Dan Tokaji, Moritz College of Law, Ohio State University: "The A.P. has this story summarizing the problems that the states had in implementing provisional voting. It quotes my colleague Ned Foley as suggesting that Congress consider repealing HAVA's provisional voting requirement. My take: I agree that there were serious problems in the way the provisional [...]

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who launched an investigation into insurance companies including Marsh & McLennan, told the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Tuesday that more criminal pleas related to bad practices are coming. Spitzer is urging Congress to take a stronger look at the insurance industry. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal told the committee [...]

A partial recount of the New Hampshire presidential vote sought by independent candidate Ralph Nader is set to start Thursday. The Nader campaign filed for the recount November 5, citing the inaccuracy of optical scan vote-counting machines. The request covers 11 of the state's precincts that use Diebold Inc. Accuvote optical scanning machines to count [...]

BBC News is reporting that President Bush has officially selected current National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to fill the secretary of state post, as reported on JURIST's Paper Chase Monday. Current Secretary of State Colin Powell announced his resignation Monday. A live webcast of the White House press briefing will begin at 12:45 PM ET. [...]

The Pacific Legal Foundation has initiated a challenge to plans by the government to designate four dozen endangered species for protection under the Endangered Species Act. The foundation notified the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service Monday of its plans to challenge the agencies' action. The foundation claims that the [...]

In Tuesday's corporations and securities law news, Oracle's hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. has not been defeated as top shareholders in PeopleSoft are split on whether to accept the bid. Capital Guardian Trust Co. will tender its 10% stake to Oracle while Private Capital Management LP will not vote its 9.3% stake because PeopleSoft may [...]

A video obtained in Iraq appears to show that Margaret Hassan, an aid worker of dual British and Iraqi nationality taken hostage last month, has been murdered, her family and the British government said Tuesday. Hassan, who was director of CARE International's Iraq operations, was kidnapped Oct. 19 while on her way to work. Several [...]

BBC News is reporting that a Spanish court has sentenced a 16 year-old boy to six years in jail after he admitted handling explosives used in the Madrid train bombings. The sentencing is the first in connection with the March 11, 2004 terror attacks that took almost 200 lives. 12:50 PM ET – BBC News [...]

Mark Thatcher, son of former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was charged Tuesday along with seven others for alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea. Reports differed on whether 51-year-old Thatcher, who is currently being held on charges in South Africa, would be tried in absentia or extradited to face the charges. [...]

A federal judge has refused to overturn the fraud and conspiracy convictions of Adelphia Communications founder and former chairman John Rigas and former CFO Timothy Rigas. The pair were convicted of one count of conspiracy, 15 counts of securities fraud, and two counts of bank fraud for looting the company and lying about its finances. [...]