Subject: Re: Thursday on Votelaw blog is provocative!
From: Roy Schotland
Date: 10/31/2003, 9:03 AM
To: Ed Still
CC: election-law <election-law@majordomo.lls.edu>

Ed sends info that I find always interesting, very often valuable.  Today he puts a question (or not truly a question?) that I find more than surprising.
    On "How BCRA decentralizes politics", he says--   "OK, power has moved away from the DNC, but has it just shifted to other big players?"
    Whether one sees BCRA as a step forward or instead (as I do) the worst law ever for our political scene (well, I know little about the Alien & Sedition Acts), hasn't it been clear as can be that BCRA doesn't stop the flow of funds but rather --like other steps that began in 1974-- shifts the flows, putting parties lower than ever?
    But query whether it "decentralizes"-- an honest question, not argument:  The six national party committees are hurt and non-party groups helped, indeed they're invited to blossom (does anyone still use the line "let a thousand flowers blossom"?) and flourish.  Will the non-party groups (taken in the aggregate) be significantly less centralized, or more or about the same, as the national party cmtes?
                                                        roy

Ed Still wrote:

 

How BCRA decentralizes politics

... or does it?

Deep in body of an article (from the New Republic via the CBS News site) about Howard Dean probably getting the endorsement of the Service Employees International Union is this paragraph:

SEIU's formal endorsement this year could have similar ripple effects. It could be a signal to the few big unions that are still on the fence, like the American Federation of Teachers and the Communications Workers of America, which is leaning toward Dean, that the former Vermont governor is a legitimate candidate worth backing. It could also help Dean with other party interest groups, since [SEIU president Andy] Stern is one of the most influential leaders in Democratic politics. In the post-McCain-Feingold world, much of the power of the DNC has shifted to a collection of liberal umbrella organizations known as 527s. Stern is at the center of three of the most important: Partnership for America's Families, America Coming Together, and America Votes, which together will spend tens -- and maybe hundreds -- of millions of dollars next year to beat President Bush. Dean could not have found a more powerful ally to help him build the institutional support he now needs.

OK, power has moved away from the DNC, but has it just shifted to other big players?
This entry was posted by votelaw at 07:51 PM

Ag Commissioner going for a ride, but not at the fair

AP reports,
Former state Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps was convicted Thursday of perjury and obstruction of justice, and will spend time in jail while awaiting sentencing.

 
Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens ordered Phipps held in the Wake County jail until a Nov. 12 sentencing hearing. He refused a request from Phipps' attorneys to reconsider his decision, but could consider future motions to release her on bail.

 
The jury found Phipps guilty of four of five charges: perjury, aiding and abetting perjury, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Jurors acquitted her on a single count of suborning perjury.

 
Witnesses testified that Phipps lied to cover up unreported cash campaign contributions and illegal payments her campaign made to help repay the campaign debt of one-time political rival and former aide Bobby McLamb.

 
The contributions came from carnival vendors interested in winning contracts to do business at the N.C. State Fair.

 

 
 
 

This entry was posted by votelaw at 07:40 PM
 

Arizona IRC may get some $

The Arizona Daily Sun reports,
A House panel took the first steps Wednesday to giving some money to the Independent Redistricting Commission to defend the congressional and legislative boundaries it crafted. On a 10-3 margin the House Appropriations Committee voted to give the commission $1.7 million. The measure now goes to the full House.

 
That is far less than the $4.2 million that commission Chairman Steve Lynn said may eventually be necessary on top of the $6 million it already has spent.

 
But Lynn said it should at least pay for the costs of the lawsuit and a likely appeal.

 
The need for legislative action -- and quickly -- became more apparent as the Arizona Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to even consider whether the commission is entitled automatically to more money.

 
Without comment the justices brushed aside arguments by Hauser that because the commission is given duties in the state Constitution it cannot be hobbled by the failure of the Legislature or governor to provide the funds.

 
(Disclosure: I represent the plaintiffs in the suit against the Independent Redistricting Commission over its Congressional plan.)
This entry was posted by votelaw at 01:29 PM

Edward Still
attorney & mediator
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VEdward Stillattorney and mediatorSuite 2012112 11th Ave S.Birmingham AL 35205  phone 205-320-2882  fax toll free 1-877-264-5513  still@votelaw.com http://www.votelaw.com http://www.votelaw.com/blog

--
Roy A. Schotland
Professor
Georgetown U. Law Ctr.
600 New Jersey Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
phone 202/662-9098
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