[EL] ELB News and Commentary 8/4/14

Mon Aug 4 09:02:25 PDT 2014

    "Big Political Money Now Floods Judges' Races, Too"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63967>

Posted on August 4, 2014 8:45 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63967>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Bloomberg reports 
<http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-07-31/big-political-money-now-floods-judges-races-too>.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, 
judicial elections <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=19>

    WSJ Interview with James Buckley <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63965>

Posted on August 4, 2014 8:39 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63965>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Of Buckley and Valeo, the Senate, and the DC Circuit. Here 
<http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/08/ohios_false_statement_law_scot.html>.

    Mr. Buckley is blasé about /Citizens United/: "I must confess that
    as a matter of pure policy, not constitutional law, I wouldn't mind
    if institutions with commercial interests---unions and
    corporations---couldn't express themselves, so long as individuals
    could express themselves in any way they want, and groups of
    individuals organizing for the purpose of expressing their views."

    Thus he still thinks the justices got it wrong in 1976 by upholding
    individual contribution limits---a finding reaffirmed in /Citizens
    United/---and he hopes they'll eventually overturn it. Asked to
    gauge the prospects, he answers: "How about 50/50?" He acknowledges
    that there is "something to" the concern about the appearance of
    corruption, but says "you have to balance the costs and benefits,
    and restricting the ability of people to get into the game to me is
    a capital sin."

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

    "Ohio's false statement law impedes political discourse: Scott
    Blackburn" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63963>

Posted on August 4, 2014 8:38 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63963>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Op-ed 
<http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/08/ohios_false_statement_law_scot.html> 
at /Cleveland Plain Dealer./

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Posted in campaigns <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>

    "You Should Talk to Your Kids---As long As You Are Not Engaged in
    Illegal Coordination" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63961>

Posted on August 4, 2014 8:34 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63961>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Bauer blogs 
<http://www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com/2014/08/talk-kids-long-engaged-illegal-coordination/>.

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

    "Exclusive: Powerhouse GOP group snared in money scheme"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63959>

Posted on August 4, 2014 8:32 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63959>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Politico 
<http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/republican-state-leadership-committee-memo-109680.html>:

    Never disclosed until now, the document detailed
    <http://images.politico.com/global/2014/08/03/bakerhostetler_memo.html>an
    investigation into alleged misconduct by multiple RSLC officials
    during the crucial 2010 election cycle: It charged that national
    RSLC leaders conspired improperly with the leader of the Alabama
    Republican Party to use the RSLC as a pass-through for controversial
    Indian tribe donations, essentially laundering "toxic" money from
    the gaming industry by routing it out of state and then back into
    Alabama.

    "If these events are made public, the resulting media frenzy will be
    a political disaster for Alabama Republicans, a disaster with which
    RSLC will forever be associated," the report concluded of the
    alleged plot in Alabama.

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

    Iowa Democratic Caucus to Remain Discriminatory in 2016
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63955>

Posted on August 3, 2014 8:03 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63955>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Politico 
<http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/2016-election-iowa-caucuses-109656.html?hp=r9>: 
"But Iowa Democrats Friday explicitly ruled out allowing absentee 
ballots, proxies, letting people Skype into caucuses and having multiple 
caucuses through the day."

My 2012 piece: Kill the Caucuses! Maine, Nevada, and Iowa were 
embarrassing. It's time to make primaries the rule 
<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/02/congress_should_kill_the_republican_and_democratic_state_caucuses_and_mandate_primaries_instead_.html>, 
/Slate/, Feb. 15, 2012*
*

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Posted in primaries <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=32>

    Time to Loosen Campaign Finance Restrictions in Louisiana?
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63953>

Posted on August 3, 2014 7:56 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63953>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Gannett editorial: 
<http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/opinion/2014/08/02/campaign-finance-laws-need-rethought/13516761/>

    In a rare show of solidarity, the leaders of the Democratic Party of
    Louisiana and the Republican Party of Louisiana have joined forces
    in an effort to loosen restrictive campaign finance laws. And well
    they should.

    The campaign finance laws at the state and federal levels were
    created with the intention of reducing the possibility of
    corruption. They were also intended to ensure that all candidates
    had a fair shot at being elected --- not just the affluent and
    well-connected who could pull in large contributions.

    But with the rise of super PACs, which are not subject to the same
    rules, the formerly (at least theoretically) level playing field has
    become uneven once again.

    The solution is simple: Don't just loosen campaign finance
    regulations --- pitch 'em altogether.

*Stephen Handwerk and Jason Doré: *Political parties should have equal 
footing in campaign finance world 
<http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/opinion/2014/08/02/political-parties-equal-footing-campaign-finance-world/13517363/>

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

    "More Partisanship in Congress, Fewer Overrides of High Court; Dems'
    attempts to undo voting rights, birth control rulings are likely
    dead. " <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63950>

Posted on August 3, 2014 7:48 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63950>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Todd Ruger 
<http://www.nationallawjournal.com/home/id=1202665526902/More-Partisanship-in-Congress-Fewer-Overrides-of-High-Court%3Fmcode=1202615432600&curindex=0> 
reports for NLJ. (My 2012 article on overrides 
<http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2130190> is among 
those discussed.)

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Posted in legislation and legislatures <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=27>

    "Billionaire climate-change supporter pledges to spend big to beat
    Florida Gov. Rick Scott" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63948>

Posted on August 3, 2014 7:41 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63948>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Miami Herald: 
<http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/08/02/4268750/billionaire-climate-change-supporter.html>

    The billionaire is ready to take out Florida's multi-millionaire
    governor.

    In a nationwide push to fight Republicans who deny the existence of
    man-made climate change, investor-turned-activist Tom Steyer has
    founded a Florida political committee, seeded it with $750,000 of
    his own money, and says he'll spend far more to help Democrat
    Charlie Crist defeat Gov. Rick Scott.

    Florida Democrats are buzzing about Steyer spending $10 million,
    which he won't discuss. Republicans say the California Democrat is a
    phony environmentalist, but they nevertheless worry that his
    financial commitment could be real in Florida.

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

    "Advocacy groups to monitor polls in Dearborn Heights"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63946>

Posted on August 3, 2014 7:38 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63946>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

/Detroit News/ 
<http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140802/POLITICS01/308020044/0/h/Advocacy-groups-monitor-polls-Dearborn-Heights>:

    Advocacy groups said Saturday they would provide poll monitors and a
    hotline to report complications during the primary election after
    allegations of voter suppression in Dearborn Heights.

    The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and other coalition
    groups have set up a hotline, (866) OUR-VOTE, voters can call if
    there are any problems on Election Day on Tuesday. The move comes
    after advocates say they have lost faith in the state government to
    handle the claims of voter suppression.

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Posted in The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>

    "Legislators plan to return for redistricting session on Thursday"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63944>

Posted on August 3, 2014 7:35 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63944>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Miami Herald <http://t.co/hnjg8ZHntC>:

    Facing an Aug. 15 deadline, Florida legislative leaders will
    announce Monday that they will bring lawmakers back for a week-long
    special session on Thursday, Aug. 7, to revise the congressional
    redistricting map declared invalid by a judge.

    Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis on Friday ordered lawmakers to
    revise their congressional redistricting map to fix two districts he
    had previously ordered unconstitutional, those held by U.S. Reps.
    Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville and Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden.

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Posted in redistricting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6>

    "Florida judge takes on gerrymandering; sets stage for Supreme Court
    cases in fall" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63942>

Posted on August 3, 2014 7:32 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63942>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Bob Barnes reports 
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/florida-judge-takes-on-gerrymandering-sets-stage-for-supreme-court-cases-in-fall/2014/08/03/df7ccb88-18e7-11e4-85b6-c1451e622637_story.html?tid=hpModule_308f7142-9199-11e2-bdea-e32ad90da239> 
for WaPo.

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Posted in redistricting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=6>, Voting 
Rights Act <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=15>

    "The Custom-Made 'Super PAC'" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63940>

Posted on August 3, 2014 7:30 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=63940>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

NYT editorial. 
<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/04/opinion/the-custom-made-super-pac-.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region&region=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region>

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

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