[EL] Poor Larry

Fri Oct 2 08:53:21 PDT 2015

This cracked me up from Larry Lessig's Politico op-ed:

"While news shows have been busy limning the depths of Donald Trump’s brain, there hasn’t been time to consider a Democratic candidate saying something that no other Democrat is saying—especially if the party itself doesn’t consider the candidate a real candidate."

Lessig is a guy who has never held office and is running on an absurd platform. Accomplished real life Governors & Senators like Jim Webb, Bobby Jindahl, Lindsay Graham, Martin O'Malley, Linc Chafee, and George Pataki, or even Scott Walker and Rick Perry, would love a fraction of the media coverage Lessig has obtained in the last two months for his bizarre campaign. He got an interview with George Stephanopolous on This Week, coverage on CNN, time with Chris Hayes on MSNBC, a puff interview in Time, profiles (mostly puff profiles) in publications all around the country including US News, the NY Times, Bloomberg, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Forbes, the LA Times, the Boston Globe, and many, many, more, a fawning intro on NPR, and of course a lot of op-ed space in Politico.

Am I jealous of Larry's ability to generate media coverage? You bet your sweet ass I am. Life just ain't fair.

Bradley A. Smith

Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault

   Professor of Law

Capital University Law School

303 E. Broad St.

Columbus, OH 43215

614.236.6317

http://law.capital.edu/faculty/bios/bsmith.aspx

________________________________
From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu [law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] on behalf of Rick Hasen [rhasen at law.uci.edu]
Sent: Friday, October 02, 2015 10:50 AM
To: law-election at UCI.edu
Subject: [EL] ELB News and Commentary 10/2/15

“At end of fundraising quarter, O’Malley seeks to lessen role of money in politics”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76404>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:47 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76404> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

WaPo<http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/01/at-end-of-fundraising-quarter-omalley-seeks-to-lessen-role-of-money-in-politics/>:

O’Malley is pushing for a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United court decision, tougher enforcement of existing campaign finance laws and a public financing system that would provide Americans with a $25 refundable tax credit for donating to congressional candidates.

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>
“In Maryland congressional race, sharp jabs at the better-funded candidates”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76402>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:46 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76402> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

WaPo<https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/maryland-congressional-candidates-clash-in-early-forum/2015/10/01/9ba49700-679d-11e5-9ef3-fde182507eac_story.html>:

By virtue of money in the bank, state Sen. Jamie B. Raskin and former WJLA anchor Kathleen Matthews are the clear front-runners in the Democratic primary for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District seat.

And with front-runnerhood comes increased scrutiny and attacks by opponents.

That was the case at the first candidate forum of the primary season Wednesday night. Matthews, who according to campaign finance reports raised about $500,000 in the first month of her candidacy, was called out as “a millionaire white woman” by independent Liz Matory, who also accused Matthews of lacking support from people of color.

Raskin, who has raised a little over $550,000, was assailed by fellow candidate and state Del. Kumar P. Barve for making a campaign contribution to a state Senate colleague who does not share all of his liberal agenda.

I think Jamie Raskin is the first election law prof to run for Congress?  Am I wrong?

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Posted in campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>
“Voter ID: What Oregon gets right and Alabama gets wrong”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76400>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:45 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76400> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Kyle Whitmire<http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/10/drivers_licenses_and_voter_id.html> at Al.com.

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Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>
“Alabama Demands Voter ID–Then Closes Driver’s License Offices In Black Counties”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76395>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:36 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76395> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

TPM:<http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/alabama-drivers-licenses-voter-id>

What happens when a state with a tough voter ID law suddenly makes it much harder for minorities to get driver’s licenses? We are about to find out in Alabama.

Facing a budget crisis, Alabama has shuttered 31 driver’s license offices, many of them in counties with a high proportion of black residents. Coming after the state recently put into effect a tougher voter ID law, the closures will cut off access — particularly for minorities — to one of the few types of IDs accepted.

According to a tally by AL.com columnist <http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/09/alabama_sends_message_we_are_t.html> John Archibald<http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/09/alabama_sends_message_we_are_t.html>, eight of the 10 Alabama counties with the highest percentage of non-white registered voters saw their driver’s license offices closed.

“Every single county in which blacks make up more than 75 percent of registered voters will see their driver license office closed. Every one,” Archibald wrote.

Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act likely would have stopped this.  Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act should stop this.

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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>
“Outsider Candidates’ Fundraising May Prove More Durable Than Insiders'”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76393>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:32 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76393> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Bloomberg reports.<http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-10-02/outsider-candidates-fundraising-may-prove-more-durable-than-insiders-?cmpid=BBD100215_POL>

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>
“Kansas officials to begin culling incomplete voter forms”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76391>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:31 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76391> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

AP reports.<http://ksn.com/2015/10/02/kansas-officials-to-begin-culling-incomplete-voter-forms/>

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Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>
Seattle Times Editorial Comes Out Against Campaign Finance Voucher Initiative<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76389>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:30 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76389> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

The devil<http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/seattle-voters-should-reject-campaign-finance-reform-measure-initiative-122/> in the details.

UPDATE: Here is an opinion piece<http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/initiative-122-would-bring-power-back-to-the-people/> supporting the measure and Paul Blumenthal coverage<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/honest-elections-seattle_560d4018e4b0af3706dfaf02>.

I’m a big and longtime proponent of campaign finance vouchers, but I have not studied the details of the Seattle proposal enough to take a position on it.

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>
“I’m Trying to Run for President, but the Democrats Won’t Let Me”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76387>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:28 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76387> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Larry Lessig<http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/10/lessig-lawrence-democrats-debate-2016-213215> in Politico:

Here’s how you make the debates: After one declares, a candidate is formally welcomed into the race by the Democratic National Committee. Polling firms, taking a cue from the DNC, include that candidate on their questionnaires. Candidates that poll at 1 percent nationally in at least three separate polls earn an invitation. Simple enough.

That’s how the process typically works for other candidacies—but not for mine. The DNC still has not formally welcomed me into the race—despite my raising money at a faster pace than more than half the pack, and being in the race nearly a full month. Polls, in turn, have taken the hint, only including me sporadically on questionnaires: of the last 10 major polls, only three mentioned my candidacy. One poll recently put me at 1 percent (for comparison, candidates O’Malley, Webb and Chafee, who will each get a podium at the debates, are all currently polling at 0.7 percent or less, according<http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/2016_democratic_presidential_nomination-3824.html>to Real Clear Politcs). Were I actually included on every poll, I would easily make the debates.

The Democratic Party could fix this by welcoming me into the race. Yet when I tried to talk about this with the chair of the Democratic Party, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, she scheduled a call, but then cancelled it. So far she hasn’t had the time to schedule another. I’ve had similar experiences at the state level, where the same game is played: The chair of the New Hampshire Democrats invited me to speak at their convention. I was given 5 minutes. Hillary Clinton took an hour.

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Posted in ballot access<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=46>, campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, campaigns<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59>
More Bauer on Hasen on #SCOTUS and Campaign Finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76385>
Posted on October 2, 2015 7:25 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76385> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Here<http://www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com/2015/10/assigning-responsibility-implosion-part-ii-implications-reform-programs/>.

I’ll have more to say about the subject of Bob’s second post when Plutocrats Unite<http://www.amazon.com/Plutocrats-United-Campaign-Distortion-Elections/dp/0300212453/ref=la_B0089NJCR2_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430416698&sr=1-7>d is released in January.

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Posted in campaign finance<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=10>, Supreme Court<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=29>
“A case study on college poll workers; An in-depth look at the Chicago Program”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76383>
Posted on October 1, 2015 12:02 pm<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76383> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

That’s the lead story in this week’s Electionline Weekly<http://www.electionline.org/index.php/electionline-weekly>.

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Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>
“GAB head asks lawmakers to delay overhaul of elections agency”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76381>
Posted on October 1, 2015 8:22 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=76381> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel<http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/gab-head-asks-lawmakers-to-delay-overhaul-of-elections-agency-b99587503z1-330102791.html>:

The head of the state’s elections board has urged legislative leaders to slow down their plans to overhaul the agency, but top GOP lawmakers say they will unveil their restructuring plans next week.

Gerald Nichol, chairman of the Government Accountability Board, in a letter to lawmakers raised concerns about restructuring the board 13 months before the high-turnout presidential election. His request to slow down fell on deaf ears.

On Wednesday, aides to Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said they reached a deal on the matter. They declined to provide details, saying they would make their plans public next week.

Deplorable.

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

--
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<mailto:rhasen at law.uci.edu>
http://www.law.uci.edu/faculty/full-time/hasen/
http://electionlawblog.org
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