[EL] ELB News and Commentary 10/5/16

[Rick Hasen]

“Ethics Panel Investigating de Blasio’s Nonprofit Is Said to Issue Broad Subpoena”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87167>
Posted on October 5, 2016 8:03 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87167> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

NYT:<http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/05/nyregion/ethics-panel-investigating-de-blasios-nonprofit-is-said-to-issue-broad-subpoena.html?_r=0>

A state ethics panel investigating Mayor Bill de Blasio<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/bill_de_blasio/index.html?inline=nyt-per>’s political nonprofit organization has served a sweeping subpoena on City Hall seeking communications among the mayor, his aides, the nonprofit, its donors and consulting firms that worked for it, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The scope of the subpoena suggests a widening of the investigation by the State Joint Commission on Public Ethics, which enforces state lobbying laws and has been focused on whether the group, the Campaign for One New York, illegally lobbied the city in 2015.

At the same time, several lawyers representing donors to the group who have been contacted by the panel said the inquiry also appeared to be focused on whether some donations from lobbyists or their clients who have business before the city actually constituted undisclosed gifts to the mayor. Any such undisclosed gifts would violate state lobbying laws.
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Posted in Uncategorized<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=1>

“Ind. office raided in growing voter fraud case”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87165>
Posted on October 5, 2016 8:00 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87165> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

IndyStar:<http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/10/05/indiana-police-raid-voter-fraud/91588742/>

Indiana State Police investigators on Tuesday searched a voter registration agency on Indianapolis’ north side as they look into a voter fraud case that spans nine counties<http://indy.st/2dYulyl>.

The investigation began in late August when police learned of the filing of fraudulent voter registration forms in Marion and Hendricks counties.

The investigation has expanded from Marion and Hendricks counties to include Allen, Delaware, Hamilton, Hancock, Johnson, Lake and Madison counties, according to a statement from State Police….

“An investigation of this nature is complex, time consuming and is expected to continue for several more weeks or months,” said a State Police statement. “Victims of the activities by some agents of the Indiana Voter Registration Project may not discover they have been disenfranchised from voting until they go to vote and realize their voting information has been altered. Such action may result in the citizen having to cast a provisional ballot.”

Officials said a representative sample of voter registration applications received by county voter registration offices and suspected of being fraudulent have been copied and provided to investigators. The original applications are maintained by the appropriate voter registration office.

Craig Varoga, president of Patriot Majority, said because the IVRP has been specifically referenced in a statement from Secretary of State Connie Lawson, the investigation could impede the processing of the 45,000 voter registration cards that have been completed through the organization across the state….

Varoga said State Police have been coordinating with the secretary of state’s office, which he said became clear because of the timing of Lawson’s statement and the onset of the State Police investigation. He said the investigation is a partisan effort “designed to make it harder to vote in this election.”

We will see what becomes of this investigation. In the past, when there has been voter registration fraud, it has been caused by people trying to make money by registering voters. In the case of ACORN, for example, there was never any evidence that fraudulently submitted registrations were used to allow anyone to actually vote in an election.
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Posted in chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>, election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, voter registration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=37>


“A federal court struck down much of North Carolina’s voter ID law — but what’s left could still shrink the black vote”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87163>
Posted on October 5, 2016 7:51 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87163> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Erik Engstrom and Jason Roberts <https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/10/05/a-federal-court-struck-down-much-of-the-voter-id-law-in-north-carolina-but-a-remaining-provision-could-affect-the-black-vote/> for the Monkey Cage.  (This is on the demise of straight-ticket voting)
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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>


WI Voter ID Judge Will Hold Oct. 12 Hearing to Consider Affidavit Requirement after DMV Failures<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87161>
Posted on October 5, 2016 7:42 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87161> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Judge Peterson’s order:

The court will hold an in-person hearing at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 12, 2016, to consider plaintiffs’ motion to enjoin the state’s voter ID law, Dkt. 262, and defendants’ response to the court’s September 30, 2016, order, Dkt. 261. The parties may, if they choose, offer evidence concerning the state’s compliance with the court’s injunction order. The parties should be prepared to discuss whether any of the relief requested by plaintiffs is necessary or appropriate
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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>


“Voting Rights — and Wrongs”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87159>
Posted on October 5, 2016 7:36 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87159> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

New radio episode<https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/voting-rights-and-wrongs/> of Reveal.
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Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>


“Vote fraud, intimidation allegations hurled about in Kankakee Co.”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87157>
Posted on October 5, 2016 7:33 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87157> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

More strange goings-on<http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/kankakee-county-investigates-vote-buying-allegations/> from the guy taking away the “I Voted” stickers.<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87140>
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Posted in chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>, election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>


“Convicted Ex-Massey CEO Calls Self ‘Political Prisoner’ in Booklet; Blankenship to send out 250,000 copies of 67-page book alleging conspiracy against him”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87155>
Posted on October 5, 2016 7:17 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87155> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Woah.<http://www.wsj.com/articles/convicted-ex-massey-ceo-calls-self-political-prisoner-in-booklet-1475622347?mod=e2tw>
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Posted in chicanery<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=12>
“Why Proof of Citizenship Won’t Improve Election Integrity”<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87153>
Posted on October 5, 2016 7:15 am<http://electionlawblog.org/?p=87153> by Rick Hasen<http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>

Michael Gilbert:<http://www.jurist.org/forum/2016/10/michael-gilbert-election-integrity.php>

For years, states have been sounding the alarm about voter fraud and pushing laws to prevent it. One such law would require voters to prove their citizenship, with a birth certificate, passport, or the like, before casting a ballot. This month a federal court slapped down proof-of-citizenship laws, but not for good. The opinion leaves wiggle room, and state lawmakers are not giving up. They are, however, wasting their effort. Anti-fraud measures can make elections safer in some circumstances, but usually they either have no effect (other than creating red tape) or make matters worse. Myresearch<http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2488645> proves it.
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Posted in election administration<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=18>, The Voting Wars<http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=60>


--
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<http://electionlawblog.org/>
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