On January 18, the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. circuit, heard oral argument in Stein v Federal Election Commission, 21-1213. The three judges are Karen Henderson (a Bush Sr. appointee), Robert Wilkins (an Obama appointee), and Gregory Katsas (a Trump appointee). The issue is whether Jill Stein, Green Party presidential nominee in 2016 must repay $175,000 in primary season matching funds. Stein has two arguments, a constitutional argument and a statutory interpretation argument, and either one by itself would relieve her of the need for any repayment.

The hearing seems to have gone reasonably well, and the oral argument link will be available later. Check back if that is interesting to you.

Georgia law permits individuals to give more money to the Republican and Democratic nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, than they may give to other candidates for the same office. The Georgia Libertarian Party is in court to overturn that law. The U.S. District Court had said the plaintiffs lack standing.

On December 13, the party filed this brief in the Eleventh Circuit. Graham v Georgia Attorney General, 22-13396.

Two New York Democratic State Senators, James Skoufis and Brad Hoylman, have introduced SB 437. It would move the New York presidential primary from April to late June, so that the primary for other office would be combined with the presidential primary.

Ironically, if the bill were enacted, it would conflict with Republican and Democratic national rules, which do not permit presidential primaries later than the first week of June.

In 2020, New York held presidential primaries in late June, and the national parties overlooked the rules transgression. New York had cancelled its presidential primaries in 2020, but then the state courts had ruled the cancellation was unlawful, so they were held late.