[EL] ELB News and Commentary 3/5/13

Tue Mar 5 08:07:52 PST 2013

    "Colorado gun lobbyist faces ethics probe by lawmakers"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48046>

Posted on March 5, 2013 8:06 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48046> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Free speech or an inappropriate threat from a lobbyist? This is one 
<http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_22697222/colorado-gun-lobbyist-faces-ethics-probe-by-lawmakers> 
to watch (via Steve Klein 
<https://twitter.com/SteveRKlein/status/308946572291485696>).

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Posted in campaigns <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>, ethics 
investigations <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=42>, lobbying 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28> | Comments Off

    "Taking Opt-In Rights Seriously: What Knox v. SEIU Could Mean for
    Post-Citizens United Shareholder Rights"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48043>

Posted on March 5, 2013 8:01 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48043> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Ciara Torres-Spelliscy has posted this draft 
<http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2225851> on SSRN 
(/Montana Law Review/).  Here is the abstract:

    This article will explore the implications of the Supreme Court's
    disparate treatment of similarly-situated, politically active
    corporations and unions. Two paths lead to more equitable treatment
    of these two groups: either (1) corporate political speech should be
    regulated more or (2) union political speech should be regulated
    less. This piece argues in favor of the former. In particular,
    corporate political spending lacks the transparency and consent
    mechanisms present in union political spending. Policymakers should
    address both of these failings in the corporate context.

    The Roberts Supreme Court's asymmetrical treatment of corporations
    and unions was on full display in the 2011--2012 term. American
    Tradition Partnership, Inc. v. Bullock coupled with Knox v. Service
    Employees International Union, Local 1000 demonstrates that a double
    standard persists between corporations, who are now privileged
    speakers in the Court's eyes, and unions, who are currently
    disfavored speakers. The Supreme Court imposes different degrees of
    consent from corporations' and unions' constituent parts before they
    electioneer. Under U.S. law, corporations are not required to get
    consent from their shareholders before the corporate entity speaks
    politically using corporate funds. By contrast, public-sector unions
    must receive nonmembers' consent before political spending in
    certain circumstances.

    With the Supreme Court unlikely to change legal positions on this
    issue until the Court's composition itself changes, the
    responsibility to foster more equitable regulations for corporations
    is left to the American electorate, Congress, the States, and
    executive agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission
    ("SEC"), which must work within the boundaries of current precedent.
    The Supreme Court's ruling in Knox requiring opt-ins for union
    political expenditures provides an additional basis for arguing that
    publicly traded American corporations should likewise marshal
    shareholder consent before corporate political expenditures are made.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | 
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    Justice O'Connor talks Bush v. Gore, Public Opinion, Ethics, Etc.
    with Rachel Maddow <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48039>

Posted on March 5, 2013 7:54 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48039> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Watch 
<http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/vp/51044439#51044439>.

The Bush v. Gore decision gets mentioned around the 9 minute mark and 
again around the 15 minute mark.

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

    "Democrats poised to suggest big changes in election system"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48036>

Posted on March 5, 2013 7:43 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48036> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The latest 
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/03/05/politics/democrats-suggest-big-changes-election-system>from 
Minnesota.

    Kiffmeyer said she didn't want to question the motives of Democrats,
    but she finds their approach curious.

    "They won the election last year on current election law, and they
    also said 'it's great, everything's wonderful,' " she said. "Now
    we've got this big mama of an omnibus election bill, and I'm like,
    wow, what changed there?"

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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, 
The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> | Comments Off

    "Constitution Check: Is the right to vote an 'entitlement'?"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48034>

Posted on March 5, 2013 7:41 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48034> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Lyle Denniston 
<http://news.yahoo.com/constitution-check-vote-entitlement-110207653--politics.html> 
on Justice Scalia.

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

    Speaker Boehner Calls Section 5 a "Small" Provision of the Voting
    Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48031>

Posted on March 4, 2013 4:51 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48031> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

>From Meet the Press interview 
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/03/04/4-things-you-might-have-missed-from-john-boehners-meet-the-press-interview/>:

    /Question: Do you believe that the Voting Rights Act is still needed?/

    Boehner: "Oh, I think the Voting Rights Act is passed with large
    majorities in the House and Senate. I think it's something that has
    served our country well. But there is an argument over a very small
    section of the Voting Rights Act. And that's what the court is going
    to consider."

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

    "Is Wisconsin a Top-14 State in Racial Prejudice?"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48028>

Posted on March 4, 2013 3:42 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48028> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel/ 
<http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/194937681.html?page=1> on the new 
Elmendorf-Spencer data <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48009>.

P.J. Media 
<http://pjmedia.com/jchristianadams/2013/03/04/hey-southerners-youre-racist/>: 
"Hey Southerners--You're Racist!!"

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Posted in Voting Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15> | 
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    "Obama campaign reveals biggest fundraisers around Election Day"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48025>

Posted on March 4, 2013 3:27 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48025> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

CNN reports. 
<http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/02/obama-campaign-reveals-biggest-donors-around-election-day/>

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | 
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    "Academics see limited options for avoiding major blow to Voting
    Rights Act" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48022>

Posted on March 4, 2013 3:20 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48022> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The /National Law Journal/ reports in an article 
<http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleSCI.jsp?id=1202590810093>currently 
behind the pay wall (quoting Pildes, Persily, Fishkin, and me).

Marcia Coyle of /NLJ/ also has written An Embattled Voting Rights Act 
<http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202590104050&et=editorial&bu=National%20Law%20Journal&cn=20130304nlj&src=EMC-Email&pt=NLJ.com-%20Daily%20Headlines&kw=An%20embattled%20Voting%20Rights%20Act> 
(also behind the pay wall).

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

    "Legacy in mind, Obama aides form web of influence"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48020>

Posted on March 4, 2013 3:16 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48020> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

AP reports 
<http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMAS_NETWORK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-03-04-04-22-36> 
on OFA etc. See also editorials from NYT 
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/opinion/sunday/the-white-house-joins-the-cash-grab.html>, 
WaPo 
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-temptation-of-dark-money/2013/03/03/819d636e-8104-11e2-b99e-6baf4ebe42df_story.html?wp_login_redirect=0>.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law 
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22> | Comments Off

    "Watchdogs Urge More Disclosure of Expenditures by Political
    Committees in Comments on FEC Rule"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48018>

Posted on March 4, 2013 3:14 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48018> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

See this press release 
<http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2069:march-4-2013-watchdogs-urge-more-disclosure-of-expenditures-by-political-committees-in-comments-on-fec-rule-&catid=63:legal-center-press-releases&Itemid=61>.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | 
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    "No Set Price for Meetings with President? Really?"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48016>

Posted on March 4, 2013 3:12 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48016> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Fred Wertheimer 
<http://www.democracy21.org/money-in-politics/press-releases-money-in-politics/no-set-price-for-meetings-with-president-really/>channels 
Seth Meyers.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10> | 
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    "Twitter Reaction to Events Often at Odds with Overall Public
    Opinion" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48013>

Posted on March 4, 2013 3:10 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=48013> by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Important new Pew study 
<http://www.pewresearch.org/2013/03/04/twitter-reaction-to-events-often-at-odds-with-overall-public-opinion/>.

In the last chapter of The Voting Wars 
<http://www.amazon.com/Voting-Wars-Florida-Election-Meltdown/dp/0300182031/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1329286945&sr=1-2-catcorr> 
I discuss how extreme political positions on Twitter could translate 
into social unrest in the event of another razor-thin Presidential election.

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Posted in social media and social protests 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=58>, The Voting Wars 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60> | 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://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html
http://electionlawblog.org

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