[EL] ELB News and Commentary 9/19/13

Thu Sep 19 07:48:21 PDT 2013

    Tom DeLay Conviction Reversed 2-1 By Texas Appellate Court
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55380>

Posted on September 19, 2013 7:45 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55380>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Big news 
<http://www.khou.com/news/texas-news/Tom-DeLay-verdict-overturned-by-Texas-appellate-court-224405491.html> 
from Texas.

You can read the majority 
<http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/CR11-087.pdf> and 
dissenting 
<http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/CR11-087.diss_.pdf> 
opinions. The majority requires a judgment of acquittal based on legally 
insufficient evidence, not a new trial.

There could be further appeals.

I expressed concerns about political prosecutions of people like DeLay, 
John Edwards and Don Siegelman in this /Slate /piece. 
<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/04/john_edwards_should_not_be_prosecuted_for_campaign_finance_violations_.html>

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, 
campaigns <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>, chicanery 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>

    "Everyday heroes etched in Supreme Court history"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55378>

Posted on September 19, 2013 7:37 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55378>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

USA Today 
<http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/18/plaintiffs-etched-in-supreme-court-history/2834421/>:

    Shaun McCutcheon is fast becoming a household name --- at least in
    lofty legal and political circles. "A lot of people know me," the
    46-year-old electrical engineer from Alabama says with obvious
    satisfaction.

    McCutcheon's name sits atop a case headed to the Supreme Court early
    next month. Should he win --- and most court watchers think he will
    --- wealthy political donors will be able to give limited
    contributions to as many federal candidates and committees as they want.

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

    "IRS Suspends Examinations Of Exempt Organizations' Political
    Activity" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55376>

Posted on September 19, 2013 7:26 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55376>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Bloomberg BNA 
<http://news.bna.com/mpdm/MPDMWB/split_display.adp?fedfid=36605688&vname=mpebulallissues&jd=a0e1w4u9f4&split=0>:

    All Internal Revenue Service examinations of exempt organizations
    for possibly engaging in too much political activity are on hold
    until the agency reviews its processes, Acting Commissioner Daniel
    Werfel said.

    The revelation came during a Sept. 18 House Ways and Means Oversight
    Subcommittee hearing on the Service's actions in relation to groups
    applying for tax exemption, following a May Treasury Inspector
    General for Tax Administration audit that found the agency
    inappropriately screened conservative groups' applications for tax
    exemption.

See also this written statemen <http://t.co/FW12g8uaRc>t from Werfel.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, tax law 
and election law <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=22>

    Hello Cincinnati! <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55374>

Posted on September 19, 2013 7:23 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55374>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The Presidential Commission on Election Administration (Bauer-Ginsberg) 
is in Cincinnati for a hearing today and tomorrow.

Catch the live webstream at supportthevoter.gov 
<https://www.supportthevoter.gov/commission-meeting-livestream/>.

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

    "In Virginia, Slow Going So Far on Rights Restoration for Felons"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55372>

Posted on September 19, 2013 7:21 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55372>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

A Chapinblog. 
<http://blog.lib.umn.edu/cspg/electionacademy/2013/09/in_virginia_slow_going_so_far.php>

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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, 
felon voting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=66>

    "Judge rules Montana campaign disclosure law constitutional"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55370>

Posted on September 18, 2013 11:02 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55370>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

AP 
<http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/judge-rules-montana-campaign-disclosure-law-constitutional/article_5e251112-1ff0-11e3-b00f-0019bb2963f4.html>: 
"A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Montana's requirement that political 
committees disclose their campaign spending is constitutional. U.S. 
District Judge Dana Christensen sided with the state in a new decision, 
and dismissed a case brought last year by the National Association for 
Gun Rights."

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

    "Campaign Watchdog to Get New Blood, but Other Fixes Await"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55368>

Posted on September 18, 2013 9:55 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55368>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Eliza's latest. 
<http://blogs.rollcall.com/beltway-insiders/campaign-watchdog-to-get-new-blood-but-other-fixes-await/>

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

    "Tea party wants socialist treatment"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55366>

Posted on September 18, 2013 8:48 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55366>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Politico 
<http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/tea-party-fec-socialist-treatment-96988.html>: 
"A national tea party group is asking 
<http://images.politico.com/global/2013/09/17/2013-09-16_tea_party_leadership_fund_aor.html> 
for permission to keep their donors secret --- just like the socialists."

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

    "Donors' Funds Sidestep Law, Aiding Christie"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55364>

Posted on September 18, 2013 8:43 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=55364>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

NYT 
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/nyregion/donors-funds-sidestep-law-aiding-christie.html?hp>:

    Mr. Christie's close relationship with the association provides a
    playbook for how carefully choreographed independent spending
    campaigns can undermine the rules meant to curtail the political
    influence of government contractors; New Jersey's pay-to-play law
    <https://wwwnet1.state.nj.us/lpd/elec/ptp/p2p.html> strictly limits
    the participation of state contractors in political giving.

    According to an analysis by The New York Times, a third of the $1.65
    million the association raised in New Jersey came from people and
    businesses who had significant contracts with the state, or from
    utilities, which are prohibited from making any contributions to
    candidates for governor.

    That money has helped set the stage for what Christie allies hope
    will be an overwhelming re-election victory this November in a
    Democratic-leaning state, boosting his prospects going into the 2016
    presidential race.

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

-- 
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
hhttp://www.law.uci.edu/faculty/full-time/hasen/
http://electionlawblog.org

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