[EL] ELB News and Commentary 2/3/12

Fri Feb 3 10:14:40 PST 2012

Thanks to Sheldon Adelson for keeping us all so well informed. FRANK

Prof. Frank Askin
Distinguished Professor of Law       and Director
Constitutional Litigation Clinic
Rutgers Law School/Newark
(973) 353-5687>>> "Smith, Brad" <BSmith at law.capital.edu> 2/3/2012 12:29
PM >>>
"Colbert v. the Court: Why, in the battle over Citizens United, the
Supreme Court never had a chance."
Posted on February 2, 2012 7:24 pm by Rick Hasen
Dahlia's latest.

One reason Ms. Lithwick doesn't touch on, as to why the Supreme Court
"never had a chance," is the coverage by the press - herself included -
which has generally been biased, uninformed, incomplete, or some
combination of the three when it comes to SuperPACs, Citizens United,
and political spending.  Obviously, it is not the press's job to carry
water for the Supreme Court - that's not what I'm asking. But as happens
over and over, the press does a poor job informing the public, and Ms.
Lithwick, I have found, is no exception to that rule. So it seems rather
odd to publish such a column.

Meanwhile, it's further evidence as to why political spending is a good
thing - the press simply cannot be counted on to inform the public well
on almost any issue.

Bradley A. Smith
Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault
  Designated Professor of Law
Capital University Law School
303 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 236-6317
bsmith at law.capital.edu<mailto:bsmith at law.capital.edu>
http://www.law.capital.edu/faculty/bios/bsmith.asp 

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu
[mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] On Behalf Of
Rick Hasen
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2012 10:40 AM
To: law-election at UCI.edu 
Subject: [EL] ELB News and Commentary 2/3/12

"Some Wealthy Donors Drop Obama for
Romney"<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29166>
Posted on February 3, 2012 7:36 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29166>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Roll Call
reports<http://www.rollcall.com/news/some_wealthy_donors_drop_obama_for_romney-212079-1.html?pos=htmbtxt>.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29166&title=%E2%80%9CSome%20Wealthy%20Donors%20Drop%20Obama%20for%20Romney%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |
Comments Off
The New York Times Needs Your Help with Super PAC
Donors.<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29164>
Posted on February 3, 2012 7:35 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29164>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Seriously<http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/a-crowdsourcing-experiment-help-us-discover-a-secret-donor/?src=tp>.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29164&title=The%20New%20York%20Times%20Needs%20Your%20Help%20with%20Super%20PAC%20Donors.&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |
Comments Off
NAACP's Chavis: Proposed VA Voter ID Law is "Lynch
Democracy"<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29160>
Posted on February 3, 2012 7:28 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29160>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Strong
words<http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/virginia-news/2012/jan/31/1/at-capitol-rally-nearly-300-decry-voter-id-bills-ar-1652900/>,
and reminiscent of the recent
controversy<http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jun/09/debbie-wasserman-schultz/debbie-wasserman-schultz-compares-gop-backed-votin/>
over Rep. Wasserman-Schultz's Jim Crow remark.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29160&title=NAACP%E2%80%99s%20Chavis%3A%20Proposed%20VA%20Voter%20ID%20Law%20is%20%E2%80%9CLynch%20Democracy%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
"Lawyers Rank Third on Obama Donor List Even With Lobbying
Ties"<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29158>
Posted on February 3, 2012 7:25 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29158>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Bloomberg
reports<http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-03/lawyers-rank-third-on-obama-donor-list-even-with-lobbying-ties.html>.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29158&title=%E2%80%9CLawyers%20Rank%20Third%20on%20Obama%20Donor%20List%20Even%20With%20Lobbying%20Ties%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |
Comments Off
"Scott Brown pays own daughter Ayla to
sing"<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29155>
Posted on February 3, 2012 7:22 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29155>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Politico
reports<http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72412.html>.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29155&title=%E2%80%9CScott%20Brown%20pays%20own%20daughter%20Ayla%20to%20sing%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>,
chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12> | Comments Off
"A Symbol of Democracy Is Criticized as
Undemocratic"<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29153>
Posted on February 3, 2012 7:21 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29153>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The New York Times
notices<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/us/politics/after-iowa-reliability-is-questioned-in-caucus-system.html?_r=1&ref=politics>
how bad <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=28259> the Iowa caucuses are
run.

MORE: Don't expect
better<http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/02/03/all_you_need_to_know_about_the_nevada_caucuses.html>
from Nevada.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29153&title=%E2%80%9CA%20Symbol%20of%20Democracy%20Is%20Criticized%20as%20Undemocratic%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18> |
Comments Off
"Oregon Escapes Notice in Voter Photo ID
Battle"<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29151>
Posted on February 3, 2012 7:19 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29151>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

This item
<http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.com/news/article/oregon-escapes-notice-in-voter-photo-id-battle>
appears at the Rothenberg Political Report.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29151&title=%E2%80%9COregon%20Escapes%20Notice%20in%20Voter%20Photo%20ID%20Battle%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
voter id<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9> | Comments Off
"Colbert v. the Court: Why, in the battle over Citizens United, the
Supreme Court never had a chance."<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29148>
Posted on February 2, 2012 7:24 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29148>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Dahlia's
latest<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/02/stephen_colbert_is_winning_the_war_against_the_supreme_court_and_citizens_united_.html>.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29148&title=%E2%80%9CColbert%20v.%20the%20Court%3A%20Why%2C%20in%20the%20battle%20over%20Citizens%20United%2C%20the%20Supreme%20Court%20never%20had%20a%20chance.%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29> | Comments Off
How the STOCK Act Bill Almost-But Avoided-Becoming an Ethics Bill
Free-for-All<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29146>
Posted on February 2, 2012 7:22 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29146>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Must
read<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/minor-senate-bill-sparks-major-debate-on-ethics/2012/02/01/gIQAsW9kkQ_story.html>
WaPo.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29146&title=How%20the%20STOCK%20Act%20Bill%20Almost%E2%80%93But%20Avoided%E2%80%93Becoming%20an%20Ethics%20Bill%20Free-for-All&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>,
legislation and legislatures<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=27>,
lobbying<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28> | Comments Off
"Corporations are sending more contributions to super
PACs"<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29143>
Posted on February 2, 2012 7:20 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=29143>
by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Tim Farnam
writes<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/corporations-are-sending-more-contributions-to-super-pacs/2012/02/02/gIQAL4dYlQ_story.html>
for WaPo.
[Share]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D29143&title=%E2%80%9CCorporations%20are%20sending%20more%20contributions%20to%20super%20PACs%E2%80%9D&description=>
Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |
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