[EL] ELB News and Commentary 6/24/13
Justin Levitt
levittj at lls.edu
Mon Jun 24 19:12:50 PDT 2013
Winning Election Candidate Disqualified Based on Campaign Violations
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52054>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:09 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52054>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
Every once in a while, these sorts of stories crop up overseas (in theUK
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1326930/By-election-ordered-Labour-MP-Phil-Woolas-barred-Commons-3-years.html>,
for example, orThailand
<http://www99.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/349216/supreme-court-disqualifies-bangkok-mp-karun-hosakul-for-making-false-allegations-during-election-campaign>):
a winning candidate is barred from office based on campaign statements.
Now, it's hit American shores: the winner of the race for Student Union
president at Stuyvesant High School in New Yorkhas been disqualified
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/nyregion/a-high-school-president-is-elected-and-disqualified.html?_r=0>by
the student-run school Board of Elections, for disparaging his opponent
during the campaign.
Stuyvesant High School is a public institution (which apparently counts
among its alumni Eric Holder, David Axelrod, and Dick Morris). Even
given the more permissive line of cases regulating student speech in the
school environment, I have no idea how this comports with the First
Amendment.
(h/tWilliam McGeveran <https://twitter.com/BillMcGev>)
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Posted incampaigns <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>,election law and
constitutional law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=55> |Comments Off
"Obama's Attempt to Reduce Election Day Poll Lines Gets a Dose of
Disney" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52052>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:08 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52052>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
Best/Variety/election administration story
<http://variety.com/2013/biz/biz/obamas-attempt-to-reduce-election-day-poll-lines-gets-a-dose-of-disney-1200500787/>of
the summer so far! Not since "/Recount/
<http://www.emmys.com/shows/recount>" have we seen such a performance!
Two thumbs up!
Meanwhile, Doug Chapinnotes
<http://blog.lib.umn.edu/cspg/electionacademy/2013/06/presidential_commissions_task_focus_on_the_little_things.php>that
it might be better if the Presidential Commission doesnotget the
Hollywood blockbuster treatment.
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Posted inelection administration
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,Fixing Election Administration
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=4> |Comments Off
Takeover of local jurisdictions and the VRA
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52050>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:07 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52050>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
There's another story today about a jurisdiction ---a Texas school
district
<http://www.khou.com/news/local/North-Forest-ISD-presses-lawsuit-in-Houston-federal-court--212802151.html>---
alleging that state attempts to take over its authority violate the
Voting Rights Act. I'm watching with interest a similar set of claims
in Michigan, under both the VRA and the Constitution, related to the use
ofemergency city managers
<http://detroitnaacp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/NAACP-EM-436-Complaint-.pdf>.
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Posted inVoting Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>
|Comments Off
"One-third of Kansas voter registration applications held up"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52048>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:07 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52048>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
Uh-oh
<http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/24/4310962/one-third-of-kansas-voter-registration.html>.
Looks like documentation of citizenship isn't getting to election
officials smoothly.
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Posted invoter registration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37>
|Comments Off
"Pa. man leads guilty in DC campaign finance probe"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52046>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:06 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52046>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
A scheme toreimburse individuals for their contributions
<http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/2nd-man-to-plead-guilty-in-campaign-finance-scheme-4618586.php>nets
a second plea. Looks like more to come.
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Posted incampaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |Comments Off
"Democracy Next: Voices, Votes, and Vision"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52045>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:05 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52045>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
A newspeaker series
<http://www.nyu.edu/global/global-academic-centers/washington-dc/nyu-washington--dc-events/democracy-next--voices--votes-and-vision.html>on
election-related issues, starting this Thursday, hosted by FairVote and
NYU in DC.
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Posted inUncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1> |Comments Off
"Turning the Political Map into a Partisan Weapon"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52043>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:05 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52043>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
The tenth in a Boston Globe seriesdiscusses
<http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2013/06/22/new-district-maps-reaped-rewards-for-gop-congress-but-cost-fewer-moderates-more-gridlock/B6jCugm94tpBvVu77ay0wJ/story.html>partisan
control and use of the redistricting process.
There's no doubt that the redistricting process shifts (and shores up)
partisan control of seats. The article also attributes increasing
legislative polarization to the process --- though asBrendan Nyhan
<http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7Enyhan/>notes
<https://twitter.com/BrendanNyhan/status/348944720162074624>,
thepolitical
<http://themonkeycage.org/2012/11/04/more-on-house-races-and-polarization/>science
<http://themonkeycage.org/2012/10/21/zombie-politics-redistricting-and-party-polarization/>suggests
that party drives ideology (and polarization) a lot more than the
composition of a district. (And it does so with a nod to zombies, no less.)
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Posted inpolitical polarization
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=68>,redistricting
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6> |Comments Off
The SEC and Political Disclosure <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52041>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:04 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52041>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
Profs. Bebchuk and Jackson'slatest entry
<http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/corpgov/2013/06/24/responding-to-objections-to-shining-light-on-corporate-political-spending-7-claims-about-the-costs-of-disclosure/>in
the continuing conversation on the costs and benefits of corporate
disclosure of political spending.
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Posted incampaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |Comments Off
"1% of the 1%" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52039>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:03 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52039>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
Perhaps public support for finance limits is related tothis information
<http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/The_Political_1_of_the_1_in_2012.html> (from
the Sunlight Foundation), complete with football-stadium graphics, about
the concentration of donors in the 2012 cycle.
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Posted incampaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |Comments Off
"Half in U.S. Support Publicly Financed Federal Campaigns"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52037>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:03 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52037>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
For those tracking whether the Supreme Court leads or follows public
opinion, or neither, Gallup'slatest poll
<http://www.gallup.com/poll/163208/half-support-publicly-financed-federal-campaigns.aspx>adds
fuel to the fire. The questions cover support for "a new campaign
finance system where federal campaigns are funded by the government and
all contributions from individuals and private groups are banned" and "a
law that would put a limit on the amount of money candidates for the
U.S. House and Senate can raise and spend on their political
campaigns." Under current doctrine, both proposals would be
unconstitutional.
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Posted incampaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> |Comments Off
A Constitutional Right to Vote <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52035>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:02 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52035>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
FairVote has released this policy brief
<http://www.fairvote.org/assets/Uploads/FairVotes-Perspective-on-a-Right-to-Vote-AmendmentJune-24-2013.pdf>onHJR44
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d113:1:./temp/%7EbdyM6A:@@@L&summ2=m&%7C/home/LegislativeData.php%7C>.
As I mentioned atthis Netroots Nation panel
<http://www.netrootsnation.org/nn_events/nn-13/how-to-fix-that-modernizing-our-elections/>the
other day, I'm wary but willing to be convinced. There are many
different ways in which election-related rights are now constitutionally
protected, and --- replicating Madison's concern with a Bill of Rights
--- I worry that explicitly protecting some of them could reduce
protections for others. Still, as I also said at the panel, this is an
issue where lots of reasonable people disagree.
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Posted inelection law and constitutional law
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=55> |Comments Off
IRS Report on Next Steps <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52024>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 4:38 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52024>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
John Pomeranz <http://www.harmoncurran.com/?page=john_pomeranz>writes:
Acting IRS Commissioner Werfel has released his promised 30-day
report outlining the problems found, the measures taken to address
them to date, and the next steps. Here's the IRS release
<http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/Report-Outlines-Changes-for-IRS-To-Ensure-Accountability,-Chart-a-Path-Forward;-Immediate-Actions,-Next-Steps-Outlined>,
with links to the longer report
<http://www.irs.gov/file_source/pub/newsroom/Initial%20Assessment%20and%20Plan%20of%20Action.pdf> and
associated documents.
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Posted intax law and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22>
|Comments Off
Query: What Organization Filed Amicus in Support of Affirmative
Action in the Texas Case and Against the Current Constitutionality
of VRA Section 5? <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52017>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 1:08 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52017>byRichard Pildes
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=7>
The National Chamber of Black Commerce. Seehere
<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/supreme_court_preview/briefs-v2/12-96_pet_amcu_nbcc.authcheckdam.pdf>.
Are there other amici on opposite sides of these cases?
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Posted inVoting Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>
|Comments Off
Supreme Court Will Hear Recess Appointments Case
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52011>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 12:13 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52011>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
Amidst all the news on cases decided (and not decided) today, the
Supreme Courtvoted to grant certiorari
<http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/06/court-enters-appointments-battle/>onNLRB
v. Canning
<http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/national-labor-relations-board-v-noel-canning/>,
reviewing the DC Circuit's controversial opinion on recess appointments
issued earlier this year.
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Posted inlegislation and legislatures
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=27> |Comments Off
Waiting for Shelby County <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52007>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 12:11 pm
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52007>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
LIST UPDATED:
NY Times
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/us/states-reined-in-by-1965-voting-act-await-a-decision.html>Washington
Post (Charles Lane
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-lane-court-can-tune-up-the-voting-rights-act/2013/06/24/71b24eaa-dcef-11e2-85de-c03ca84cb4ef_story.html>)
CNN
////////
<http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/23/justices-to-rule-soon-on-divisive-voting-rights-case/>///Bloomberg
////////////////
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-24/lbj-vision-for-racial-justice-weighed-as-ruling-nears.html>///National
Review
//////////////////////
<http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/351835/response-ramesh-no-deference-section-5-voting-rights-act-hans-von-spakovsky-elizabeth>///San
Francisco Chronicle
////////////////////////////
<http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2013/06/24/high-courts-voting-case-hits-home-to-monterey-supervisor/>///Charleston
Post and Courier
<http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20130623/PC1610/130629732/1009/anticipation-builds-for-supreme-court-ruling-on-voting-rights-act&source=RSS>////////////
Buzzfeed
<http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/in-all-four-big-cases-supreme-courts-decision-could-be-not-t>talks
about the lingering standing question.
andJosh Douglas <http://www.law.uky.edu/index.php?hid=93>muses
aboutcompromise
<http://prawfsblawg.blogs.com/prawfsblawg/2013/06/strategic-compromise-on-the-supreme-court.html> on
the Court, in/Fisher /and potentially in/Shelby County/ and the same-sex
marriage cases.
In particular, Charles Lane claims that, "[a]s construed by courts,
modified by Congress and enforced by the Justice Department, the act all
but requires covered jurisdictions to maximize the concentration of
African American and other minority voters in legislative districts." I
talk about this cartoon of section 5, among others, in a newYale Law
Journal Online piece
<http://www.yalelawjournal.org/the-yale-law-journal-pocket-part/election-law/section-5-as-simulacrum/>.
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Posted inVoting Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>
|Comments Off
Another SCOTUS opinion session tomorrow
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52005>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:50 am
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=52005>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
SCOTUSblog is reporting that another day of opinions has been scheduled
for tomorrow (Tuesday), at 10AM eastern. And because the Chief did not
make his customary announcement that the remainder of the opinions would
be announced on Tuesday, there's probably at least one more day to come
after that.
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Posted inVoting Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>
|Comments Off
No VRA section 5 opinion today <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=51988>
Posted onJune 24, 2013 7:30 am
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=51988>byJustin Levitt
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
SCOTUSblog <http://www.scotusblog.com/>is reporting that/Shelby County/,
the case about section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, is not one of today's
opinions. So stay tuned for Thursday (or before, if the Court announces
another opinion day. There are six cases left, including the Prop 8 &
DOMA cases, and/Shelby County/).
/Fisher/ (the University of Texas admissions case)wasdecided today. I
haven't had time to read it just yet, but the Court reportedly reversed
the Fifth Circuit and returned the case for a more rigorous application
of strict scrutiny. The opinion ishere
<http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/11-345_l5gm.pdf>.
Let the prognostication about whether /Fisher/is/is not/should
be/shouldn't be an omen, begin.
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Posted inelection administration
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,redistricting
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6>,voter id
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9>,voter registration
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37>,Voting Rights Act
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15> |Comments Off
--
Justin Levitt
Associate Professor of Law
Loyola Law School | Los Angeles
919 Albany St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-736-7417
justin.levitt at lls.edu
ssrn.com/author=698321
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