Libertarians Won 24 Partisan Elections in Pennsylvania on November 5, 2019

Posted on by November 14, 2019
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Twenty-four Pennsylvania Libertarians were elected to local partisan offices on November 5, 2019.  They consisted of four Borough Council seats, and twenty Township Auditors.  These were all unopposed.

The council seats were won by Joshua Sloan (Baily Borough in Berks County); Mitchell Bailey and Matthew C. Welch (Birdsboro Borough in Berks County); and Terry Mohler (Kenhorst Borough in Berks County).

The Township Auditors include five in Berks County, four in Chester County, two in Cumberland County, three in Dauphin County, one in Lancaster County, two in Perry County, and three in Bucks County.  They are Jessie Hodge in Exeter Township, Peter Schwarze in Jefferson Township, Peter Snow in Longswamp Township, Alexander Platz in Lower Alsace Township, Kristi Lee Duffy in Maidencreek Township, Scott R. Belles in Birmingham Township, Ayoade Ojikutu in East Fallowfield Township, Jeffrey Sullivan and Richard Huey in Schuykill Township, Alexander Houck in Southampton Township, Craig Patton in Upper Frankford Township, Joshua Watts in Jefferson Township, Jessica Hanwell in Middle Paxton Township, Michael Robertson in West Hanover Township, Steven Rosenshine in Mount Joy Township, Heather Simpson in Juniata Township, William Shedd in Wheatfield Township, Alexander Barenbaum in Solebury Township, Nicole Tartaglia in Solebury Township, and Andrew Farese in Durham Township.

Thanks to Wes Benedict for the list.

Reconsideration Request in Illinois Lawsuit Over “Sham” Candidacy is Still Pending

Posted on by November 14, 2019
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In 2016, a Democratic candidate for Illinois State House sued Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, over Madigan’s action in recruiting two Hispanic-surnamed opponents to enter the race for the Democratic nomination for Madigan’s seat. The plaintiff, Jason Gonzales, was also running in the Democratic primary against Madigan. He presented evidence that incumbent Madigan had recruited the two other candidates in order to split the vote of people who wanted to vote for a Hispanic-surnamed candidate.

Under an old Seventh Circuit precedent, recruiting sham candidates in a primary to split the vote violates voting rights. Madigan won the current case in U.S. District Court in September 2019, but Gonzales then asked for reconsideration on September 20, 2019, and it is still pending. Judge Matthew Kennelly asked Madigan to respond to the rehearing request, and that response was received October 11, 2019.

U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, Refuses to Reconsider Earlier Decision Giving Congress Power to See Trump Tax Returns

Posted on by November 14, 2019
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On November 13, the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, refused to reconsider its October 11, 2019 decision in Trump v Mazars USA, 19-5142. The November 13 decision was made by all the full-time judges of the D.C. Circuit. One Republican appointee voted with all the Democratic appointees; otherwise the vote was party-line.

This is the case on whether the U.S. House Committee on Oversight may subpoena President Trump’s tax returns. It should not be confused with the 2nd circuit opinion that said a New York prosecutor can obtain the tax returns from one of President Trump’s accountants.

Both opinions will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.