Michigan Supreme Court decides Trump can stay on primary ballot

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/us/michigan-trump-ballot.html

The Michigan high court upheld a lower court ruling that under Michigan law the Secretary of State does not have authority to remove Donald Trump from the presidential primary ballot and that the question of his eligibility to appear on the general election ballot is not ripe. [Thus, Michigan might still find that Trump is not eligible to be President and might remove him from the general election ballot. However, U.S. Supreme Court consideration of the Colorado case could possibly decide the question of eligibility to serve as president on a nationwide basis.]

Charlie Cooper

Clarence Thomas threatened to quit Court over money woes; "friends" responded

https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-money-complaints-sparked-resignation-fears-scotus

Clarence Thomas made a behind the scenes plea for higher salaries for Supreme Court justices. He also found several ways to garner gifts and income, and his wife made a 6-figure salary with the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Charlie Cooper

Democratic candidate for Congress using AI bot for phone calls

https://www.reuters.com/technology/meet-ashley-worlds-first-ai-powered-political-campaign-caller-2023-12-12/?utm_campaign=wp_the_daily_202&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_daily202

Her creators, who intend to mainly work with Democratic campaigns and candidates, use data about the person being called to customize a conversation. It discloses that the "caller" is an AI bot. The bot can speak 20 languages.

Charlie Cooper

New poll shows that voters abhor big money in politics

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/09/19/money-power-and-the-influence-of-ordinary-people-in-american-politics/

80% say big money has too much influence on politicians; 72% say that limits should be placed on the amount that can be spent by individuals and organizations; and almost 60% believe that the problem can be fixed by enacting laws.

Charlie Cooper

Election worker testifies to death threats in civil suit against Rudy Giuliani

https://news.yahoo.com/georgia-poll-worker-lynching-threats-214727610.html

Two Black election workers from Georgia are suing Rudy Giuliani for defamation. He falsely accused them of fabricating votes for Biden. She testified to receiving lynching messages such as: "I pray I will be sitting close enough to hear your neck snap." The jury in this case will determine how much Giuliani owes the women.

Charlie Cooper

The Judicial Conference fails to uphold accountability for the federal judiciary

https://www.propublica.org/article/judicial-conference-scotus-federal-judges-ethics-rules

ProPublica reports on an investigation of the Judicial Conference and its lack of enforcement of judicial ethics. The Conference is chaired by the Chief Justice. Previously undisclosed information has led to the conclusion that it has protected judicial perks rather than enforce accountability. The Judicial Branch undergoes the least oversight of the three branches. The Administrative Office that reviews judges' disclosure statements is purposely kept weak. The Judicial Conference has never referred a single case to the Department of Justice for investigation in 45 years.

In 2011-2, the Financial Disclosure Committee of the Judicial Conference refused to examine evidence after Clarence Thomas failed to disclose the source of his wife's income. She had received $700,000 from the conservative Heritage Foundation. An official appointed by President Clinton helped to kill this investigation. The reports on this incident are illegally kept from public view, and the Administrative Office routinely flouts public disclosure requirements.

Charlie Cooper

Corporations file law suits to nullify Maine referendum law on foreign influence

https://www.lmtonline.com/news/politics/article/lawsuits-target-maine-referendum-aimed-at-curbing-18551783.php

"The referendum, which was approved by about 84% of voters who cast ballots, bans foreign governments — or companies with 5% or more foreign government ownership — from donating to state referendum races. [Sic. The referendum actually bans spending -- not merely donating.]

"The proposal was put on the ballot after a Canadian government-owned utility, Hydro Quebec, spent $22 million to influence a project on which it's a partner in Maine. That hydropower corridor project ultimately moved forward after legal challenges."

Charlie Cooper

W. Virginia Sec. of State accuses CIA of stealing 2020 election for Biden

https://wvmetronews.com/2023/12/11/gubernatorial-candidate-mac-warner-the-election-was-stolen-and-it-was-stolen-by-the-cia

In a gubernatorial debate leading up to the Republican Party primary election, West Virginia's Secretary of State made the charge that the CIA  helped President Biden in the election.

"By pointing toward the Central Intelligence Agency, he is making an argument that information about Hunter Biden's laptop recovered from a repair shop in October 2020 was suppressed from full consideration by voters."

Charlie Cooper

Cyber security experts warn of voting software vulnerabilities

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/voting-experts-warn-of-serious-threats-for-2024-from-election-equipment-software-breaches 

The threat stems from attempts by Trump supporters to access proprietary voting machine software.

Charlie Cooper

Leonard Leo network funnels money for echo chamber around SCOTUS

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/03/supreme-court-amicus-briefs-leonard-leo-00127497

The power of advocacy groups to influence the Supreme Court is on the rise. The Leonard Leo network of Christian and right-wing groups has disproportionate influence in this current moment. The article delves in to the controversy over whether abortion was a crime under English common law or in medieval periods. Mainstream historians dispute the religion-tinged interpretations that impacted the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

The charitable income tax deduction allows self-dealing for billionaires

https://popular.info/p/uncharitable-giving

Very few have high enough income to benefit from the charitable deduction. Billionaires and charity executives have now figured out how to game the system for self-dealing.

Charlie Cooper

Senate Judiciary Committee probe must overcome Republican obstacles

https://www.propublica.org/article/senate-judiciary-harlan-crow-leonard-leo-subpoenas-scotus-thomas-alito 

If Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo defy the subpoenas, send a Democrats would normally need 60 votes on the floor of the house to enforce them. But there may be a way to have the Department of Justice enforce them.

The Committee has discovered that Clarence Thomas did not repay a large portion of a $267,000 loan from a wealthy acquaintance that he used to buy a recreational vehicle.

Charlie Cooper

Minnesota bans foreign-influenced corporations from campaign spending; Chamber fights back

https://freespeechforpeople.org/minnesota-chamber-of-commerce-v-choi/

In May 2023, Minnesota enacted a bill banning foreign-influenced corporations from spending money to influence state elections. The Chamber of Commerce is challenging the bill in court. Free Speech for People has filed an amicus brief opposing the Chamber arguing 3 main points:

First, Minnesota has an established "compelling interest in limiting the participation of foreign citizens in activities of American democratic self-government," and that this interest justifies laws prohibiting any money from foreign nationals entering U.S. elections.

 

Second, corporations with foreign shareholders and owners are not "associations of citizens" under Citizens United and have no vested right to influence Minnesota elections.

 

Third, the challenged law requires corporations to ascertain the percentage of its foreign ownership based on information that corporations have or can easily obtain. It is therefore far from being burdensome.

Charlie Cooper

Flawed Insurrection Act gives President to much power

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/03/opinion/insurrection-act-trump-president.html?campaign_id=39&emc=edit_ty_20231204&instance_id=109266&nl=opinion-today&regi_id=33603389&segment_id=151669&te=1&user_id=a2639148267bad823b53e9ae1e246e50 

There are no checks on the Presidential power to use military force to crush dissent. Authoritarian rhetoric from Trump makes the case more urgent. The Brennan Center has drafted legislation that Congress should enact.

Charlie Cooper

FEC enforcement of campaign finance laws lacking

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/02/us/politics/george-santos-campaign-finance.html

George Santos was expelled from Congress partially for using campaign funds for his own benefit. The story explains that there is very little enforcement in general on the spending side of campaign finance and that there is an increasing trend to funnel campaign spending through private corporations that may easily divert money to friends and family members or to the candidate him or herself.

Charlie Cooper

Georgia county adopts controversial method of removing people from voter rolls

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/02/georgia-county-eagleai-program-ineligible-voters 

The program, EagleAI, is associated with Trump. Ally Claeta Mitchell. It uses publicly available databases, like the US Post Office change of address database to present candidates for removal from the voter rolls. Many election officials think that it removes people from the voter rolls who are still eligible to vote.

Charlie Cooper