[EL] ELB News and Commentary 3/29/14

Sat Mar 29 11:01:56 PDT 2014

    Intriguing Page from Clinton Documents on Democratic Soft Money Ban
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59800>

Posted on March 29, 2014 10:59 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59800>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Via Josh Gerstein, who hasmined the latest set 
<http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/bill-clinton-hillary-clinton-documents-monica-lewinsky-speechwriting-105156.html?hp=r1>of 
released Clinton docs 
<http://clintonlibrary.gov/assets/storage/Research%20-%20Digital%20Library/formerlywithheld/batch3/2006-0469-F-2-1.pdf>, 
comes a single page on campaign finance from Michael Waldman's files.  
(Waldman was a Clinton speechwriter and now heads the Brennan Center for 
Justice, which supports campaign finance laws.)  It is not clear who 
wrote what in the following document p. 464 of the pdf):

clinton-softmoney 
<http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/clinton-softmoney.png>

Two questions:

1. Who in DOJ was ready to argue for constitutionality of spending 
limits in the Supreme Court? Was this meant to be an extension of 
/Austin/, which upheld spending limits applied to corporations (reversed 
years later in /Citizens United/)?

2. Did leading Democrats actually believe a soft money ban was a good 
thing, or was this all political posturing? After all, it was the 
Clinton campaign against Bob Dole which pioneered the use of soft money.

The piece also shows that at the time of this writing, the idea that the 
Court could overrule /Buckley/ in favor of /greater/ regulation was a 
real possibility. Today, of course, if /Buckley/ falls it would be in 
the direction of /lesser /regulation.

Anyone recognize any handwriting?

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

    "Cursed With Nation's Second-Highest Turnout Rate, Wisconsin
    Restricts Early Voting" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59798>

Posted on March 29, 2014 10:26 am 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59798>by Rick Hasen 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Weigel. 
<http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/03/27/cursed_with_nation_s_second_highest_turnout_rate_wisconsin_restricts_early.html>

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

    "Organizer regrets including felon in voter rally"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59795>

Posted on March 29, 2014 9:52 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59795>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Cincinnati Enquirer 
<http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/elections/2014/03/28/organizer-regrets-including-felon-voter-rally/7015057/>:

    The president of a local civil rights group said he "regrets"
    calling a convicted voting felon to the stage during the Cincinnati
    launch of the Ohio Voters Bills of Rights petition drive.

    Bishop Bobby Hilton called Melowese Richardson, who recently was
    released from prison after being convicted of voter fraud, to the
    stage on March 20, drawing criticism from both parties.

    Many in the audience of more than 600 stood and cheered as Hilton
    and the Rev. Al Sharpton -- the keynote speaker -- hugged Richardson.

    Hilton, senior pastor of the Forest Park church where the rally was
    held and the head of the Cincinnati chapter of the National Action
    Network, released a statement to The Enquirer Thursday, saying what
    Richardson did was wrong and she is not a "voting right hero."

Inviting Richardson on stage was a bone-headed move 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59632> and self-inflicted wound.

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

    "Wealthiest congressional districts represented by Democrats"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59793>

Posted on March 29, 2014 9:45 am <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59793>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

AP 
<http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_25420462/wealthiest-congressional-districts-represented-by-democrats>:

    Republicans are the party of the rich, right? It's a label you're
    hearing as Democrats complain about GOP opposition to raising the
    minimum wage and extending unemployment benefits.

    But in Congress, the wealthiest are more likely to be represented by
    a Democrat than a Republican.

    Of the 10 richest House districts, only two have Republican
    congressmen. Democrats claim the top six, sprinkled along the East
    and West coasts. Most are in overwhelmingly Democratic states such
    as New York and California.

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Posted in political parties <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=25>

    "Vote fraud by impersonation just doesn't exist"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59791>

Posted on March 28, 2014 9:26 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59791>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Kuff's World 
<http://blog.chron.com/kuffsworld/2014/03/vote-fraud-by-impersonation-just-doesnt-exist/?cmpid=houtalkshcat>. 
(linking Zack Roth 
<http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/greg-abbott-bogus-voter-fraud-crusade>)

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

    "Voter rights groups appeal documentation ruling"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59789>

Posted on March 28, 2014 9:20 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59789>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

AP 
<http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_VOTER_CITIZENSHIP_LAWSUIT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT>:

    Voting rights groups filed an appeal Friday of a judge's order that
    federal election officials must help Kansas and Arizona enforce
    state laws requiring new voters to provide documentation proving
    their U.S. citizenship.

    A court filing sent to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
    challenges a ruling earlier this month by U.S. District Judge Eric
    Melgren in Wichita. Melgren had ordered the U.S. Election Assistance
    Commission to immediately modify a national voter registration form
    to add special instructions requiring proof of citizenship for
    Kansas and Arizona residents.

    The appeal was filed by more than a dozen voting rights groups and
    individuals who had earlier intervened in the case on behalf of the
    election commission. They include the League of Women Voters of the
    United States, Project Vote Inc., Inter Tribal Council of Arizona,
    Common Cause, Arizona Advocacy Network, League of United Latin
    American Citizens Arizona, Southwest Voter Registration Education
    Project, Chicanos Por La Causa and others.

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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, 
Elections Clause <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=70>, NVRA (motor 
voter) <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=33>, The Voting Wars 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter registration 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37>

    "Snapshot: A look at who has received free voter IDs in N.C."
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59787>

Posted on March 28, 2014 9:14 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59787>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Interesting graphic <http://thevoterupdate.com/trail/?p=1372#.UzYK0fldUR4>.

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Posted in election administration <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, 
The Voting Wars <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>, voter id 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=9>

    "How Voter ID Can Work for Democrats"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59785>

Posted on March 28, 2014 9:09 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59785>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Francis Barry 
<http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-03-28/how-voter-id-can-work-for-democrats> 
for Bloomberg View.

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

    "Is Tim Draper's Six Californias Plan to Split the State Legal Under
    California Law?" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59783>

Posted on March 28, 2014 9:08 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59783>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Vik Amar 
<http://verdict.justia.com/2014/03/28/tim-drapers-six-californias-plan-split-state-legal-california-law> 
writes for Justia.

I've expressed some similar reservations 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=57593>.

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Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>

    "The 'Sheldon Primary' is one reason Americans distrust the
    political system" <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59781>

Posted on March 28, 2014 9:06 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59781>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Dan Balz's take 
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-sheldon-primary-is-one-reason-why-americans-distrust-the-political-system/2014/03/28/765fbfdc-b67e-11e3-a7c6-70cf2db17781_story.html>.

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

    "GOP Steps Up Attack on Early Voting in Key Swing States"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59779>

Posted on March 28, 2014 9:05 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59779>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Ari Berman writes 
<http://www.thenation.com/blog/179061/gop-steps-attack-early-voting-key-swing-states>for 
/The Nation./

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

    Republican FEC Commissioner Suggests Law Limiting State and Local
    Candiate Spending on Federal Elections is No Longer Constitutional
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59776>

Posted on March 28, 2014 8:58 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59776>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

As a reader suggests, this statement by Commissioner Goodman 
<http://electionlawblog.org/wp-content/uploads/14044352017.pdf> is a dog 
whistle to lawyers to file a constitutional challenge.

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Posted in campaign finance <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, federal 
election commission <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=24>

    "A runoff system would improve the District's democratic process"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59774>

Posted on March 28, 2014 8:53 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59774>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

WaPo editorial. 
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-runoff-system-would-improve-the-districts-democratic-process/2014/03/27/aaab4c32-b5e0-11e3-8cb6-284052554d74_story.html>

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Posted in alternative voting systems 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=63>, primaries 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=32>

    "Vote Fails to End Fight Over Growth in Catskills"
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59772>

Posted on March 27, 2014 8:48 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59772>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

    Fascinating NYT story
    <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/20/nyregion/vote-fails-to-end-fight-over-growth-in-catskills.html?action=click&module=Search&region=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26region%3DMasthead%26pgtype%3DHomepage%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26contentCollection%3DHomepage%26t%3Dqry246%23%2Fbloomingburg%2Fsince1851%2Fallresults%2F1%2Fallauthors%2Fnewest%2F&_r=0>:

    The last time there was an election for the Village Board of
    Bloomingburg, N.Y., 24 residents came out to vote. On Tuesday, more
    than 330 did, roughly two-thirds of the population of the small
    rustic spot in Sullivan County.

    At issue was the very character of the place
    <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/14/nyregion/quiet-village-braces-for-an-influx-of-hasidim.html?action=click&module=Search&region=searchResults%230&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%3Faction%3Dclick%26contentCollection%3DEurope%26region%3DTopBar%26module%3DSearchSubmit%26pgtype%3Darticle%23%2FShalom%2520Lamm>:
    Would it keep its small-town feel or become more like Kiryas Joel, a
    village of 20,000 people farther south populated largely by Hasidim
    of the Satmar sect?

    Voters who wanted to keep the village small outnumbered those
    supporting development by a ratio of three to one, but the results
    are far from definitive. They do not include 230 voters, many of
    them Hasidim who settled only this year, whose residencies were
    challenged.

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Posted in Uncategorized <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>

    Leland Yee Would Have Made a Lousy Secretary of State Anyway
    <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59770>

Posted on March 27, 2014 8:35 pm <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=59770>by 
Rick Hasen <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

As I explained in this November 2012 post. 
<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=44739>

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Posted in internet voting <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=49>

-- 
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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