Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professors Cited On Election Issues

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Loyola Law School, Los Angeles professors have been cited in a variety of news outlets regarding the 2016 general election on issues relating to campaign financing, presidential candidates and the California primary.

Trump's Lead Lawyer Donated to Clinton After Joining Case,” Politco, June 8, 2016

“When he gets focused, he gets focused -- and he really is not distracted by other people’s comments,” said Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School and longtime California lawyer who has watched Petrocelli’s career, especially during the Simpson trial.  But on the other hand, Levenson said, it’s possible there will be “a point at which he would get fed up with this — who knows.”

 “Two Democrat Minority Women in California Senate Race Face Challenge to Stand Out,” Wall Street Journal, June 8, 2016

Ms. Sanchez “is positioning herself, as the more moderate Democrat,” said Jessica A. Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who focuses on law and politics. But given Tuesday night’s results, and the dominance of the Democratic Party in the state, she said, Ms. Sanchez faces “an enormous uphill battle.”

Clinton Claims Victory, Sanders Digs In. What’s Next?,” KCRW - Press Play with Madeleine Brand, June 8, 2016

Professor Jessica Levinson discusses Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sander’s responses to Clinton’s likely nomination and the future of both parties campaigns with Press Play. 

California Delivers for Clinton, Signals Voter Shifts to Come,” Politico, June 8, 2016

"It was an apparition in the desert,'' said political analyst Jessica Levinson, a professor of law at Loyola Law School, of the candidates' retail campaign during the primary. "We just couldn't understand seeing all these presidential candidate here. And, oh my God, they were here to campaign, not just to raise money."

 “Turnout Better in LA County, Still Lags Behind Previous Primaries,” KPCC-FM, June 8, 2016

"Sadly, a turnout of almost 30 percent is nothing to sneeze at for LA County," said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School. "If you look at what was on the ballot, and the fact that the presidential nominees are already decided, that's not particularly surprising."

Trump is ‘Yugely’ Wrong in His Attack on Judges,” Summary Judgments, June 6, 2016

Professor Laurie Levenson evaluates Donald Trump’s arguments against a judge in his Trump University case.

Donald Trump crossed the line when he attacked Judge Gonzalo Curiel as a “Mexican” who could not be fair in his case. Put aside that Judge Curiel was born in Indiana. Put aside that Judge Curiel is a well-respected jurist who has dedicated his career to public service. Put aside that Judge Curiel has done nothing to deserve Trump’s invective. Trump crossed the line by suggesting Judge Curiel has done anything other than completely comply with the ethical standard for judges.

"Will Liberals Regret Jerry Brown’s High Court Victory?” KQED, June 6, 2016

“This [majority decision] is really the continuing of a tradition of California judges really not liking to kick proposals before they get on the ballot,” said Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson. She said judges prefer “to let the people decide once these proposals get to the ballot whether or not they’re going to accept them.”

Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders Appeal for Votes as Primary Day Nears,” Fox, June 6, 2016

Political analyst Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, said several developments appear to be driving the increase in independent spending: more competitive legislative districts drawn by an independent commission and the voter-approved top two primary system, in which the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party.

Final Voter Registration Numbers Hit Record High. What Will this Mean for the California Primary?” KPCC-FM’s Take Two, June 6, 2016

Registration surged to a record high in the six weeks leading up to the May 23 deadline. That's according to new numbers from California Secretary of State Alex Padilla's office. Padilla and Loyola Law School Professor  Jessica Levinson joined the show for a deeper look at these numbers and what they could signal for the primary.

Law Prof Clears Up Ballot Confusion,” KNBC-TV’s News Conference, June 5, 2016

Loyola law professor  Jessica Levinson discusses ballot controversy in California and the LA County supervisors race.

 “Do We Have Too Much Democracy in California?” KPFK-FM’s Background Briefing with Ian Masters, June 5, 2016

Then finally we discuss whether we have too much democracy on the California primary ballot with  Jessica Levinson who is a professor at Loyola Law School and the President of the Los Angeles Ethic Commission. We discuss her article in the Sacramento Bee “Packed primary ballots show we have too much democracy” and examine California’s direct democracy experiment and assess the level of voter fatigue and confusion ahead of Tuesday’s vote.

Packed Primary Ballot Shows We Have Too Much Democracy,” Sacramento Bee, June 5, 2016 (featured in Politico’s “California Playbook”)

Professor Jessica Levinson writes an op-ed discussing the amount of candidates appearing on the California primary ballot.

We trust ourselves too much to make decisions about public officials and ballot measures, and rarely vote to give up our power to choose those officials or to narrow the ability to put measures on the ballot. Instead members of the electorate will leave it to the few of us who vote to choose our many, many elected officials and enact or defeat our many, many ballot measures.

Special Interests Pour Record $24M Into California Lawmakers’ Races,” CBS, June 5, 2016

Political analyst Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, said several developments appear to be driving the increase in independent spending: more competitive legislative districts drawn by an independent commission and the voter-approved top two primary system, in which the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party. Term limits periodically open up legislative seats and create competitive races without incumbents.“Those reforms have made races more competitive and another way of saying competitive in politics is ‘expensive,'” she said.

Rowdy Protest in San Jose Could Play Right Into Trump’s Hands,” San Francisco Chronicle, June 3, 2016

“You never want to give the other side something to point at and say, ‘See, that’s what we mean,’” said Jessica Levinson, a political analyst and law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. “Those protests really gave fodder to Trump’s supporters.”

Proposition 50: The Weirdest Measure on California Ballot This Year,” Mercury News, June 3, 2016

 "The voters will look at this and say, 'It makes sense -- you act badly you shouldn't get paid.' But people have to look a little deeper," said Jessica Levinson, a professor of political law at Loyola Law School.