Greetings!

 

This probably belongs on Legislation listserve but I recall Professor Hasen's discussion on bad legislative intent was here.

 

The Maryland legislature has just passed SB 129 which ends fusion for federal office.  The measure was passed as emergency legislation and is to be effective immediately.  The "bad intent" of SB 129 comes from that fact that the minor parties in Maryland are now deprived of the ability to name candidates of their choice and share a common candidate.  The "bad intent" trigger to the "emergency" is the campaign of U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Zeese.  Zeese has been getting some traction with his "Unity" campaign seeking the ballot lines of the Libertarian, Green, and Populist parties.  Zeese, long-time Green, was a founder of the Populist Party, and already has secured the Libertarian nomination.  The prospect he might actually appear on three ballot lines was more than the two major parties could tolerate, hence SB 129.   Seems like a pretty clear example of "bad intent".  Special legislation to stop one candidate.