Tech Bros set up" gray money" network to control San Francisco politics

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/12/san-francisco-tech-billionaires-political-influence?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 

Senate investigating Harlan Crow for tax fraud

https://www.propublica.org/article/senate-probe-casts-doubt-harlan-crow-yacht-tax-deductions

Charlie Cooper

TurboTax ad blitz as IRS initiates free filing software

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/02/turbotax-maker-intuit-spent-millions-in-record-lobbying-blitz-amid-threats-to-tax-prep-industry/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=turbotax-maker-intuit-spent-millions-in-record-lobbying-blitz-amid-threats-to-tax-prep-industry%2f2%2f6%2f24&emci=3fac5973-cec6-ee11-85f9-002248223794&emdi=6155a6cc-59c7-ee11-85f9-002248223794&ceid=8234144 

Very good op-ed on reforming U.S. democracy

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4432286-democracys-enemies-have-spoken-what-about-its-defenders/

The author is Exec. Dir. of a climate policy think tank. He says that Pres. Biden and the Democrats have not made enough progress on reforming democracy. He argues for:

• Using Article III to remove campaign finance from the jurisdiction of SCOTUS.
• Passing voting rights reforms [similar to Freedom to Vote Act and John R. Lewis Act].
• Reforming the SCOTUS with more justices, term limits, and the SCERT bill.
• Adopting the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
  

Charlie Cooper

Get Money Out - Maryland

H: 410-578-8291

M: 410-624-6095

Republican hearing officer in Illinois recommends removing Trump from ballot

https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-illinois-insurrection-e6c8bf05a1bb99eea7afe6531383b43e 

The hearing officer appointed by the Illinois State board of elections, a former Republican judge, recommended that the preponderance of the evidence proves that Donald Trump engaged in insurrection and should not appear on the Illinois ballot. He said that the decision would be better made by a court then by the board of elections itself. Board of elections is holding a hearing on the matter on January 30th at 9:30 p.m. Central Time.

Charlie Cooper

Prof. Lessig says that Hawley's challenge to SuperPACs may soon be tested

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/11/democracy-josh-hawley-supreme-court-unfortunate.html

Charlie Cooper

Constitutional Law Scholar Rich Hasen calls for a voting rights amendment

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/16/opinion/voting-rights-constitution-28th-amendment.html

"... in Bush v. Gore, to give a relatively recent example, the Supreme Court reiterated that the Constitution does not guarantee citizens the right to vote for president and confirmed that states may take back the power to appoint presidential electors directly in future elections."

The Warren court of the [ERA] was the only Supreme Court in history that was favorable to broadening voting rights.

The lack of an affirmative right leads to attempts at voter suppression. In the current era, Republicans are trying to shape the electorate to dampen turnout. Also, "[a]n affirmative right to vote in the Constitution could de-escalate the voting wars and decrease the amount of election litigation by simultaneously protecting voter access and ensuring election integrity."

An amendment should "guarantee not only the right to vote but also the right to have that vote fairly and accurately counted."

Charlie Cooper