Subject: news of the day 11/18/03
From: Rick Hasen
Date: 11/18/2003, 7:52 AM
To: election-law

"Fairfax to Probe Voting Machines"

The Washington Post offers this report. The newspaper also offers Civil Rights Groups Fear Effect of E-Vote Company Threats.


More on Schwarzenegger Fundraising

See this Los Angeles Times report.


"2 Brooklyn Democrats Indicted in Judicial Corruption Case"

See this New York Times report.

No BCRA Opinion Before Dec. 2

Confirming what readers of this blog already know, today's Supreme Court Roundup in the New York Times reports: "After announcing its orders on Monday morning, the court began a Thanksgiving recess that will last until Dec. 1. Those awaiting a decision in the campaign finance case that was argued in a special session in September will have to wait until at least Dec. 2, the next day on which the court is scheduled to announce decisions."


Gephardt Complains to FEC about Dean Decision on Public Funding

Roll Call offers Gephardt Questions Public Financing Reversals, which begins: "With two of his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination already rejecting public financing, Rep. Richard Gephardt (Mo.) has asked the Federal Election Commission to weigh in on whether a candidate may agree to participate in the system and later “opt out” without facing penalties." The article quotes an unnamed election law expert as follows:

    “The FEC won’t want to be in the position of enforcing campaign promises, i.e., if you contribute to my campaign now, I promise I’ll take public financing,” remarked one attorney. “The situation would be a lot different if Dean had already accepted federal funds, but so far all he has done is qualify for federal funding.”

"Judging Terry"

The American Prospect has this article by Harold Myerson on Democrat Terry McAuliffe and his fundraising abilities.


Republicans Attack Campaign Finance Reform Groups for Not Sufficiently Criticizing the Activities of Benefactor George Soros

See this Washington Post report, this report in The Hill, and this Roll Call report.
UPDATE: George Soros, discussed in the above articles, has pledged money to Moveon.org, which is profiled in this New York Times article.


New articles on recall

The Forum, an online journal from Berkeley Electronic Press, has published here four articles by the California recall, by Dan Lowenstein, me, Michael McDonald, and Elizabeth A. Cappell. The articles by Dan and by me are revised versions of our Daily Journal opeds on the en banc Ninth Circuit decision in the punch card case. If your institution is not subscribed to the journal, you can enter information and still read the journals.


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