[EL] ELB News and Commentary 4/2/14
Rick Hasen
rhasen at law.uci.edu
Wed Apr 2 18:46:11 PDT 2014
<http://electionlawblog.org/>
Gerstein and Tau on McCutcheon <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59925>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:44 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59925>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Here, at Politico.
<http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/supreme-court-campaign-donations-limit-105284.html?hp=l2>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
McCutcheon on McCutcheon <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59923>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:42 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59923>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
I Fought the Law and I Won.
<http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/04/mccutcheon-supreme-court-i-fought-the-law-and-i-won-105314.html?hp=t1#.Uzy8gceT6N8>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
Le Quote of the Day <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59919>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:36 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59919>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
/////Je crains qu'on ait affaire à un autre cas de pollution américaine
de nos voisins du Nord//.///
--Quoted in this article
<http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/canada/404359/ottawa-une-r%C3%A9forme-%C3%A9lectorale-inspir%C3%A9e-par-le-parti-r%C3%A9publicain>
in a Quebec Newspaper on The Voting Wars in Canada (roughly translated
as: "I fear that we have to deal with another case of American pollution
of our northern neighbors"
Apparently the article was quoted in a parliamentary debate on the new
voting bill. The dialogue, in French, is below the fold: Continue
reading ? <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59919#more-59919>
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Posted in The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>
"This author wrote the book on how to overcome lobbyists. Now it
looks like he's joining their fight."
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59917>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:25 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59917>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Woah
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/04/02/this-author-wrote-the-book-on-how-to-overcome-lobbyists-now-it-looks-like-hes-joining-their-fight/?wpisrc=nl_wnkpm>:
"Jeffrey Birnbaum gets credit for writing /the/ book about the 1986 tax
reform act. Now, it seems, the co-author of the inside-the-Beltway
classic, Showdown at Gucci Gulch, is getting some credit for helping to
derail tax reform."
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Posted in lobbying <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28>
"Supreme Court ruling gives small number of wealthy donors new ways
to drive campaigns" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59913>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:19 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59913>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Matea Gold writes
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-ruling-gives-small-number-of-wealthy-donors-new-ways-to-drive-campaigns/2014/04/02/b1ab041a-ba8a-11e3-9a05-c739f29ccb08_story.html>
for WaPo.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
Two from Levinson on McCutcheon <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59911>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:18 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59911>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Jessica writes for the LA Times
<http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-levinson-campaign-finance-mccutcheon-20140403,0,404480.story#axzz2xmWt15HR>
and SacBee
<http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/02/6289540/viewpoints-supreme-court-decision.html>.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
"Court ruling boosts role of money in American politics"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59909>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:15 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59909>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
USA Today reports.
<http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/04/02/supreme-court-campaign-finance-mccutcheon-fec/7228237/>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
"How 'the next Citizens United' could bring more corruption --- but
less gridlock" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59907>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:11 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59907>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Reupping my WaPo Sunday Outlook piece
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-the-next-citizens-united-could-bring-more-corruption--but-less-gridlock/2014/02/21/a190d1c6-95ab-11e3-afce-3e7c922ef31e_story.html>
on McCutcheon from a few weeks ago.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
Lithwick and Bazelon at Slate on McCutcheon
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59905>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:09 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59905>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Dahlia: Justice Roberts Hearts Billionaires
<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/04/mccutcheon_v_fec_campaign_finance_decision_justice_roberts_doesn_t_believe.html>
Emily: The Devastating, Sneaky Genius of John Roberts Opinions
<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/04/supreme_court_s_mccutcheon_ruling_john_roberts_opinion_wrecks_what_remains.html>
and of course my earlier Slate piece, the John Roberts Two-Step.
<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/04/the_subtle_awfulness_of_the_mccutcheon_v_fec_campaign_finance_decision_the.html>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
"Supreme Court Strikes Down Pillar Of Campaign Finance Limits"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59903>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:06 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59903>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Nina Totenberg reports
<http://www.npr.org/2014/04/02/298374001/supreme-court-strikes-down-pillar-of-campaign-finance-limits>for
NPR.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
"Power Surge for Donors" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59901>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:03 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59901>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Nick Confessore
<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/us/politics/ruling-returns-power-to-big-donors-and-party-leaders.html?hp>on
the new post-McCutcheon money chase.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>
FEC Commissioners Ravel and Weintraub Issue Statement on McCutcheon
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59899>
Posted on April 2, 2014 6:00 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59899>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Here. <http://t.co/ifJo7dmXwF>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, federal
election commission <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=24>, Supreme Court
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
"Supreme Court Defends Wealthy's Right to Own Government"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59897>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:59 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59897>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
The Borowitz report.
<http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2014/04/supreme-court-defends-right-of-wealthy-to-own-government.html?utm_source=tny&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=borowitz&mbid=nl_Borowitz%20%2856%29>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>,
election law "humor" <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=52>, Supreme Court
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
"Why McCutcheon Is Bad News For Millionaires"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59895>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:57 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59895>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Justin Levitt writes
<http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/04/mccutcheon-supreme-court-millionaires-105307.html?ml=m_u1_1#.Uzyx08eT6N9>
for Politico.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>
"Elections, Political Law And The Financial Services Sector"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59893>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:56 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59893>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Jason Abel writes <http://www.steptoe.com/publications-9478.html>.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>
"Motl: Sen. Wittich broke campaign laws"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59891>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:52 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59891>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
News from Montana
<http://helenair.com/news/local/motl-sen-wittich-broke-campaign-laws/article_4af9bd9a-b9f1-11e3-a608-001a4bcf887a.html>:
"The state political practices commissioner concluded that Senate
Majority Leader Art Wittich violated the law by coordinating with
Western Tradition Partnership and other entities to accept illegal
corporate donations in his 2010 primary election campaign."
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>
"Of Something called 'PASO' and the Sound of Dog Whistles"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59889>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:51 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59889>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Bauer blogs
<http://www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com/2014/04/something-called-paso-sound-dog-whistles/>.
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>
LWV Reacts to 11th Circuit Fla. Purge Ruling
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59887>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:49 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59887>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Here.
<http://www.lwv.org/press-releases/court-appeals-rules-florida-2012-voter-purge-was-illegal>
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Posted in NVRA (motor voter) <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=33>
"More than Corruption Threatens the Integrity of Our Democracy"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59885>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:45 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59885>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Adam Lioz writes
<http://prospect.org/article/more-corruption-threatens-integrity-our-democracy>
for /TAP./
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>
"Erring on the Side of Shady: How Calling Out 'Lobbyists' Drove Them
Underground" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59883>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:44 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59883>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Tim LaPira blogs
<http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2014/04/01/erring-on-the-side-of-shady-how-calling-out-lobbyists-drove-them-underground/>at
Sunlight.
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Posted in lobbying <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28>
"Up Next? Ban or Corporate Political Donations"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59881>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:42 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59881>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Lyle Denniston blogs.
<http://www.scotusblog.com/2014/04/up-next-ban-on-corporate-political-donations/#more-207387>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>
"Is Motive Relevant to Lobbying" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59879>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:41 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59879>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
This item <http://www.cityethics.org/content/motive-relevant-lobbying>
appears at City Ethics.
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Posted in lobbying <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28>
"Lobbyists Groan as Fundraising Cap Falls"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59877>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:40 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59877>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
The Hill reports.
<http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/202458-lobbyists-groan-as-fundraising-cap-falls>
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>,
lobbying <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=28>
First McCutcheon Roundup <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59873>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:39 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59873>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Regular readers probably realized that I was blogging much less today
than usual on a Supreme Court election law decision day. That was part
because of some personal commitments this morning and partly because I
was the keynote speaker today at the LACBA Appellate Courts section
luncheon honoring the CA Supreme Court. My topic was the role of facts
and evidence in US Supreme Court election cases, and this morning's
/McCutcheon/ decision required a bit of a rewrite before the lunch. So
I'm behind. My first take on the /McCutcheon/ opinion is here
<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/04/the_subtle_awfulness_of_the_mccutcheon_v_fec_campaign_finance_decision_the.html>
at /Slate/, and I'll have further analysis at SCOTUSBlog tomorrow.
In the meantime, Howard rounds
<http://howappealing.law.com/040214.html#055684> up
<http://howappealing.law.com/040214.html#055676> some of the early
stories <http://howappealing.law.com/040214.html#055675> as does Eric
Brown.
<http://politicalactivitylaw.com/2014/04/02/post-mccutcheon-political-law-links/>
See also
Eliza Newlin Carney
<http://blogs.rollcall.com/beltway-insiders/will-mccutcheon-ruling-boost-political-parties/?dcz=>(Roll
Call)
Democracy 21
<http://www.democracy21.org/inside-the-courts/press-releases-inside-the-courts/fred-wertheimer-the-consequences-of-todays-disastrous-decision-by-the-supreme-court-majority-in-the-mccutcheon-case/>
Bob Bauer
<http://www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com/2014/04/early-reading-roberts-opinion-mccutcheon-little-justice-thomas-come/>
Ken Vogel
<http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/mccutcheon-supreme-court-ruling-105303.html?hp=f3>
First Read
<http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/campaign-cash-ruling-boosts-gop-now-n69786>
Will Baude
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/04/02/where-do-the-supreme-courts-campaign-finance-cases-come-from/>
CCP
<http://www.campaignfreedom.org/2014/04/02/center-heralds-win-in-mccutcheon-v-federal-election-commission/>
Public Citizen
<http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/pressroomredirect.cfm?ID=4101>
Bloomberg View
<http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-04-02/the-supreme-court-s-naive-politics>
Tom Mann
<http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/fixgov/posts/2014/04/02-mccutcheon-decision-is-worse-than-it-looks-mann>
Ari Berman
<http://www.thenation.com/blog/179131/supreme-courts-ideology-more-money-less-voting>
Caplin and Drysdale
<http://www.caplindrysdale.com/us-supreme-court-releases-opinion-in-imccutcheon-v-federal-election-commissioni>
(with helpful chart)
CPI
<http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/04/02/14511/supreme-court-opens-door-flood-political-cash-again>
Brennan Center
<http://www.brennancenter.org/civicrm/mailing/view?reset=1&id=269>
CCP
<http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2424:scotus-mccutcheon-v-fec-decision-statement-of-j-gerald-hebert-legal-center-executive-director&catid=63:legal-center-press-releases&Itemid=61>
NAACP
<http://www.naacp.org/press/entry/naacp-statement-on-mccutcheon-v.-federal-election-commission>
MORE to come
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
When the Carpet Doesn't Match the Drapes
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59871>
Posted on April 2, 2014 5:06 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59871>by
Justin Levitt <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=4>
Warning: this isn't a /McCutcheon/ reaction (though I've got one of
those
<http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/04/mccutcheon-supreme-court-millionaires-105307.html#.UzykBqhdW_g>).
The National Review Online has today's latest entry
<http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/374882/nc-state-board-finds-more-35k-incidents-double-voting-2012-andrew-johnson>
into the litany of voter fraud reports in which the story doesn't
actually support the headline.
The headline says: "N.C. State Board Finds More than 35K Incidents of
'Double Voting' in 2012."
The story reports that an attempt to match voter databases to each other
revealed "more than 35K" entries for North Carolina voters who
apparently share the same first name, last name, and date of birth with
voters in other states.
In order to tell whether there's any difference between the headline and
the story, you need to know:
* Whether there were any data entry errors by NC pollworkers, in
noting the individuals who voted,
* Whether there were any data entry errors by other states'
pollworkers, in noting the individuals who voted, and
* Statistics <http://ssrn.com/abstract=997888>.
Turns out that if you actually run the numbers, there are a lot of
people <http://ssrn.com/abstract=997888> who share the same name and
birthdate. Or, if you prefer anecdote to math, just ask Florida
Governor Richard Scott
<http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/06/15/152432/florida-voter-roll-listed-gov.html>.
I would be very interested indeed in how many of the alleged double
voters --- the people that the headline would have just libeled had they
named names --- are the results of mistakes or mistaken assumptions.
And I mean that. I hope that there's real follow-up.
If there is, I'm going to bet
<http://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/analysis/The%20Truth%20About%20Voter%20Fraud.pdf>
on the vast majority of allegedly fraudulent votes evaporating upon
closer scrutiny. Perhaps one day we'll learn not to breathlessly credit
the first results of a data-matching exercise. Remember the reports of
900 dead voters <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=27864> in South Carolina?
How'd that turn out
<http://www.thestate.com/2013/07/13/2860754/the-buzz-sc-shocker-the-dead-are.html>?
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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>,
fraudulent fraud squad <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=8>
Legal Experts Weigh in on McCutcheon
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59867>
Posted on April 2, 2014 10:49 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59867>by
Richard Pildes <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=7>
The Wall Street Journal's online blog has posted initial reactions to
the decision here
<http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2014/04/02/legal-experts-react-to-supreme-courts-campaign-finance-ruling/>.
Here is my contribution:
The inevitable sky-is-falling reactions that will surely greet this
5-4 decision in many quarters are likely to be wrong. First, the
decision is likely to have less real-world consequence than
envisioned in the various fantasy scenarios being conjured up about
new floodgates that will now suddenly open. Even if we assume all
the players in the financing system (parties, donors, candidates)
are self-interested actors, their self-interest runs counter to many
of these scenarios; they are unlikely to do many of the things on
the parade-of-horribles lists being drawn up. Whatever one thinks
of the decision as a legal matter, I am not convinced it will make a
dramatic difference on the ground.
Even more importantly, to the extent any changes do occur, they will
likely be in directions that make democratic governance work better,
rather than less well. That's because such changes are most likely
to empower the most centralizing forces in our political system --
in particular, the political parties. That is much better than
empowering all the forces of political fragmentation
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/02/06/how-to-fix-our-polarized-politics-strengthen-political-parties/>that
have become so powerful in recent decades, such as SuperPacs and
other "outside" groups. As much as Americans have a "plague on both
their houses" attitude toward the political parties, strong parties
-- and strong party leaders who care about the party brand and have
the leverage to press members of their caucuses to agree to
compromises -- are necessary to make the legislative process
function effectively. Our campaign-finance laws for too long have
encouraged the centripetal, fragmenting forces in American
democracy. As long as we have privately financed elections, the
best the law can do is to encourage the flow of money in one
direction rather than another. To the extent the decision
encourages more money to flow to the parties, that would enhance the
power of the single entities that have the strongest incentive to
appeal to the broadest electorate.
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Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>
"Die Another Day: The Supreme Court takes a big step closer to
gutting the last bits of campaign finance reform."
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59864>
Posted on April 2, 2014 10:20 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59864>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
//I have written this piece
<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/04/the_subtle_awfulness_of_the_mccutcheon_v_fec_campaign_finance_decision_the.html>
for /Slate /on today's stealthily audacious opinion
<http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/12-536_e1pf.pdf>in
/McCutcheon/. A snippet:
But this is nevertheless a subtly awful decision. It is true that
Roberts sidestepped today the question of whether to apply "strict
scrutiny" of contribution limits in another case; he did not need to
take that dramatic (and high-profile) step to do a whole lot of
damage to campaign finance law. Instead, he did three things which
now set the course toward even more campaign finance challenges
under the First Amendment and more deregulation.
First, as I feared, he has incorporated the very stingy definition
of corruption used in /Citizens United/ spending limit cases into
the contribution area. This matters because the court has recognized
/only/ the interest in preventing corruption and the appearance of
corruption as a permissible reason for upholding campaign finance
limits. (Equality, for example, is a forbidden interest under the
First Amendment). By requiring that any campaign finance laws be
deemed necessary to prevent quid pro quo corruption, akin to
bribery, many more campaign laws could fall in the near future,
including those base $2,600 limits. While Roberts goes out of his
way to say that those base limits were not challenged today, he does
not do anything to affirm that those limits are safe. In fact, he
expressly says those limits don't prevent corruption, but are
"prophylaxis"---and that itself could provide a basis for striking
it down.
Second, Roberts makes that laxer level of scrutiny applicable to
review of contribution limits somewhat stricter. /Buckley/
established that contribution limits get judged under something
called "exacting scrutiny," which in practice in the past has led
the court to uphold a large number of contribution limits based upon
very little evidence of corruption. Today Roberts tightens that
standard, requiring more evidence (to be judged against the new
strict "corruption" definition). He had no need, then, to adopt
"strict scrutiny" for contribution limits. Why write an opinion that
dramatically adopts strict scrutiny when one can accomplish nearly
the same thing by quietly changing the meaning of the "exacting
scrutiny," which applies to contribution limits?
Third and most dramatically, the court seems to open the door for a
future challenge to what remains of the McCain-Feingold law: the ban
on large, "soft money" contributions collected by political parties.
These contributions were banned because it had become clear that
political parties were becoming conduits for access between elected
officials and big donors. Today Roberts rejects ingratiation and
access as a problem, and says that this funnel of significant money
to parties could serve the purpose of strengthening political
parties and thus be a good thing. He writes: "When donors furnish
widely distributed support within all applicable base limits, all
members of the party or supporters of the cause may benefit, and the
leaders of the party or cause may feel particular gratitude. That
gratitude stems from the basic nature of the party system, in which
party members join together to further common political beliefs, and
citizens can choose to support a party because they share some,
most, or all of those beliefs. ... To recast such shared interest,
standing alone, as an opportunity for /quid pro quo /corruption
would dramatically expand government regulation of the political
process."
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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme
Court <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
Breaking News: McCutcheon Decided, 5-4 Striking Down Aggregate
Limits <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59862>
Posted on April 2, 2014 8:05 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59862>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
You can access the opinion here
<http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/12-536_e1pf.pdf>.
My analysis will appear at /Slate. /I've been out of pocket, so I'm just
starting to read now.
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Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>
"CREW scores major FOIA win in Tom DeLay case"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59860>
Posted on April 1, 2014 11:43 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59860>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Josh Gerstein blogs.
<http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2014/04/crew-scores-major-foia-win-in-tom-delay-case-186111.html>
Share
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Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>
"Bombshell Corruption Case Shines Merciless Light On How Politicians
Raise Money" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59858>
Posted on April 1, 2014 11:00 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59858>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Paul Blumenthal:
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/01/leland-yee-fundraising_n_5064752.html>
California state Sen. Leland Yee, a Democrat running for secretary
of state, was arrested March 26 as part of a wide-ranging federal
investigation into a San Francisco-based Chinese tong and charged
with public corruption and arms trafficking
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/26/leland-yee-gun-traffickin_n_5038152.html>.
A federal affidavit
<http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/757-complaint_affidavit_14-70421-nc.pdf>,
unsealed the same day, details four allegedly illegal schemes
involving Yee.
Clearly, these are not everyday allegations against a sitting
legislator. But read the transcripts of the conversations between
Yee and various undercover law enforcement agents, and see, at one
level, how ordinary Yee's efforts look: He is trying to raise money
to pay off old campaign debts and to run a new campaign. And he
appears to offer the familiar political tradeoff --- access to
himself and to other officials.
In his 2010 Citizens United opinion
<http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-205.ZO.html>, Justice
Anthony Kennedy wrote, "The appearance of influence or access ...
will not cause the electorate to lose faith in our democracy." He
further stated, "Ingratiation and access, in any event, are not
corruption."
Yee's alleged actions raise the question of whether that is, in
fact, true.
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Posted in bribery <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=54>, campaign finance
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, chicanery
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>, Supreme Court
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
"Court: DOJ Failed to Justify Withholding DeLay Documents"
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59856>
Posted on April 1, 2014 10:40 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59856>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
BLT
<http://www.nationallawjournal.com/legaltimes/blog-of-legal-times/id=1202649220773/Court+DOJ+Failed+to+Justify+Withholding+DeLay+Documents%3Fmcode=1383246464404&curindex=0>:
The U.S. Department of Justice cannot categorically refuse to
release documents about the FBI's investigation of former House
Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a federal appeals court in Washington
ruled Tuesday
<http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/nlj/DC%20Circuit%20crew%20delay%20opinion.pdf>.
The FBI never acknowledged it was investigating DeLay in connection
with the public corruption scandal involving former lobbyist Jack
Abramoff. In 2010, however, DeLay announced the Justice Department
told him it would not file criminal charges. Citizens for
Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a Freedom of
Information Act request for information on the investigation.
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Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>
11th Circuit, on 2-1 Vote, Holds Florida's 2012 Voter Purge Looking
for Non-Citizens Violated the NVRA
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59854>
Posted on April 1, 2014 10:37 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59854>by
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
Arcia v. Fl. Sec of State <http://t.co/Kbqh0bo3HN> majority opinion
concludes:
In closing, we emphasize that our interpretation of the 90 Day
Provision [of the NRVA] does not in any way handcuff a state from
using its resources to ensure that non-citizens are not listed in
the voter rolls. The 90 Day Provision by its terms only applies to
programs which "systematically" remove the names of ineligible
voters. As a result, the 90 Day Provision would not bar a state from
investigating potential non-citizens and removing them on the basis
of individualized information, even within the 90-day window. All
that the 90 Day Provision prohibits is a program whose purpose is to
"systematically remove the names of ineligible voters" from the
voter rolls within the last 90 days before a federal election. 42
U.S.C. § 1973gg-6(c)(2)(A).
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Posted in NVRA (motor voter) <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=33>, voter
registration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37>
--
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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