Lawsuit Challenging California’s Huge-Population Legislative Districts Obtains a 3-Judge Panel

Posted on by August 9, 2017
3

On August 2, U.S. District Court Judge Kimberly J. Mueller ruled that Citizens for Fair Representation v Padilla, e.d., 2:17cv-973, should go to a 3-judge court. This is the case that says the U.S. Constitution requires that California’s legislative districts have fewer residents. Currently California State Senate districts have almost 1,000,000 inhabitants, and Assembly districts almost 500,000.

On August 3 the state asked that the judge reconsider. No response has been received since August 3.

Level the Playing Field Files Brief in U.S. District Court in Debates Case

Posted on by August 8, 2017
4

On August 8, Level the Playing Field filed this brief in Level the Playing Field v Federal Election Commission, 1:15cv-1397. This is the case that argues that the FEC has improperly and unlawfully permitted the Commission on Presidential Debates to limit the general election presidential debates to the Democratic and Republican nominees.

Next, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan will rule on the FEC’s motion to dismiss the case. If she denies the FEC’s motion, additional evidence, discovery, and a trial will follow.

Meanwhile, in the other debates lawsuit, Johnson v Commission on Presidential Debates, the D.C. Circuit heard oral argument in April 2017 and the opinion is not out yet.

Jonah Goldberg Says 2020 Presidential Election Might See Non-Major Party Presidential Candidate with Potential to Win

Posted on by August 8, 2017
3

Jonah Goldberg, in the Los Angeles Times, says in this column that a presidential candidate running outside the two major parties might win in 2020. Of course that has always seemed unlikely, but, as he says at the end of the column, the election of someone like President Trump also seemed awfully unlikely, until it happened. Thanks to Gene Berkman for the link.

Status of U.S. Supreme Court Consideration of Whether Ohio is Purging Voters Too Frequently

Posted on by August 8, 2017
3

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear Husted v Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute, 16-980, later this year, or possibly early next year. All the briefs should be completely filed by September 15, 2017, and then the Court will set a hearing date. The issue is the interpretation of the federal law on voter registration. Ohio interprets it to allow it to purge voters from the registration rolls if they haven’t voted in the last two years. But the Sixth Circuit ruled earlier that Ohio’s interpretation is erroneous, and the purge can’t take place except after four years of non-voting.