Articles by Hans von Spakovsky

LawCommentary

Poll Shows Noncitizens Can Shape Elections

Hans von Spakovsky | June 02, 2015

A poll by John McLaughlin confirms again we may have a significant problem with noncitizens participating illegally in our elections. Based on a sample survey… Read More

LawCommentary

Loretta Lynch Faces Her First Test as Attorney General

Hans von Spakovsky | May 31, 2015

A decision earlier this month by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has given new Attorney General Loretta Lynch her first public test: Will she break… Read More

LawCommentary

The Obama Administration Was Handed a Huge Immigration Defeat. Here’s Why It Matters.

Hans von Spakovsky | May 30, 2015

A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handed the Obama administration a huge defeat this week. It denied the government’s request for… Read More

LawCommentary

At Forum Hosted by Federal Agency, Academic Calls for Mandating Number of Women Politicians

Hans von Spakovsky | May 25, 2015

Earlier this month, I predicted that a scheduled hearing at the Federal Election Commission was shaping up to be nothing more than a presentation of… Read More

SocietyCommentary

Did Obama Administration Really Accidentally Disobey Judge’s Order on Immigration?

Hans von Spakovsky | May 24, 2015

The Justice Department’s latest filings in the immigration lawsuit brought by 26 states in the Southern District of Texas are a little hard to believe—and… Read More

LawCommentary

Don’t Believe Voter Fraud Happens? Here’s Some Examples

Hans von Spakovsky | May 22, 2015

In the interest of helping out the editorial writers and pundits of media outlets who don’t think voter fraud occurs, I wanted to note just… Read More

SocietyCommentary

DC Gets Slapped Again By a Federal Court Over Its Restrictive Gun Laws

Hans von Spakovsky | May 20, 2015

The District of Columbia has lost the latest round in the seemingly never-ending litigation over the rules it keeps implementing to restrict Second Amendment rights…. Read More

LawCommentary

New Report Strikes Serious Blow Against Obama Administration’s Defense in Executive Amnesty Lawsuit

Hans von Spakovsky | May 15, 2015

The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general, John Roth, has dealt a serious blow against the Obama administration’s defense in the lawsuit filed by 26… Read More

LawCommentary

Obama Administration Admits It Violated Judge’s Order to Halt Implementation of Immigration Plan

Hans von Spakovsky | May 12, 2015

In another midnight filing last week in the immigration lawsuit filed by 26 states against the Obama administration in the Southern District of Texas, the… Read More

LawCommentary

Is It the Role of a Federal Agency to Try to Hike Number of Women Politicians?

Hans von Spakovsky | May 03, 2015

One of the biggest problems in Washington is the overreach of federal agencies, many of which go far beyond their limited mandates. Instead of simply… Read More

LawCommentary

The Justice Department’s War on Texas’ Voter ID Law

Hans von Spakovsky | April 27, 2015

On Tuesday, April 28, Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller will be up before a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals again, his… Read More

PoliticsCommentary

Obama Lawyer Struggles to Defend Immigration Plan’s Implementation as Case Goes Through Courts

Hans von Spakovsky | April 21, 2015

The Obama administration’s lawyer, Benjamin Mizer, the acting assistant attorney general of the Civil Division at the Justice Department, did not have an easy time… Read More

PoliticsCommentary

Book Review: Mike Lee on the 6 ‘Lost’ Provisions of the Constitution

Hans von Spakovsky | April 08, 2015

Sen. Mike Lee has written a fascinating book about the six most important “lost” provisions of the U.S. Constitution, and how they need to be… Read More

LawCommentary

Texas Judge Delivers Blistering Rebuke of Obama Administration Immigration Lawyers’ Misbehavior

Hans von Spakovsky | April 08, 2015

In an order issued late Tuesday, federal district court Judge Andrew Hanen refused to lift the preliminary injunction he had previously issued stopping the implementation… Read More

LawCommentary

The IRS Loses a Big Procedural Battle in Its War With the Tea Party

Hans von Spakovsky | April 06, 2015

At almost the same time last week that the outgoing U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ronald Machen, gave Lois Lerner a get-out-of-jail free… Read More

LawCommentary

A Flawed Legal Analysis Is Helping Lois Lerner

Hans von Spakovsky | April 04, 2015

On March 31, Ronald Machen, the outgoing U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, wrote House Speaker John Boehner to inform him that the Justice… Read More

SocietyCommentary

The Misplaced Outrage Against Indiana

Hans von Spakovsky | April 02, 2015

Despite the frenzied protests of critics, Indiana’s recent Religious Freedom Restoration Act is not the imposition of Jim Crow and is not going to lead… Read More

LawCommentary

Wisconsin Is Finally Free to Implement Voter ID Law

Hans von Spakovsky | March 23, 2015

Great news  for those interested in election integrity and common sense reforms like voter ID: The Supreme Court today removed the final legal obstacle to… Read More

LawCommentary

Obama Can’t Bypass the Supreme Court

Hans von Spakovsky | March 20, 2015

News flash to the legal academy: No, President Obama can’t refuse to implement an (at this point purely conjectural) adverse ruling by the Supreme Court… Read More

LawCommentary

Contra Obama, Americans Have the Right Not to Vote

Hans von Spakovsky | March 20, 2015

In a potentially troubling sign for the First Amendment, President Barack Obama told a town hall meeting in Cleveland Wednesday that it would be “transformative”… Read More

LawAnalysis

The Supreme Court Heard King v. Burwell. Here’s What the Justices Asked About and Commented On.

Hans von Spakovsky | March 04, 2015

Today the Supreme Court heard oral argument in King v. Burwell, an important case dealing with the Obama administration’s attempt to hand out tax credits… Read More

LawAnalysis

Who Has the Last Word When It Comes to Redistricting?

Hans von Spakovsky | March 02, 2015

The Supreme Court heard a vigorous debate today over who ultimately has the constitutional authority to determine where the boundary lines are drawn for congressional… Read More

PoliticsCommentary

The Obama Administration Makes Its Next Move in the Immigration Fight

Hans von Spakovsky | February 23, 2015

As expected, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an appeal today with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas v. U.S. This is the… Read More

LawCommentary

Why a Federal Judge Temporarily Halted Obama’s Amnesty Plan

Hans von Spakovsky | February 17, 2015

The 26 states that sued President Obama over his unilateral amnesty plan for illegal aliens won a major battle on Monday when a federal judge… Read More

LawCommentary

Felony Conviction of Reid Contributor Upheld By Ninth Circuit

Hans von Spakovsky | January 27, 2015

In the midst of his recovery from a serious accident at his home in Nevada, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has gotten some more bad news:… Read More

LawCommentary

Obama Keeps Repeating This Same False Claim About Citizens United Decision

Hans von Spakovsky | January 25, 2015

At almost the same time that protesters mad about the Citizens United decision were disrupting the start of the Supreme Court’s session on Wednesday, the… Read More

SocietyCommentary

Driver’s Licenses for DREAMers?

Hans von Spakovsky | January 23, 2015

On Thursday, a federal district court struck down an Arizona policy barring “DREAMers” from getting state drivers’ licenses. Supporters of President’s Obama immigration policies and… Read More

LawNews

How You Can Be Legally Guilty of Racial Discrimination When You Didn’t Intend to Discriminate

Hans von Spakovsky | January 21, 2015

Can you be liable for racial discrimination even if you lacked the intent to discriminate? The Obama administration would say “yes,” under its favorite dubious… Read More

LawCommentary

Does Fair Housing Act Only Prevent Intentional Discrimination? Supreme Court to Hear Arguments

Hans von Spakovsky | January 18, 2015

On Jan. 21, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case involving the Obama administration’s favorite dubious legal theory, “disparate impact.” Then… Read More

LawCommentary

This Is the First Lawsuit Filed Alleging White Voters’ Voting Rights Are Being Diluted

Hans von Spakovsky | January 16, 2015

The Equal Voting Rights Institute filed an historic lawsuit on Jan. 15 in Texas on behalf of white Dallas voters alleging that Dallas County commissioners… Read More