[EL] ELB News and Commentary 8/12/13

[Legal Works of Marc Greidinger]

There have been signs of a pulse from House leadership on the VRA:

 

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/316219-dems-find-unlikely-ally-for-voting-
rights-act-fix

 

A genuine opening, or merely maggots munching in time?

 

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu
[mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] On Behalf Of Rick
Hasen
Sent: Monday, August 12, 2013 1:13 AM
To: law-election at UCI.edu
Subject: [EL] ELB News and Commentary 8/12/13

 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54240> "Texas primaries could be delayed
again over redistricting" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54240> August 11, 2013 10:00 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

AP reports.
<http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2013/aug/11/texas-primaries-could-be-delaye
d-again-over/> 

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54240&title=%E2%80%9CTexas%20primaries%20could%20be%20delayed%20again%
20over%20redistricting%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in Department of Justice <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=26> ,
redistricting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6> , The Voting Wars
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> , Voting Rights Act
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>  | Comments Off 


SCOTUSBlog Symposium on McCutcheon is Coming This Week
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54237>  


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54237> August 11, 2013 4:49 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Announcement <http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/08/symposium-announcement/> .

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54237&title=SCOTUSBlog%20Symposium%20on%20McCutcheon%20is%20Coming%20T
his%20Week&description=> Share

Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> , Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>  | Comments Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54234> "Texas on voting rights: It's not
about race, just politics" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54234> August 11, 2013 4:41 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Adam Serwer reports
<http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/08/10/texas-on-voting-rights-its-not-about-race-ju
st-politics/> for MSNBC.

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54234&title=%E2%80%9CTexas%20on%20voting%20rights%3A%20It%E2%80%99s%20
not%20about%20race%2C%20just%20politics%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> , Voting
Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>  | Comments Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54231> "Debaters Clash Over Allowing
Corporate Free Speech" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54231> August 11, 2013 4:34 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

See here
<http://calwatchdog.com/2013/08/07/debaters-clash-over-allowing-corporate-fr
ee-speech/#sthash.mzqv45MZ.dpuf>  and here
<http://calwatchdog.com/2013/08/09/leftists-seek-sec-regulation-of-corporate
-speech/#sthash.w5MXnZXJ.dpuf> .

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54231&title=%E2%80%9CDebaters%20Clash%20Over%20Allowing%20Corporate%20
Free%20Speech%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>  | Comments
Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54228> "Bopp Fires Back at CREW Accusations"



Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54228> August 11, 2013 4:31 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

See here.
<http://tribstar.com/news/x125815279/Bopp-fires-back-at-CREW-accusations/> 

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54228&title=%E2%80%9CBopp%20Fires%20Back%20at%20CREW%20Accusations%E2%
80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in election law biz <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=51>  | Comments
Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54225> "'Everyone in America values the
votes cast by our citizens . except the county of Sacramento.' Is something
wrong with elections in Sacramento County?" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54225> August 11, 2013 4:29 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Should
<http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/everyone-in-america-values-the-votes-c
ast-by-our-citizens-except-the-county-of-sacramento-39/content?oid=10929685>
recently unearthed and uncounted absentee ballots be counted, now long after
an election?

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54225&title=%E2%80%9C%E2%80%99Everyone%20in%20America%20values%20the%2
0votes%20cast%20by%20our%20citizens%20%E2%80%A6%20except%20the%20county%20of
%20Sacramento.%E2%80%99%20Is%20something%20wrong%20with%20elect> Share

Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>  |
Comments Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54222> "I Flirt and Tweet. Follow Me at
#Socialbot" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54222> August 11, 2013 4:27 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Big political implications in this Ian Urbina piece
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/sunday-review/i-flirt-and-tweet-follow-me
-at-socialbot.html>  in NYT's Sunday Review:

Other bots have more underhanded ambitions. Last year, officials from
Mexico's governing Institutional Revolutionary Party were accused of using
bots to sabotage the party's critics by appropriating some of their hashtags
and flooding Twitter with identical posts, designed to trip Twitter's spam
filter. Believing the posts to be spam, Twitter soon began blocking those
hashtags entirely, temporarily silencing the critics, which was exactly what
the government officials intended.

In 2010, researchers with Truthy, the Indiana University research group,
discovered a number of Twitter accounts sending out duplicate messages and
re-tweeting messages from the same few accounts in a closely connected
network. Two accounts, for example, sent out 20,000 similar tweets, most of
them linking to, or promoting, the Web site of John A. Boehner, then the
House minority leader, before the last midterm elections.

Much of the social media remains unregulated by campaign finance and
transparency laws. So far, the Federal Election Commission has been
reluctant to venture into this realm.

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54222&title=%E2%80%9CI%20Flirt%20and%20Tweet.%20Follow%20Me%20at%20%23
Socialbot%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> , campaigns
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59> , social media and social protests
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=58>  | Comments Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54220> "For Freshmen in the House, Seats of
Plenty" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54220> August 11, 2013 4:24 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

NYT:
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/us/politics/for-freshmen-in-the-house-sea
ts-of-plenty.html?hp&_r=1&> 

With so many lawmakers clamoring to be on the Financial Services Committee,
it has grown to 61 members from 44 since 1980, forcing the installation of
four tiered rows <http://financialservices.house.gov/media/pdf/022801hg.jpg>
of seats in the Rayburn House Office Building - with the first row of
lawmakers on the floor, just in front of the tables used for witnesses.

The committee's chairman, Representative Jeb Hensarling, Republican of
Texas, remains the top recipient of donations
<http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?type=C&cid=N00024922&new
Mem=N&cycle=2010/mailto:info at crp.org>  from industry PACs this year, taking
in $282,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit
group that tracks the influence of money in politics. But three Republican
freshmen - Mr. Barr and Representatives Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Ann
Wagner of Missouri - have raised more money from industry PACs than many
longtime committee members like Representative Spencer Bachus, an Alabama
Republican who served as the panel's chairman until the end of last year.

The imbalance is apparent on the Democratic side as well. Each of the seven
freshman Democrats on the committee has raised more industry PAC money so
far this year than the committee's top Democrat, Representative Maxine
Waters of California, who has had a testy relationship with the industry.

These freshman Democrats joined this year
<http://financialservices.house.gov/uploadedfiles/crpt-113-hmtg-ba00-fc014-2
0130507.pdf>  with Republicans on the committee - over the objection of Ms.
Waters and the Obama administration - to support measures advocated by Wall
Street banks that would roll back some of the strictest provisions of the
landmark Dodd-Frank financial regulations, which were passed in 2010 in the
aftermath of the global recession.

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54220&title=%E2%80%9CFor%20Freshmen%20in%20the%20House%2C%20Seats%20of
%20Plenty%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> , conflict
of interest laws <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=20> , legislation and
legislatures <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=27> , lobbying
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28>  | Comments Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54215> "Colorado: Claims that new election
law opens recall to anyone in the state; Media Matters disputes" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54215> August 9, 2013 4:34 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

This item
<http://recallelections.blogspot.com/2013/08/colorado-claims-that-new-electi
on-law.html>  appears at the Recall Elections Blog.

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54215&title=%E2%80%9CColorado%3A%20Claims%20that%20new%20election%20la
w%20opens%20recall%20to%20anyone%20in%20the%20state%3B%20Media%20Matters%20d
isputes%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in recall elections <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=11>  | Comments
Off 


President Obama Mentions Voting Rights Act in Press Conference Today
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54212>  


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54212> August 9, 2013 2:00 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

>From the transcript
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transcript-president-obamas-august-9
-2013-news-conference-at-the-white-house/2013/08/09/5a6c21e8-011c-11e3-9a3e-
916de805f65d_print.html>  in response to a question on immigration reform:

So when I hear the opposition to immigration reform, I just run through the
list of things that are concerned about, I look at what the Senate bill
does, and I say to myself, you know what, the Senate bill actually improves
the situation on every issue that they say they're concerned about.

Now, what they may argue is it doesn't solve the problem a hundred percent.
I don't know a law that solves a problem a hundred percent. Social Security
lifted millions of seniors out of poverty, but there are still some poor
seniors. The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act drastically reduced
discrimination in America, but there's still discrimination. That doesn't
make them bad laws. It just means that there are very few human problems
that are a hundred percent solvable.

 

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54212&title=President%20Obama%20Mentions%20Voting%20Rights%20Act%20in%
20Press%20Conference%20Today&description=> Share

Posted in Voting Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>  | Comments
Off 


En Banc Petition Filed in 10th Circuit in Free Speech v. FEC
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54210>  


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54210> August 9, 2013 1:58 pm by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Read the petition
<http://wyliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Free-Speech-En-Banc-Petitio
n-8.9.13-Filed.pdf> and related blog post.
<http://wyliberty.org/feature/masters-of-illusion-stopping-the-speech-police
/> 

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54210&title=En%20Banc%20Petition%20Filed%20in%2010th%20Circuit%20in%20
Free%20Speech%20v.%20FEC&description=> Share

Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>  | Comments
Off 


Congrats to Herron and Smith <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54207>  


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54207> August 9, 2013 11:43 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

.whose paper, "Getting Your Souls to the Polls: The Racial Impact of
Reducing Early In-Person Voting in Florida," was unanimously selected as the
Best Paper Award for the State Politics & Policy Section of the American
Political Science Association. The paper was subsequently published in
Election Law Journal, and is available here
<https://www.supportthevoter.gov/files/2013/07/Election-Law-Journal-Souls-to
-the-Polls-Early-Voting-in-Florida-in-Shadow-of-House-Bill-1355.pdf> .

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54207&title=Congrats%20to%20Herron%20and%20Smith&description=> Share

Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>  | Comments Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54204> "Texas: We Only Hate Democrats, Not
Minorities" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54204> August 9, 2013 10:48 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Frank Wilkinson
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-09/texas-we-only-hate-democrats-not-m
inorities.html>  for Bloomberg View: "So, here's the question the federal
courts must decide: When the white party uses its legislative authority to
undermine the brown and black party, is that a racial act or merely a
political one?"

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54204&title=%E2%80%9CTexas%3A%20We%20Only%20Hate%20Democrats%2C%20Not%
20Minorities%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in redistricting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6> , Supreme Court
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29> , Voting Rights Act
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>  | Comments Off 


Bauer on Levitt and Brad Smith on the Contribution-Expenditure Distinction
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54201>  


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54201> August 9, 2013 9:33 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Here.
<http://www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com/2013/08/levitt-smith-and-the-possibilit
ies-in-discussion/> 

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54201&title=Bauer%20on%20Levitt%20and%20Brad%20Smith%20on%20the%20Cont
ribution-Expenditure%20Distinction&description=> Share

Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>  | Comments
Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54199> "Auditor: California has
inefficiently spent millions earmarked for voting systems" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54199> August 9, 2013 9:19 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

SacBee
<http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/09/5636019/auditor-california-has-inefficient
ly.html> : "Confusing and inconsistent direction from the California
Secretary of State's Office has led the state to inefficiently spend
millions of federal dollars earmarked to improve voting systems, according
to a state audit released Thursday."

You can find a summary of the report (and a link to the full report) of the
California State Auditor here
<http://www.bsa.ca.gov/reports/summary/2012-112> .

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54199&title=%E2%80%9CAuditor%3A%20California%20has%20inefficiently%20s
pent%20millions%20earmarked%20for%20voting%20systems%E2%80%9D&description=>
Share

Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18> ,
voting technology <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=40>  | Comments Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54196> "How McConnell's Woes Could Blow Up
Washington" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54196> August 9, 2013 9:04 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Josh Marshall with the key takeaway point
<http://editors.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/08/how_mcconnells_woes_c
ould_blow_up_washington.php?ref=fpblg>  from the McConnell controversy and
the primary season.

I'd only add that in the general election, McConnell could be blamed by
voters in the middle for failing to avert a government shutdown (for which
he and Republicans would be blamed).

He has a fine line to walk.

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54196&title=%E2%80%9CHow%20McConnell%E2%80%99s%20Woes%20Could%20Blow%2
0Up%20Washington%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in legislation and legislatures <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=27>
, political parties <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=25> , political
polarization <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=68>  | Comments Off 


Move to Amend Responds to My Critique of Constitutional Amendments to
Overturn Citizens United <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54193>  


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54193> August 9, 2013 8:52 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

In Three Wrong Progressive Approaches (and One Right One) to Campaign
Finance Reform <http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2293979>
(forthcoming, Harvard Law and Policy Review), I argue against a
constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United on grounds that such
proposals are likely to squelch too much political activity or to be weak
and ineffective.

Victor Tiffany, a supporter of Move to Amend, responds to my critique here
<http://www.amendmentgazette.com/2013/08/08/taking-on-amendment-critics-part
-xviii-richard-hasen/> . He concludes: "Hasen's approach smacks of corporate
liberalism <http://aaeblog.com/2007/02/06/remembering-corporate-liberalism/>
, a symptom of the disease that he turns an apparently blind eye toward."

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54193&title=Move%20to%20Amend%20Responds%20to%20My%20Critique%20of%20C
onstitutional%20Amendments%20to%20Overturn%20Citizens%20United&description=>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>  | Comments
Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54190> "Alabama GOP Donor Challenges Limits"



Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54190> August 9, 2013 8:45 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

USA Today profiles
<http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/08/09/alabama-gop-donor-ch
allenges-limits/2634671/>  Shaun McCutcheon, of McCutcheon v. FEC.

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54190&title=%E2%80%9CAlabama%20GOP%20Donor%20Challenges%20Limits%E2%80
%9D&description=> Share

Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>  | Comments
Off 


 <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54187> "Futuristic voting is on the way,
presidential panel told" 


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54187> August 9, 2013 8:43 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

AP reports
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/futuristic-voting-is-on-the-way-pres
idential-panel-told/2013/08/08/9ee12fda-004f-11e3-8294-0ee5075b840d_story.ht
ml> on yesterday's Bauer-Ginsberg hearing in Denver.

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54187&title=%E2%80%9CFuturistic%20voting%20is%20on%20the%20way%2C%20pr
esidential%20panel%20told%E2%80%9D&description=> Share

Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>  |
Comments Off 


Persily and Mann on Shelby County <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54184>  


Posted on  <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=54184> August 9, 2013 8:41 am by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>  

Nate Persily and Tom Mann have posted this paper
<http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2013/08/09-shelby-v-holder-policy-
mann> , summarizing the recent Brookings conference on Shelby County.

 
<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%
3Fp%3D54184&title=Persily%20and%20Mann%20on%20Shelby%20County&description=>
Share

Posted in Supreme Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29> , Voting Rights
Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>  | 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
http://www.law.uci.edu/faculty/full-time/hasen/
http://electionlawblog.org
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