DC Circuit finds FEC improperly dismissed complaint that alleged coordination between Clinton, PAC in 2016

July 9, 2024, 8:57 amcampaign financeDerek Muller

Campaign Legal Center v. FEC, opinion by Judge Pillard, joined by Judges Childs and Edwards: Leaning heavily on that internet exemption, political action committee Correct the Record set out to engage in a wide range of coordinated activities to… Continue reading

ABA Unsung Heroes of Democracy Awards

July 9, 2024, 8:47 amelection law bizDan Tokaji

The ABA’s Task Force for American Democracy has this announcement, on 22 individuals and organizations receiving the award this year. They include Bob Bauer, Ben Ginsburg, and Meaghan Wolf. In related news, the ABA Task Force is hosting this … Continue reading

AEI “Ballot Battles” Book Event with Ned Foley

July 9, 2024, 8:41 amelection law bizDan Tokaji

This Monday, July 15 at 10 ET, on the revised and expanded version of Ned’s book, with live and virtual options.

Political Fragmentation: The French and UK Elections

July 9, 2024, 7:38 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

I’ve been writing now for several years about the political fragmentation of democratic politics. The most recent French and UK elections drive home this thesis with unmistakable clarity. France, in particular, illustrates the perversity of how political fragmentation works. On… Continue reading

“Immunity Ruling Leaves Judge Facing Tough Calls on Trump’s Election Indictment”

July 9, 2024, 4:41 amelection subversion risk, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

NYT: Judge Chutkan will have to sort through the 45-page indictment, making decisions about which of its many allegations can move forward and which will have to be tossed out. The Supreme Court has held that former presidents are… Continue reading

“Biden Has 100 Million Reasons to Stay In”

July 9, 2024, 4:33 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

Charlie Spies in WSJ Opinion: “Campaign finance rules create an incentive for Mr. Biden to stay in the race through the Democratic National Convention in August. At that point, but not before, Mr. Biden would be able to transfer… Continue reading

“House Democrat joins donor discussion about replacing Biden on ballot”

July 9, 2024, 4:20 amcampaign financeDan Tokaji

Washington Post: Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) joined a Zoom call Sunday with more than 100 wealthy Democratic donors for a legal briefing about the process for replacing President Biden on the ballot, according to multiple people who joined the… Continue reading

“How a Last-Ditch Effort to Save Menendez From Prosecution Backfired”

July 9, 2024, 4:16 ambriberyDan Tokaji

NYT reports on the backstory behind the trial, in which closing arguments continue today: Last September, a prominent white-collar defense lawyer met with federal prosecutors in Manhattan in a last-ditch effort to stave off an indictment against his client.… Continue reading

Congratulations to Election Law Profs Justin Levitt, Carolyn Shapiro, and Kate Shaw, Elected to the American Law Institute

July 8, 2024, 1:35 pmelection law bizRick Hasen

They are among the great choices announced today who write (at least partially) in the area of election law.

Eric Segall Contrasts the Speed of the Trump Disqualification Case with the Slow Walk of the Trump Immunity Case at the Supreme Court

July 8, 2024, 1:33 pmSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Eric writes: There is simply no doubt that the Court’s fast-tracking of the disqualification case way back in February combined with the slow-walking of the immunity case and its eventual holding (the last case of the term) had the… Continue reading

11th Circuit finds Younger abstention applies to Georgia campaign finance dispute

July 8, 2024, 11:38 amcampaign financeDerek Muller

From New Georgia Project, Inc. v. Attorney General, an opinion by Judge Newsom, joined by Judges Rosenbaum and Marcus (some light revisions): In this appeal from the grant of a preliminary injunction, we are asked to decide whether two… Continue reading

“A Florida Law Has Nearly Killed Campus Voter Registration Drives”

July 8, 2024, 8:31 amvoter registrationDan Tokaji

Inside Higher Ed: “A Florida law that went into effect last July has mostly ended paper-and-pen voter registration on the state’s college campuses, according to students and voter registration organizations. The number of groups registering voters on campuses across… Continue reading

“Here’s how the process to replace Biden would work if he withdraws”

July 8, 2024, 5:32 amballot access, political partiesDan Tokaji

From The Hill, with this on the impact of the pre-convention “virtual roll call,” originally planned in response to the Ohio ballot access problem: Typically, the Democratic presidential candidate is officially selected at the Democratic National Convention, but this… Continue reading

“A billionaire is boosting a major defamation lawsuit against Fox News”

July 8, 2024, 5:05 amelection subversion risk, voting technologyDan Tokaji

WaPo: Smartmatic, the voting technology company enmeshed in complex defamation lawsuits against Fox News and Newsmax, has a powerful new financial ally: billionaire tech entrepreneur Reid Hoffman. Hoffman, a co-founder of LinkedIn, has made a multimillion-dollar investment intended in… Continue reading