“‘It was horrifying’: Chutkan warns against complacency about Jan. 6”

July 13, 2024, 5:50 amelection subversion risk, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

Politico: “The effects of that day are still being felt,” [U.S. District Judge Tanya] Chutkan said before sentencing defendant Spencer Offman to 30 days in prison for breaching the building during the riot. Chutkan used Friday’s sentencing in the… Continue reading

“Donors to Pro-Biden Super PAC Are Said to Withhold Roughly $90 Million”

July 13, 2024, 5:42 amcampaign finance, political partiesDan Tokaji

NYT : Some major Democratic donors have told the largest pro-Biden super PAC, Future Forward, that pledges worth roughly $90 million are now on hold if President Biden remains atop the ticket, according to two people who have been briefed… Continue reading

“Appeals court makes it harder to disqualify absentee ballots in battleground Wisconsin”

July 13, 2024, 5:34 amabsentee ballotsDan Tokaji

AP: Absentee ballots still count in Wisconsin even if voters’ witnesses fail to give election clerks their full address, a state appeals court has ruled. The decision Thursday by the 4th District Court of Appeals is expected to expand… Continue reading

“Wisconsin election officials tell clerks best ways to operate absentee ballot drop boxes”

July 13, 2024, 5:29 amelection administrationDan Tokaji

AP reports on the bipartisan Wisconsin Election Commission’s guidance to local election officials. This follows last Friday’s 4-3 decision from the Wisconsin Supreme Court allowing drop boxes and overruling its prior decision to the contrary. According to AP: “The commission… Continue reading

“Meta removes Trump account restrictions ahead of 2024 election”

July 13, 2024, 5:02 amcheap speechDan Tokaji

Axios: “Meta on Friday said it would soon roll back restrictions it placed on former President Donald Trump’s Instagram and Facebook accounts.”

“Advocates concerned with Ohio’s mass voter purge set to remove 500 people experiencing homelessness”

July 13, 2024, 4:59 amvoter registrationDan Tokaji

Ohio Capital Journal on the coming removal of around 160,000 people from Ohio’s rolls, through a practice the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute (I was co-counsel for plaintiffs in that case): Advocates for individuals… Continue reading

“Why There is No Ballot Access Problem for the Ohio Democratic Party Presidential Ticket”

July 12, 2024, 1:10 pmballot access, political partiesDan Tokaji

Richard Winger of BAN reviews the caselaw and concludes: “Even though they are no precedents from Ohio, this uncontradicted list of precedents from other states is convincing evidence that when a ballot access law is eased, but the new law… Continue reading

“Trump asks judge to toss hush money conviction and dismiss case following Supreme Court immunity ruling”

July 12, 2024, 10:26 amcampaigns, Supreme CourtDan Tokaji

ABC News: Former President Donald Trump has asked a New York judge to dismiss his criminal hush money case and vacate his conviction on 34 felony counts by arguing the trial was “tainted” by evidence and testimony that the… Continue reading

Elaine Karmack explains…

July 12, 2024, 9:31 amUncategorizedNed Foley

… the Democratic Party’s rules for what would happen if and when President Biden steps aside, on the latest episode of POLITICO Playbook’s Deep Dive podcast. (I assume ELB readers know of her expertise on this topic.) The discussion… Continue reading

“EU charges Elon Musk’s X for letting disinfo run wild”

July 12, 2024, 6:11 amcheap speechDan Tokaji

Politico: The European Union is calling Elon Musk to order over how he turned social media site X into a haven for disinformation and illegal content…. In its preliminary findings, the Commission said X’s platform so-called blue checks had… Continue reading

Open Letter from Scholars in Support of Fusion Voting

July 12, 2024, 5:44 amalternative voting systems, political polarizationDan Tokaji

Here’s an excerpt from the letter, released yesterday: With partisan polarization at dysfunctional highs, public faith in the political system hitting dangerous lows, and two unpopular presidential candidates competing in a high-stakes presidential election, Americans are rightfully worried about… Continue reading

Heritage Tries to Turn the Tables on Election Subversion

July 12, 2024, 5:17 amelection subversion riskDan Tokaji

AP reports: A conservative think tank that is planning for a complete overhaul of the federal government in the event of a Republican presidential win is suggesting that President Joe Biden might try to hold the White House “by… Continue reading

Fighting Election Misinformation and Disinformation

July 12, 2024, 4:51 amcheap speechDan Tokaji

An eye-opening NYT report on the inherent difficulties, despite the best efforts of the League of Women Voters and other groups: A critical mass of research now suggests that tools such as fact checks, warning labels, prebunking and media literacy… Continue reading

A Right to Vote for President?

July 11, 2024, 4:03 pmConstitutional Right to VoteDan Tokaji

Charlie Martel argues, contra Bush v. Gore, that the Constitution confers one in this Balls & Strikes essay: The argument for a constitutional right to vote for president is simple. There are five amendments in the Constitution protecting the… Continue reading