Supreme Court order today in BCRA case? The Court is due today to let the parties know how many pages they will have for their briefs. Stay tuned.

California recall news and commentary My oped on the California recall, "The recall - a minefield in California election law," appeared in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. It begins:

California voters are being asked to sign petitions to recall Gov. Gray Davis. Recall supporters need over 897,000 valid signatures to qualify the recall for the ballot. Given the governor's current unpopularity and the large amounts of money that Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, and others are pouring into the effort to collect signatures, the betting is that the recall will qualify for the ballot, perhaps as early as the fall.

Before California voters decide to sign a recall petition, they should first consider four troubling aspects of the special rules governing recall elections that may make them think twice.

In other recall news and commentary, the San Francisco Chronicle offers "Soft money limits tested in Davis recall campaign: Issa accused of violating federal fund-raising law". The San Jose Mercury News offers "Majority would vote to oust Davis, polls show" and "Demos say they won't run in recall".

Cuauhtemoc Ortega offers this oped in the New York Times. Nick Schulz has this oped in the Los Angeles Times. The Vero Beach Press Journal offers this editorial. The Long Beach Press Telegram weighs in here. Tim Cavanaugh offers this commentary at Reason Online.

George Will Will offers this oped on Democrats and McCain-Feingold. Will refers to a forthcoming article in the July/August 2003 Atlantic. The article is not on the website, but here is a summary that is available:

The Democratic Party Suicide Bill by Seth Gitell

Democrats knew that campaign-finance reform would cripple their fundraising ability—but they backed the idea anyway, largely on principle. Republicans knew that it would give their party an even bigger edge than it already had—but they staunchly opposed it, also largely on principle. The fate of McCain-Feingold ultimately rests with the Supreme Court. But principle has already cost the Democrats plenty.

Texas rumors of special session for re-redistricting appear true See here.  See this Houston Chronicle report.

-- 
Rick Hasen
Professor of Law and William M. Rains Fellow
Loyola Law School
919 South Albany Street
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