Subject: Electionlawblog news and commentary 6/28/06
From: Rick Hasen
Date: 6/28/2006, 7:12 AM
To: Election-law

More Views on the Vermont Case

Brenda Wright of NVRI

Bob Bauer (on the view of the reform community)

Ronald Rotunda (NRO)

Eileen McNamara (Boston Globe)

LA Times (editorial)

Rick Hasen (commenting on SCOTUSBlog, on the effects of Justice Alito on the Court in the case)

Posted by Rick Hasen at 07:04 AM

"A Single Person Could Swing an Election; Electronic Systems' Weaknesses May Be Countered With Audits, Report Suggests"

The Washington Post offers this report on a new Brennan Center study. Dan Tokaji shares this thoughts on the report.


"In Senate, it's deja vu all over again on Voting Rights Act extension"

The Hill offers another must read report on the VRA renewal issues. Meanwhile, Roll Call in its own must read report says that Reps. King and Westmoreland say that "House leaders remain unwilling to discuss any aspect of reauthorization of the landmark 1965 law."


"Reading Between the Lines of Randall v. Sorrell"

Gerry Hebert has this post at the CLCBlog, which discusses Chief Justice Roberts, precedent, and the Court in the campaign finance and Voting Rights Act cases.


"Despite splintered decision, Buckley tree still stands"

Tony Mauro offers this analysis for the First Amendment Center.


House Rules Committee Tables Rule on VRA Renewal, Meaning the Rule for Debating (and Possibly Amending) H.R. 9 Will Have to Be Renegotiated

Last night the Rules Committee voted to table H. Res. 878, which had provided for the rule on debate of VRA renewal (that's the deal that allowed two proposed amendments, the Norwood amendment and the Westmoreland amendment). It appears then that the details of the VRA renewal debate will have to be renegotiated, and that's likely not to happen until after the July 4 recess.


"Power Trips Part 3: The Big Fish"

Marketplace offers this audio report, with the following description: "A new investigative report by Marketplace and American RadioWorks finds at least three US senators violated ethics rules by accepting expenses to attend annual Alaska charity fishing trips with energy lobbyists and other executives. Steve Henn reports."


Replace the FEC?

The Campaign Legal Center has released this statement from Trevor Potter, supportinga bill (H.R. 5676 and S. 3560) sponsored by the 4 main BCRA sponsors to "replace the discredited Federal Election Commission (FEC)." The link the release provides to the actual bill is not working, so I do not know yet what is in the bill and how it would restructure the FEC.

UPDATE: The bill is now posted here. 
-- 
Rick Hasen 
William H. Hannon Distinguished Professor of Law
Loyola Law School 
919 Albany Street 
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rick.hasen@lls.edu 
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http://electionlawblog.org