[EL] He's Their Guy

Smith, Brad BSmith at law.capital.edu
Fri Aug 10 08:25:16 PDT 2012 

Regarding Rick's link below to Ohio's Second Congressional District, ¡°Smith is the political novice and truck driver who won a surprise victory over David Krikorian in the March Democratic primary for Ohio¡¯s 2nd Congressional District. Smith won even though he didn¡¯t campaign and didn¡¯t raise money. He got a boost from a group calling itself the ¡®Victory Ohio Super PAC,¡¯ a mystery outfit that paid for robocalls touting Smith but never filed with the Federal Election Commission.¡±

a) It's not clear that Victory Ohio Super PAC had a legal obligation to file with the Federal Election Commission (see below); and
b) Out here in flyover country it's no real secret why Krikorian couldn't win a Democratic primary.

In 2008, Krikorian ran for the seat as an independent, calling himself "a true Reagan conservative." He was endorsed by the Ohio Libertarian Party. In 2009, Krikorian was often at early rallies of various Ohio tea party groups and COAST, a conservative group long active in Cincinnati and Ohio politics. Even though very few Armenians or Turks live in the district, Krikorian made the issue of the Armenian genocide of nearly a century ago a key campaign issue. He accused incumbent Jean Schmidt of accepting $30,000 from the Turkish government to vote against a congressional resolution on the Armenian genocide. I'm no fan of Ohio's "false statements" law (see http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/02/a-salute-to-mike-dewine.php), but the Ohio Elections Commission did vote 5-0 that Krikorian's charges were false.

By 2010, however, Krikorian had refashioned himself as a "Howard Dean Democrat" but lost a hard-fought Democratic nomination battle for the seat. Although he did not make another independent bid that year, many supporters of nominee Surla Yalamanchili felt that Krikorian had worked to undermine Yalamanchili's candidacy. I'm no fan of Keith Olbermann, but the fact that Olbermann once named Krikorian "worst person in the world" may indicate why the left wing of the Democratic Party would have no love for Krikorian 18 months after "Chili's" defeat.

 That the party hierarchy backed Krikorian this year was simply a question of name recognition and fundraising ability - when no stronger candidate stepped forward, he seemed like the best choice to put up a competitive race in a district that Democrats will have great trouble winning regardless of the nominee. (Schmidt, despite always being considered a weak candidate, won the district in the landslide Democratic years of 2006 and 2008, and beat "Chili" by 23 points in 2010. She was defeated in the 2012 GOP primary by 6 points).

In other words, Krikorian didn't lose because of robocalls by a "mystery outfit." He lost because, in a Democratic primary, he was a really poor candidate.

Victory Ohio Super PAC, whatever that is, may have broken the law by not registering as a PAC, and is reportedly under criminal investigation, although nothing seems to have been reported on that in nearly 5 months since the primary. I don't condone Victory Ohio Super PAC's lawbreaking, if that is what it is. It is not clear, however, if Victory Ohio Super PAC broke any laws - you don't have to register if you spend less than $1000, and you can easily make 15,000 or more robocalls for less than $1000. But If someone spending a bit of money made truck driver Smith (no relation) known in the race, it again indicates the value of independent expenditures that inform the electorate that they had a choice.


Bradley A. Smith

Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault

   Professor of Law

Capital University Law School

303 E. Broad St.

Columbus, OH 43215

614.236.6317

http://law.capital.edu/faculty/bios/bsmith.aspx

________________________________
From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu [law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] on behalf of Rick Hasen [rhasen at law.uci.edu]
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2012 10:44 AM
To: law-election at uci.edu
Subject: [EL] ELB News and Commentary 8/10/12

Two on Mass. Voter Registration Controversy<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38372>
Posted on August 10, 2012 7:33 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38372> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The Boston Globe offers Brown criticizes voter mailings<http://articles.boston.com/2012-08-09/news/33101267_1_voter-registration-motor-voter-law-welfare-recipients> and Only Mass. sent out voter registrations after lawsuit<http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/08/10/massachusetts_the_only_state_that_agreed_to_send_mass_mailings_in_the_wake_of_lawsuits/>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38372&title=Two%20on%20Mass.%20Voter%20Registration%20Controversy&description=>
Posted in NVRA (motor voter)<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=33>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter registration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37> | Comments Off
¡°The Votes of Americans Abroad¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38369>
Posted on August 10, 2012 7:26 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38369> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

This letter to the editor<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/11/opinion/the-votes-of-americans-abroad.html> responds to my recent New York Times oped, A Detente Before the Election<http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/a-dtente-before-the-election/?ref=opinion>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38369&title=%E2%80%9CThe%20Votes%20of%20Americans%20Abroad%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in absentee ballots<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=53>, election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18> | Comments Off
¡°Online updates expected to aid voter registration¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38365>
Posted on August 10, 2012 7:21 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38365> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Cincinnati Enquirer: <http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201208092309/NEWS0106/308090125> ¡°Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted Thursday unveiled a new program that will allow registered voters to update their address online, a plan expected to simplify Election Day by substantially reducing the number of troublesome provisional ballots cast.¡±

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38365&title=%E2%80%9COnline%20updates%20expected%20to%20aid%20voter%20registration%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, voting technology<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=40> | Comments Off
¡°He¡¯s their guy, much to Dems¡¯ chagrin¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38363>
Posted on August 10, 2012 7:20 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38363> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

News<http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201208092312/NEWS0106/308090126>from Ohio¡¯s Second Congressional District: ¡°Smith is the political novice and truck driver who won a surprise victory over David Krikorian in the March Democratic primary for Ohio¡¯s 2nd Congressional District. Smith won even though he didn¡¯t campaign and didn¡¯t raise money. He got a boost from a group calling itself the ¡®Victory Ohio Super PAC,¡¯ a mystery outfit that paid for robocalls touting Smith but never filed with the Federal Election Commission.¡±

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38363&title=%E2%80%9CHe%E2%80%99s%20their%20guy%2C%20much%20to%20Dems%E2%80%99%20chagrin%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>, chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12> | Comments Off
¡°The 2012 Cycle: Attack, Feign Outrage, Repeat¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38360>
Posted on August 10, 2012 7:17 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38360> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

NYT Political Memo<http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/09/the-2012-cycle-attack-feign-outrage-repeat/?ref=politics>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38360&title=%E2%80%9CThe%202012%20Cycle%3A%20Attack%2C%20Feign%20Outrage%2C%20Repeat%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59> | Comments Off
¡°Activists, some Democrats criticize Iowa¡¯s voter purge process¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38357>
Posted on August 10, 2012 7:14 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38357> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The Des Moines Register reports.<http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012308100041&nclick_check=1>

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38357&title=%E2%80%9CActivists%2C%20some%20Democrats%20criticize%20Iowa%E2%80%99s%20voter%20purge%20process%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter registration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37> | Comments Off
¡°Sen. Sherrod Brown targeted by U.S. Chamber, outside conservative groups¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38354>
Posted on August 9, 2012 8:50 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38354> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

WaPo reports<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sen-sherrod-brown-targeted-by-us-chamber-outside-conservative-groups/2012/08/09/9ef839a6-d804-11e1-b360-33e7ac84e003_story.html>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38354&title=%E2%80%9CSen.%20Sherrod%20Brown%20targeted%20by%20U.S.%20Chamber%2C%20outside%20conservative%20groups%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | Comments Off
¡°Obama Campaign App Raises Privacy Concerns¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38351>
Posted on August 9, 2012 7:23 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38351> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

CBS reports<http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/08/09/obama-campaign-app-raises-privacy-concerns/>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38351&title=%E2%80%9CObama%20Campaign%20App%20Raises%20Privacy%20Concerns%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59> | Comments Off
Retired Judge Scotland Joins Nielsen Merksamer ¡°Of Counsel¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38349>
Posted on August 9, 2012 7:21 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38349> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Press release<http://web.nmgovlaw.com/news/4/78/Arthur-Scotland-Joins-Nielsen-Merksamer/>: ¡°Arthur G. Scotland, former Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, has joined Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP as ¡®Of Counsel¡¯ effective August 8, 2012. Scotland, who retired from the bench in 2010 after serving on the Court of Appeal for 23 years, will be a member of the firm¡¯s government law section, but will be available to assist the litigation and political law sections of the firm.¡±

Great get for Nielsen Merksamer!



[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38349&title=Retired%20Judge%20Scotland%20Joins%20Nielsen%20Merksamer%20%E2%80%9COf%20Counsel%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election law biz<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=51> | Comments Off
DCCC Fundraising Off Voter Suppression Claims<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38346>
Posted on August 9, 2012 7:14 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38346> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

See here<http://dccc.org/pages/stop-voter-suppression?source=2012.08.09_bc_signers>. See also my earlier post, Surprise: Republicans Fundraising Off Voter Fraud Allegations<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=37754>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38346&title=DCCC%20Fundraising%20Off%20Voter%20Suppression%20Claims&description=>
Posted in The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> | Comments Off
¡°Sec of State Set to Terminate Right to Vote For NM¡¯s Leading Voting Rights Activist After 40 Years of Active Voting¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38339>
Posted on August 9, 2012 1:33 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38339> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Oops<http://www.progressnownm.org/blog/2012/08/voter-suppression-new-mexico.html>: ¡°Diane Wood has voted in every New Mexico election since 1971, but this week New Mexico Secretary of State Diana Duran began the process to terminate her right to vote. Just 9 days ago, Duran announced that an analysis by her office had identified 177,768 ¡°non-residents and non-voters¡±<http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/BC-NM--VoterRolls>  (a full 15% of the state¡¯s registered voters) whose voting rights would be terminated after a mailing to those legally registered voters was completed. Among the first to receive a mailer was none other than Santa Fe resident Diane Wood, the Voting Rights Director for Common Cause New Mexico, a non-profit organization working to ensure fair and accurate elections in the state.¡±

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38339&title=%E2%80%9CSec%20of%20State%20Set%20to%20Terminate%20Right%20to%20Vote%20For%20NM%E2%80%99s%20Leading%20Voting%20Rights%20Activist%20After%2040%20Years%20of%20Active%20Voting%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter registration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37> | Comments Off
¡°State charges 4 former McCotter staffers with forging petitions, faking signatures in election fiasco¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38336>
Posted on August 9, 2012 11:40 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38336> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The Detroit Free Press reports<http://www.freep.com/article/20120809/NEWS15/120809030/State-charges-4-McCotter-ex-staffers-forging-petitions-faking-signatures-election-fiasco>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38336&title=%E2%80%9CState%20charges%204%20former%20McCotter%20staffers%20with%20forging%20petitions%2C%20faking%20signatures%20in%20election%20fiasco%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>, petition signature gathering<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=39> | Comments Off
¡°DOJ subpoenas Miami-Dade, 8 other counties in noncitizen voter purge¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38333>
Posted on August 9, 2012 11:37 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38333> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Miami Herald reports<http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/08/doj-subpoenas-miami-dade-8-other-counties-in-noncitizen-voter-purge.html>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38333&title=%E2%80%9CDOJ%20subpoenas%20Miami-Dade%2C%208%20other%20counties%20in%20noncitizen%20voter%20purge%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in Department of Justice<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=26>, election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter registration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37> | Comments Off
¡°Groups sue to block Iowa voter purge, fraud rules¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38330>
Posted on August 9, 2012 11:07 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38330> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

AP reports<http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Groups-sue-to-block-Iowa-voter-purge-fraud-rules-3773271.php>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38330&title=%E2%80%9CGroups%20sue%20to%20block%20Iowa%20voter%20purge%2C%20fraud%20rules%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter registration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37> | Comments Off
¡°Meet The ¡®Super Voters¡¯ Who Could Be Disenfranchised By Pa. Voter ID Law¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38328>
Posted on August 9, 2012 11:06 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38328> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

TPM reports<http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/pennsylvania_voter_id_law_disenfranchises_hall_of_fame_voters.php>.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38328&title=%E2%80%9CMeet%20The%20%E2%80%98Super%20Voters%E2%80%99%20Who%20Could%20Be%20Disenfranchised%20By%20Pa.%20Voter%20ID%20Law%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter id<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9> | Comments Off
¡°Americans Elect National Office Shutdown Leaves Control of Ballot Lines with In-State Activists¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38325>
Posted on August 9, 2012 11:00 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38325> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

That¡¯s the lead story in this month¡¯s issue of Ballot Access News.  This will eventually be on line<http://www.ballot-access.org/>, but there is a lag between the print and online version.

But you want this news now, especially before the election.  What to do? It¡¯s easy. Subscribe!<http://www.ballot-access.org/subscribe.html>

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38325&title=%E2%80%9CAmericans%20Elect%20National%20Office%20Shutdown%20Leaves%20Control%20of%20Ballot%20Lines%20with%20In-State%20Activists%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in ballot access<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=46> | Comments Off
¡°Colorado Has 17 Presidential Candidates, the Most Crowded Presidential General Election Ballot in U.S. History¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38322>
Posted on August 9, 2012 10:48 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38322> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

If Colorado remains close, this will be an issue to watch<http://www.ballot-access.org/2012/08/09/colorado-has-17-presidential-candidates-the-most-crowded-presidential-general-election-ballot-in-u-s-history/>¡ªboth in terms of the potential for issues with ballot layout/design/voter confusion and the potential for minor or independent candidates to affect the Romney/Obama totals..

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38322&title=%E2%80%9CColorado%20Has%2017%20Presidential%20Candidates%2C%20the%20Most%20Crowded%20Presidential%20General%20Election%20Ballot%20in%20U.S.%20History%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in ballot access<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=46>, campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>, voting technology<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=40> | Comments Off
In the Election Law Mailbag<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38319>
Posted on August 9, 2012 10:46 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38319> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy, Essays Commemorating the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Seminal Supreme Court Case, Baker v. Carr<http://lawpolicyjournal.law.wfu.edu/issues/past-issues/vol-22/>

Aaron-Andrew P. Bruhl, Hierarchy and Heterogeneity: How to Read a Statute in Lower Court<http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/research/cornell-law-review/upload/Bruhl-final-2.pdf>, 97 Cornell Law Review 433 (2012)

More Votes That Count: A Case Study in Voter Mobilization<http://www.amazon.com/More-Votes-That-Count-Mobilization/dp/0877724415>




[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38319&title=In%20the%20Election%20Law%20Mailbag&description=>
Posted in Uncategorized<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1> | Comments Off
¡°America Votes! Second Edition: A Guide to Modern Election Law and Voting Rights¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38316>
Posted on August 9, 2012 10:38 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38316> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

I have just received my copy of the Second Edition of this ABA book.<http://apps.americanbar.org/abastore/index.cfm?pid=5330220&section=main&fm=Product.AddToCart>  I wrote the book¡¯s introduction and this blurb: ¡°Drawing on the knowledge of a wide range of lawyers, law professors, and voting specialists from across the ideological spectrum, the second edition of America Votes! provides key information and important perspectives on election law questions which the courts are currently addressing or about to address.¡±

Here<UrlBlockedError.aspx> is the table of contents.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38316&title=%E2%80%9CAmerica%20Votes%21%20Second%20Edition%3A%20A%20Guide%20to%20Modern%20Election%20Law%20and%20Voting%20Rights%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in pedagogy<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=23> | Comments Off
Now Available: Election Law: Cases and Materials (5th edition)<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38314>
Posted on August 9, 2012 10:36 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38314> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

My copy of Lowenstein, Hasen, Tokaji<http://www.cap-press.com/books/isbn/9781611631784/Election-Law-Fifth-Edition> just arrived (also available at Amazon<http://www.amazon.com/Election-Law-Cases-And-Materials/dp/1611631785/ref=la_B0089NJCR2_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1344533682&sr=1-3>). Book description:

The new streamlined and student-friendly Fifth Edition of Election Law: Cases and Materials fully covers developments in election law in the 2012 election season including; extensive coverage of Citizens United, super PACs, and other campaign finance developments; emerging issues in voting rights and redistricting, including coverage of the Texas redistricting and voter identification cases; and new coverage of issues in judicial elections. It will continue to include perspectives from law and political science, and is appropriate in both law and political science courses. The extensive campaign finance coverage makes the book appropriate for a campaign finance seminar as well.

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38314&title=Now%20Available%3A%20Election%20Law%3A%20Cases%20and%20Materials%20%285th%20edition%29&description=>
Posted in pedagogy<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=23> | Comments Off
¡°Spending Reported by Nondisclosing Groups Well Ahead of 2010¡å<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38311>
Posted on August 9, 2012 10:26 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38311> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Open Secrets<http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2012/08/spending-reported-by-nondisclosing-groups-well-ahead-of-2010.html>: ¡°As of today, spending reported to the Federal Election Commission by groups that aren¡¯t required to disclose the sources of their funding has nearly tripled over where it stood at the same point in the 2010 election cycle, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics. By Aug. 6, 2010, groups registered as social welfare organizations, or 501(c)(4)s, as well as super PACs funded entirely by them, had reported spending $8.5 million. That figure has soared to $24.9 million in this cycle.¡±

[outsidetotals.JPG]

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38311&title=%E2%80%9CSpending%20Reported%20by%20Nondisclosing%20Groups%20Well%20Ahead%20of%202010%E2%80%B3&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law and election law<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off
More BS About Coleman-Franken and Voter Fraud<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38308>
Posted on August 9, 2012 10:23 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38308> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Here<http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/yes_vote_fraud_real_B5KsHFqcgUjYJCivnI6IuN> in the NY Post.  Check out the debunking.<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38269>

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38308&title=More%20BS%20About%20Coleman-Franken%20and%20Voter%20Fraud&description=>
Posted in fraudulent fraud squad<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=8>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> | Comments Off
¡°Virginia Announces Significant Progress in Identifying Deceased on Voter Rolls¡±<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38305>
Posted on August 9, 2012 9:58 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38305> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Press release

News Release

            For Immediate Release:

August 9, 2012




                        For More Information:

Nikki Sheridan

nikki.sheridan at sbe.virginia.gov<mailto:nikki.sheridan at sbe.virginia.gov>


Virginia Announces Significant Progress in Identifying Deceased on Voter Rolls

~ Comprehensive Comparison of Social Security Death Records Yields Thousands of Positive Matches ~


RICHMOND, VA ¨C    The Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) recently conducted a significant data-comparison between the comprehensive Social Security Administration¡¯s Death Master File obtained from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and the current list of registered voters in Virginia.  The data-comparison efforts thus far have yielded the identification of approximately 10,000 deceased individuals on the registered voters.  Local general registrars will now take steps to cancel these registered voters from the voter rolls under Virginia and federal law.

Thus far, approximately 15 million records out of 60 million records in the NTIS master death file have been matched against the registered voter list.  SBE is working to analyze the remaining 45 million records to identify potential additional matches.  Previous to this comprehensive matching of records, SBE matched monthly updates of records obtained from NTIS.

Secretary of the State Board of Elections Don Palmer was encouraged by these efforts:  ¡°Virginia is committed to ensuring only eligible voters are registered to vote. The State Board of Elections¡¯ efforts in utilizing the death master file has yielded significant results with the identification of over 10,000 deceased individuals contained in the voter rolls.  Virginia will continue to work to ensure those deceased or ineligible to vote are removed timely from the voter rolls.

###

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38305&title=%E2%80%9CVirginia%20Announces%20Significant%20Progress%20in%20Identifying%20Deceased%20on%20Voter%20Rolls%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18> | Comments Off
¡°Watchdog Groups Call on IRS to Ignore Partisan Pressure From Republican Senators and Proceed to Consider New Eligibility Rules for 501(c)(4) Organizations ¡°<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38302>
Posted on August 9, 2012 7:38 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38302> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Press release via email: ¡°In a letter sent today to the IRS<http://www.democracy21.org/vertical/sites/%7B3D66FAFE-2697-446F-BB39-85FBBBA57812%7D/uploads/Final_Letter_to_IRS_08_09.pdf>, Democracy 21, joined by the Campaign Legal Center, called on the agency to ignore the partisan pressures they have received from Republican Senators and proceed to consider new eligibility regulations for section 501(c)(4) ¡®social welfare¡¯ organizations.¡±

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38302&title=%E2%80%9CWatchdog%20Groups%20Call%20on%20IRS%20to%20Ignore%20Partisan%20Pressure%20From%20Republican%20Senators%20and%20Proceed%20to%20Consider%20New%20Eligibility%20Rules%20for%20501%28c%29%284%29%20Organizations%20%E2%80%9C&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law and election law<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off
Pa. Official Who Did Not Know How Voter ID Law Works and Rejected Pa.¡¯s Own Numbers on Its Effects Pens USA Today Oped Supporting It<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38298>
Posted on August 9, 2012 7:34 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=38298> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

See this oped<http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/story/2012-08-08/voter-ID-Pennsylvania-Aichele/56886858/1>, in response to this USA Today Editorial<http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/story/2012-08-08/voter-ID-Pennsylvania-trial/56887192/1?loc=interstitialskip>.

More on that official¡¯s testimony here.<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=37813>

[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D38298&title=Pa.%20Official%20Who%20Did%20Not%20Know%20How%20Voter%20ID%20Law%20Works%20and%20Rejected%20Pa.%E2%80%99s%20Own%20Numbers%20on%20Its%20Effects%20Pens%20USA%20Today%20Oped%20Supporting%20It&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter id<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9> | Comments Off
--
Rick Hasen
Chancellor's 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<mailto:rhasen at law.uci.edu>
http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html
http://electionlawblog.org
Now available: The Voting Wars: http://amzn.to/y22ZTv
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://webshare.law.ucla.edu/Listservs/law-election/attachments/20120810/6bb91a5c/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: share_save_171_16.png
Type: image/png
Size: 1504 bytes
Desc: share_save_171_16.png
URL: <http://webshare.law.ucla.edu/Listservs/law-election/attachments/20120810/6bb91a5c/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: outsidetotals-thumb-500x374-8632.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 37198 bytes
Desc: outsidetotals-thumb-500x374-8632.jpg
URL: <http://webshare.law.ucla.edu/Listservs/law-election/attachments/20120810/6bb91a5c/attachment.jpg>

View list directory