The UK Electoral Commission Reports Serious Cyber Hack, Disclosure of Voter Information

August 8, 2023, 8:55 amchicanery, voting technologyRick Hasen

This looks most unfortunate.

“Once Rare, Impeachments and Censures Have Become the Norm in Congress”

August 8, 2023, 7:12 amlegislation and legislaturesRick Hasen

NYT: When the House formally censured Representative Paul Gosar, Republican of Arizona, in November 2021, it was the first time in more than a decade that the punishment had been handed out on the floor. Less than two years elapsed… Continue reading

“G.O.P. Contenders Feed Voter Distrust in Courts, Schools and Military”

August 8, 2023, 7:11 ampolitical polarizationRick Hasen

NYT: Ron DeSantis says the military is more interested in global warming and “gender ideology” initiatives than in national security. Tim Scott says the Justice Department “continues to hunt Republicans.” Vivek Ramaswamy has vowed to “shut down the deep state,”… Continue reading

Federal Election Commissioner Trey Trainor Refused to Cooperate with Inspector General Investigating Allegations of Improper Conduct Where Trainor Appeared at Event Misidentified as Member of “Trump Elections Team”

August 8, 2023, 7:04 amfederal election commissionRick Hasen

Just wow. And because of the lack of cooperation the IG could not really tell if Trainor broke any rules.

Wisconsin: “Capitol police investigate convicted felon over potential stalking behavior targeting Elections Commission head Meagan Wolfe”

August 8, 2023, 7:01 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.

ELB Book Corner: Mary Zielger: “Transforming the Republican Party”

August 8, 2023, 7:00 amcampaign finance, ELB Book Corner, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I am pleased to welcome Mary Ziegler to the ELB Book Corner, author of the new book, Dollars for Life: The Anti-Abortion Movement and the Fall of the Republican Establishment (Yale, 2022). Here is the second of three posts:… Continue reading

“A murky law plus a snarky judge equals some memorable judicial sarcasm”

August 8, 2023, 6:59 amScaliaRick Hasen

Charles Lane WaPo column: Eloquence has a rich history in American jurisprudence, as any law student knows. Less famous, perhaps, but more provocative, is the tradition of judicial sarcasm. In a clever 2015 essay, “The Most Sarcastic Justice… Continue reading

“Secure ballots or boondoggle? Arizona county tailors project to politically connected firm”

August 7, 2023, 5:28 pmchicaneryRick Hasen

Votebeat: As an Arizona county prepares to spend up to $1 million in state money to test anti-counterfeit features on ballots, it appears the project was tailored for one company in particular that has pushed the idea with the… Continue reading

Arizona: “Petersen and Toma in court filing aim to quash Prop 211”

August 7, 2023, 5:27 pmcampaign financeRick Hasen

Capitol Media Services: With efforts by one set of foes already rebuffed, the state’s top Republican lawmakers are making their own bid to quash a new state law designed to shine a light on “dark money.” In a new court… Continue reading

Melissa Murray and Kate Shaw: What Happened to the Part of Dobbs About Letting the People Decide About Abortion Rights?

August 7, 2023, 5:12 pmdirect democracyRick Hasen

Murray and Shaw NYT Oped: In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court justified its decision overruling Roe with an appeal to democracy. In the Dobbs majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the conclusion in Roe… Continue reading

“John Eastman, awaiting potential indictment, asks judge to postpone his disbarment proceedings”

August 7, 2023, 4:47 pmelection subversion riskRick Hasen

Politico: Attorney John Eastman, an architect of Donald Trump’s last-ditch efforts to subvert the 2020 election, is asking a California judge to postpone disbarment proceedings lodged against him, saying he’s increasingly concerned he’s about to be criminally charged by special… Continue reading

Democratic Party in DC Files Complaint Alleging Use of Ranked Choice Voting in DC is Unconstitutional

August 7, 2023, 8:48 amdirect democracyRick Hasen

See this complaint (via Martin Austermuhle).

“‘Fake’ elector plot raised concerns over legal peril, indictment shows”

August 7, 2023, 7:51 amUncategorizedRick Hasen

WaPo: The allegation that campaign officials sought to prevent electors in other states from learning about the language used in Pennsylvania is a key new revelation in the four-count, 45-page federal indictment, which accuses Trump of a sprawling effort to… Continue reading