released until after the next election takes place in November,… Continue reading

Latest Update to Brennan Center’s “Voting Laws Roundup”

September 26, 2024, 5:02 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

Always a helpful guide: This year, legislatures across the country have continued to introduce and pass voting legislation far above pre-2021 rates. Regular legislative sessions for this year have ended in almost all states. Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio,… Continue reading