"Mega-deal eyed on term limits, campaign finance and redistricting"

See this news from Sacramento.

"Couple Paid Each Other Campaign Funds"

The LA Times offers this report, which begins: "A Republican candidate for state controller and his legislator wife have funneled campaign money into each other's consulting firms, in effect boosting their income through political donations, campaign finance reports show. Over a little more than five years, Tony Strickland and his wife, Audra, who replaced him as a member of the state Assembly, paid more than $138,000 raised by their supporters to businesses owned by them and a staffer living in their Moorpark home. An additional $20,000 in campaign money was deposited into a nonprofit organization run by Tony Strickland."

Nebraska Legislature Impeaches Elected Official for Campaign Finance Violations

Mike Pitts passes along this report from the Journal Star.

Padilla v. Lever's Next Target? The Rose Bowl

See here: "Pasadena First is mounting a new challenge, based on recent court rulings. It maintains the initiative violates the voting rights act because it was not circulated in Spanish and Chinese."

"'A Rich History of Corruption'; Voter fraud in Pennsylvania? Gov. Rendell isn't worried."

John Fund offers this OpinionJournal column. As usual, Fund claims widespread voter fraud based upon a few anecdotes rather than any verified social science evidence.

"Even Democrats don't deserve restrictions on expression"

John Samples of CATO has written this oped. Bob Bauer offers thoughts on Sen. McCain's most recent 527 bill. And the Journal Times (Wisconsin) tells Congress to "plug the '527' loophole."

"State warned about election law"

The Cincinnati Enquirer offers this report, which begins: "Ohio officials are scrambling to respond to a federal warning that the state hasn't complied with part of the Help America Vote Act, a measure packed with election mandates states must have in place this year."

"Clerk won't count votes in bitter council race; Seizure of ballot box just latest in series of odd events to plague election in Los Angeles suburb"

A.P. offers the latest from Vernon, CA.

How do you say "Bush v. Gore" in Italian?

The Times of London offers Italians fear Florida repeat as Berlusconi digs in.

"Official's Article on Voting Law Spurs Outcry"

The Washington Post offers this report, which begins: "When he was a senior lawyer in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, Hans von Spakovsky played a central role in approving a controversial Georgia voter identification program over the objections of staff lawyers. But now, after leaving Justice for the Federal Election Commission, von Spakovsky has acknowledged writing a law review article that endorsed photo identification, which was Georgia's approach, before the state's proposal was even submitted to Justice for review. He also took the unusual step of using a pseudonym, 'Publius," in publishing the article, which appeared in the spring 2005 issue of the Texas Review of Law & Politics." The article further notes: "The article's appearance on the FEC Web site was first noted last month by Loyola University law professor Rick Hasen on his Web site, http://www.electionlawblog.org . Its sudden disappearance was reported earlier this week by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution."

You can find my March 29, 2006 post noting Publius's identity here. See also here for links to the ACLU letter and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article.

"Heather Gerken to Join Yale Law School Faculty"

See this press release. What great news for Yale!

-- 
Rick Hasen
William H. Hannon Distinguished Professor of Law
Loyola Law School
919 Albany Street
Los Angeles, CA  90015-1211
(213)736-1466
(213)380-3769 - fax
rick.hasen@lls.edu
http://www.lls.edu/academics/faculty/hasen.html
http://electionlawblog.org