Hans A. von Spakovsky Archives - Page 3 of 9

Von Spakovsky: Judge Rebukes DOJ for ‘Overbroad’ Subpoena of Conservative Group

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:34:06-05:00October 27th, 2022|

On Sept. 20, we reported on an outrageous subpoena served by the U.S. Justice Department on the Eagle Forum of Alabama. Fortunately, in the face of vigorous opposition expressed in amicus briefs filed by literally dozens of conservative organizations supporting the Eagle Forum’s motion to quash (i.e., throw out) the subpoena, Justice Department lawyers caved and narrowed their request—as the judge in the case put it—to “1%” of what they were demanding before.

FBI, DOJ Misuse Federal Law to Arrest, Charge Pro-Life Activist

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:35:48-05:00September 28th, 2022|

In an early morning raid Friday in Kintnersville, Pennsylvania, about two dozen FBI agents with weapons drawn pounded on the door of Mark Houck’s home, where he lives with his wife and seven children. The FBI agents arrested Houck based on a federal indictment. Sounds serious, right? Is Houck a domestic terrorist, an American jihadist, a dangerous militia member, a violent felon, or someone with a prior history of violence toward law enforcement who would require such an overwhelming show of force? Not even close.

Von Spakovsky: DOJ Harasses Citizens for Exercising First Amendment Rights

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:35:48-05:00September 28th, 2022|

The Justice Department has hit Eagle Forum of Alabama with a voluminous subpoena that violates the organization’s First Amendment rights to speak freely, engage in the political process, and talk to its elected representatives.

Von Spakovsky: Lawsuit Continues Against Benson Over Dead on Voter Rolls

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:35:53-05:00September 14th, 2022|

Culling dead individuals from Michigan voter rolls is a pretty basic task for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Now Judge Jane M. Beckering, an appointee of President Joe Biden, has rejected Benson’s demand to dismiss a lawsuit filed against her claiming she refused to remove almost 26,000 dead individuals from the state’s voter rolls.

Von Spakovsky: Federal Government’s Bungled Census Bad News for Red States. Here’s Why.

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:35:56-05:00September 8th, 2022|

If a politician from Florida decides to run for president in 2024, his (or her) home state will be short two votes in the Electoral College, and when the new session of the U.S. House of Representatives convenes in January 2023, Florida will be missing two congressional seats to which it is entitled. Why? Because according to a post-2020 census survey, the U.S. Census Bureau significantly undercounted the population of Florida, as well as Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. At the same time, it overcounted the population of eight states, all but one of which is a blue state.

Von Spakovsky: Ahead of Midterms, 14 States Improve Election Integrity Laws

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:36:01-05:00August 20th, 2022|

With primaries underway and with midterms and other fall ballot contests looming, multiple states are demonstrating a commitment to ensuring that their elections remain worthy of public confidence.

The Latest Federal Takeover of Elections Violates Federal Law

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:36:05-05:00August 4th, 2022|

Democrats haven’t stopped trying to take over elections, they just have new tactics to do so under voters’ noses.Employees throughout the federal government who are carrying out President Joe Biden’s executive order directing them to get involved in state elections are likely all violating the Anti-Deficiency Act, besides interfering in the election process and using federal resources in what seems to be a get-out-the-vote operation for the party in power in the White House.

Hans von Spakovsky: Latest Election Fraud Cases Underscore Importance of Election Integrity

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:36:09-05:00July 21st, 2022|

With the latest cases of impersonation, registration fraud, absentee ballot fraud, bribery, and illegal vote trafficking added to The Heritage Foundation’s Election Fraud Database, the database now contains 1,365 proven instances of election fraud. These cases demonstrate the wide variety of ways in which bad actors set out to submit fraudulent ballots or steal elections.The database is not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all election fraud in the states. Rather, it presents a sampling of recent, proven instances of election fraud from across the country that is intended to highlight the many ways in which fraud has been committed.

Hans von Spakovsky: Ensuring That Only US Citizens Vote

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:36:10-05:00July 19th, 2022|

The latest politically motivated lawsuit—filed against Arizona by the Biden Justice Department over the state’s new law attempting to verify the citizenship of registered voters—demonstrates the importance of a bill just introduced by Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., HR 8223, that would stop that lawsuit in its tracks.

Hans von Spakovsky: Election audits should be required in every state after every election

By Hans von Spakovsky|2023-03-06T11:36:14-05:00July 7th, 2022|

Financial audits are standard practice in the business world. Election audits also should be standard practice in every state after every election. Audits would determine whether the election was administered honestly, fairly, accurately and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Yet audits of election agencies, procedures and systems are almost nonexistent in America. The very concept of comprehensive election audits has been criticized and opposed by some election officials and even by the current U.S. Department of Justice.