[EL] ELB News and Commentary 7/16/11

Sat Jul 16 10:36:15 PDT 2011

The other day Rick noted that Geo. Soros has had little to do with the
Secretary of State project: Soros only donated a few thousand dollars.

But as to Lueders (and Lithwick's?) support for a 'merit plan' in judicial
selection, mentioned in the link below, I understand that Soros has given
much more than a few thousand dollars.

If low Soros support might make us feel better about a Secretary of State
project, should high Soros support for the Merit Plan give us pause?

A quick, quick search turned up this.  (I have no idea of the validity of
the source):

Through yet another Soros organization called 'Justice at Stake,' Soros is
attempting to get other states to scrap the free election of judges in lieu
of a selection process called 'merit selection,' wherein committees of
judges and attorneys appoint persons to the bench based upon a nebulous and
ill-defined merit status, which is determined by those with an agenda.

Soros has already spent $45 million dollars on the project.
Steve

Continue reading on Examiner.com Soros meddles in courts, attempts to buy
Leftwing judges - National Conservative |
Examiner.com<http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-national/soros-meddles-courts-attempts-to-buy-leftwing-judges#ixzz1SI3JQTZH>
http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-national/soros-meddles-courts-attempts-to-buy-leftwing-judges#ixzz1SI3JQTZH

On Sat, Jul 16, 2011 at 12:24 AM, Rick Hasen <rhasen at law.uci.edu> wrote:

> **
>  Obama Micro Donors, and More on the FEC reports<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20506>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20506> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Two interesting Open Secrets tweets
>
> OpenSecretsDC <https://twitter.com/#%21/OpenSecretsDC> OpenSecrets.org
> 47% of $46M raised during Q2 by @BarackObama<http://twitter.com/BarackObama>came from small-dollar donors giving <$200
> #politics <https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23politics> #2012 #obama<https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23obama>
> #p2 <https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23p2> #tcot<https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23tcot>
>
> 20 minutes ago<https://twitter.com/#%21/OpenSecretsDC/status/92077265093009408>
>   OpenSecretsDC <https://twitter.com/#%21/OpenSecretsDC> OpenSecrets.org
>  1% of $39M raised by Obama Victory Fund 2012 – the cmte benefiting #Obama<https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23Obama>&
> #DNC <https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23DNC> – came from small-dollar
> donors in Q2, those giving <$200
>
> 21 minutes ago<https://twitter.com/#%21/OpenSecretsDC/status/92077002844155905>
>
> I wrote about Obama micro-donors and micro-donations in 2008 here<http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1267312>and
> here <http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1505527>.
>
> And here’s more great stuff mined from today’s reports by the Center for
> Responsive Politics:
>
> Fund-Raising Reports Reveal Presidential Candidate Haves — and Have Nots<http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/07/after-weeks-of-speculation-presiden.html>
>
> Published on July 15, 2011 11:33 PMAfter weeks of speculation, President
> Barack Obama’s campaign is on track to setting presidential fund-raising
> records while many Republican candidates are suffering from debt, numerous
> competitors and a general lack of commitment from big-dollar donors. … (
> Continue<http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/07/after-weeks-of-speculation-presiden.html>
> )
> Elite Fund-Raisers Help Presidential Candidates Rake in Millions<http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/07/elite-fundraisers-help-candidates.html>
>
> Published on July 15, 2011 11:13 PMToday, President Barack Obama’s
> re-election campaign released the names of 244 bundlers, which the campaign
> dubbed “volunteer fund-raisers,” who collected at least $50,000 each on
> behalf of the president’s re-election…. (Continue<http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/07/elite-fundraisers-help-candidates.html>
> )
> Few Senators File Fund-Raising Reports Electronically<http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/07/few-senator-file-fundraising-report.html>
>
> Published on July 15, 2011 8:13 PM
>   [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20506&title=Obama%20Micro%20Donors%2C%20and%20More%20on%20the%20FEC%20reports&description=>
>   Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
>   “Under redistricting plan, nearly 300,000 would have 6-year wait for
> Senate vote” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20516>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20516> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> More Wisconsin news<http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/125649258.html>
> .
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20516&title=%E2%80%9CUnder%20redistricting%20plan%2C%20nearly%20300%2C000%20would%20have%206-year%20wait%20for%20Senate%20vote%E2%80%9D&description=>
>   Posted in redistricting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6> | Comments
> Off
>   “Recall elections in Wisconsin a nationwide test for both parties”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20513>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20513> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> *WaPo*/Bloombeg reports<http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/recall-elections-in-wisconsin-a-nationwide-test-for-both-parties/2011/07/13/gIQADsJ1GI_story.html>
> .
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20513&title=%E2%80%9CRecall%20elections%20in%20Wisconsin%20a%20nationwide%20test%20for%20both%20parties%E2%80%9D&description=>
>   Posted in recall elections <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=11> | Comments
> Off
>   “Former Vernon official pleads guilty to conflict of interest”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20503>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20503> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> The *LA Times* reports<http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-vernon-corruption-20110716,0,7939206.story>
> .
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20503&title=%E2%80%9CFormer%20Vernon%20official%20pleads%20guilty%20to%20conflict%20of%20interest%E2%80%9D&description=>
>   Posted in chicanery <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>, conflict of
> interest laws <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=20> | Comments Off
>   “Is money to blame for Supreme Court dysfunction?”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20500>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20500> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Bill Lueders blogs<http://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2011/06/30/money-and-politics-is-money-to-blame-for-supreme-court-dysfunction/>,
> via Dahlia Lithwick<https://twitter.com/#%21/Dahlialithwick/status/86786590759845888>
> .
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20500&title=%E2%80%9CIs%20money%20to%20blame%20for%20Supreme%20Court%20dysfunction%3F%E2%80%9D&description=>
>   Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, judicial
> elections <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=19> | Comments Off
>   Quote of the Day <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20497>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20497> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> “[I]t’s clear the hope-and-change president is bought and paid for by
> liberal fat-cat donors.”
>
> Kirsten Kukowski, a spokeswoman for the Republican Party, speaking to “The
> Caucus<http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/15/obamas-haul-big-money-from-big-donors/?smid=tw-thecaucus&seid=auto>.”
> The article does not indicate whether Ms. Kukowski also advocated additional
> campaign finance laws to deal with the “fat-cat” problem.
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20497&title=Quote%20of%20the%20Day&description=>
>   Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
>   14th Redistricting Suit Filed in Texas<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20494>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20494> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> See here<https://twitter.com/#%21/_justinlevitt_/status/91999358660259840>.
> Looks like Justin will be guest blogging<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20437>just in the nick of time.
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20494&title=14th%20Redistricting%20Suit%20Filed%20in%20Texas&description=>
>   Posted in redistricting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6> | Comments
> Off
>   First Amendment Law Review Symposium on Citizens United<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20491>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20491> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Great lineup.  Click here<http://www.firstamendmentlawreview.org/issues.html>,
> then choose the Winter 2011 issue.
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20491&title=First%20Amendment%20Law%20Review%20Symposium%20on%20Citizens%20United&description=>
>   Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
>   Arkansas Law Review Symposium on Judicial Elections<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20488>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20488> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> Check it out <http://lawreview.law.uark.edu/about.html>.
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20488&title=Arkansas%20Law%20Review%20Symposium%20on%20Judicial%20Elections&description=>
>   Posted in judicial elections <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=19> | Comments
> Off
>   “The First Amendment: United” <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20485>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20485> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> I can’t wait to read Joel Gora’s new article<http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1876049>in the
> *Georgia State Law Review *symposium on *Citizens United*.  Here is the
> abstract:
>
> This article defends the Supreme Court’s famous and controversial decision
> in the Citizens United case. In that case, the Court reaffirmed that the
> protections of the First Amendment are available to entities like
> corporations, labor union and non-profit groups and recognized that this
> protection extended to speech relating to the election or defeat of
> political candidates. In so holding, the Court invalidated provisions of key
> federal campaign finance statute which had made it a crime for those
> entities to engage in various kinds of election-related speech, and
> overruled certain prior rulings which had sustained such restrictions. The
> immediate consequence was that a non-profit conservative advocacy group,
> organized as a corporation, was free to produce and disseminate a movie
> sharply critical of then-Senator Hillary Clinton’s in connection with her
> 2008 campaign for the Presidency. The broader consequence, as the article
> argues, is to return the Court’s campaign finance doctrines back to the safe
> harbor of classic First Amendment principles. The article surveys the
> several arguments made to justify restricting the political speech of
> corporations, unions and other entities, and demonstrates how each of them
> is flawed when matched against these classic First Amendment principles. The
> article concludes that the Court’s handiwork will clear away many of the
> encrusted and unjustifiable features of a speech-chilling and
> association-dampening campaign finance regime.
>
> Joel and I don’t agree at all on the merits of these issues.  But I always
> find his writing on campaign finance to be thoughtful, careful, and
> measured.  I learned so much from his earlier work in preparing my history<http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1593253>of
> *Buckley v. Valeo* which will appear in the new “First Amendment Stories”
> book out soon from Foundation Press.
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20485&title=%E2%80%9CThe%20First%20Amendment%3A%20United%E2%80%9D&description=>
>   Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
>   “Obama fundraising report signals juggernaut campaign”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20482>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20482> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> *WaPo* reports<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-fundraising-report-signals-juggernaut-campaign/2011/07/15/gIQAVQ4gGI_story.html>
> .
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20482&title=%E2%80%9CObama%20fundraising%20report%20signals%20juggernaut%20campaign%E2%80%9D&description=>
>   Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments
> Off
>   More of the Same Dept. <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20478>
> Posted on July 15, 2011 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=20478> by Rick
> Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
> CNSNews<http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/gop-push-voter-id-laws-through-2012-says>:
> GOP To Push Stronger Voter I.D. Laws, Says ‘Voter Fraud Is Real’
>
> MORE <http://www.thenation.com/article/161969/rigging-elections> from*The
> Nation *about ALEC and the voter id push.
>  [image: Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D20478&title=More%20of%20the%20Same%20Dept.&description=>
>   --
> Rick Hasen
> Professor of Law and Political Science
> UC Irvine School of Law
> 401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite 1000
> Irvine, CA 92697-8000
> 949.824.3072 - office
> 949.824.0495 - fax
> rhasen at law.uci.edu
> http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html
> http://electionlawblog.org
>
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>

-- 
Steve Hoersting
CENTER for COMPETITIVE POLITICS
124 S. West Street
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