ProPublica Profile of NC Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby Draws Veiled Threat from Justice’s Daughter to Drop the Story or Deal with Trump Administration

October 31, 2025, 1:01 pmchicanery, judicial elections, redistrictingRick Hasen

ProPublica: In early 2023, Paul Newby, the Republican chief justice of North Carolina’s Supreme Court, gave the state and the nation a demonstration of the stunning and overlooked power of his office. The previous year, the court — then… Continue reading

“A Fundraiser Convicted of Defrauding ‘Vulnerable’ Victims Is Back — and Making Millions From Republican Campaigns”

October 31, 2025, 12:54 pmcampaign finance, chicaneryRick Hasen

Dave Levinthal for Notus: Jack Daly, who was convicted and sent to prison last year after pleading guilty to defrauding thousands of conservative political donors out of money, has emerged from federal custody to quietly re-establish… Continue reading

Watch Archived Video of My Safeguarding Democracy Project Conversation with Danielle Citron, Brendan Nyhan, and Amy Wilentz on the Media and Social Media Information Environment in 2026

October 31, 2025, 7:30 amcheap speech, First Amendment theoryRick Hasen

An elucidating conversation. Watch:

“Trump Urges Republicans to End the Filibuster to Reopen Government”

October 31, 2025, 7:28 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

WSJ: President Trump urged Senate Republicans to end the filibuster, the longstanding rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation, in order to reopen the government without the support of Democrats. “It is now time for the Republicans to… Continue reading

“The Debate Dividing the Supreme Court’s Liberal Justices; Outnumbered and facing vast stakes, Justices Kagan and Jackson are split over the best approach: investing in diplomacy inside the court or sounding the alarm outside.”

October 31, 2025, 7:27 amSupreme CourtRick Hasen

Jodi Kantor for the NYT.

NYU Democracy Project: A National Primary Day

October 31, 2025, 5:25 amUncategorizedRichard Pildes

Yesterday, Robert Boatright and Catherine Tolbert’s essay argued that we should hold primary elections on a single, national primary day: When America adopted primary elections, primaries were hailed as a way to give the public a say in choosing our… Continue reading

“AJC poll: Georgia Democrats express growing distrust in the election system”

October 30, 2025, 9:36 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

AJC: For much of the last decade, it was Republicans who questioned the integrity of Georgia’s elections. Now a growing share of Democrats are voicing doubts of their own. In the latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, more than one-third of… Continue reading

As California SOS Questions Department of Justice Authority to Send Federal Election Monitors to 5 California Counties, Looks Like DOJ is Sending Only Two U.S. Attorneys to Observe Voting Processes in Orange County

October 30, 2025, 8:18 amchicanery, Department of JusticeRick Hasen

The California Secretary of State questions authority of DOJ to send monitors to 5 California Counties: The CA GOP released a letter citing supposed irregularities in the 5 California counties that formed its purported basis for “requesting” DOJ monitors. Despite… Continue reading

“Trump Suggests He Knows He Can’t Run Again: ‘It’s Too Bad’”

October 30, 2025, 7:46 amauthoritarian threats in USRick Hasen

NYT: President Trump seemed to concede on Wednesday that he was not eligible to serve a third term, lamenting that it was an unfortunate result of the constitutional prohibition that he has mused about violating for months. Speaking to… Continue reading

“Ohio Republicans cut redistricting deal with Dems”

October 30, 2025, 7:39 amredistrictingRick Hasen

Punchbowl: Republicans on Ohio’s redistricting commission struck a deal with Democrats on a compromise congressional map after hours of late-night deliberations…. This compromise is a shocking development. Ohio’s constitution mandates a complicated redistricting process that includes the commission and the state… Continue reading

“Meta appeals $35M campaign finance fine at WA Supreme Court”

October 29, 2025, 3:50 pmUncategorizedRick Hasen

Washington State Standard: Facebook’s parent company is asking Washington’s high court to overturn what the state’s attorney general has called the largest campaign finance penalty in the nation’s history. Meta argues the Washington campaign finance law used to justify… Continue reading

“Louisiana Republicans delay election calendar to prepare for possible redistricting effort”

October 29, 2025, 12:03 pmredistricting, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

Jane Timm for NBC News: Louisiana’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed two bills Wednesday to delay the state’s spring elections, a move designed to give them time for a possible redraw of the congressional map if the U.S. Supreme Court weakens a … Continue reading

“Another lawsuit challenges NC redistricting, this time using new legal theory of ‘retaliation'”

October 29, 2025, 11:00 amredistrictingRick Hasen

WRAL: Opponents of North Carolina’s new congressional districts filed a new legal challenge Monday — one that leans on a new interpretation of the U.S. Constitution in hopes of blocking the map from being used in future elections. The… Continue reading

5th Circuit permits mid-decade redistricting in Tarrant County, rejects partisan, racial gerrymandering claims

October 29, 2025, 10:42 amcourt decisions, redistrictingDerek Muller

Judge Willett, joined by Judges Barksdale and Duncan, in Jackson v. Tarrant County: Here, Tarrant County chose to redraw the precinct lines used to elect its County Commissioners—and to do so mid-cycle. The Challengers, a group of voters reassigned… Continue reading