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Bad laws get passed all the time in the United States. What makes bounty-style laws so pernicious is how they undermine the way that civil rights laws and constitutional protections are supposed to work. Section 1983, the flagship federal civil rights mechanism for lawsuits, is designed to protect private individuals from the depredations of state and local officials. In Jackson, the court effectively ruled that S.B. 8 had found a way around it in the short term. As a result, Texas and the conservative justices legitimized a too-clever-by-half way to deprive someone of their federal constitutional rights by making it much more difficult to vindicate those rights in court.

The clear purpose and actual effect of S.B. 8 has been to nullify this Courts rulings, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a partial dissent joined by the courts three liberal justices. He appeared to be keenly aware of the stakes. Indeed, if the legislatures of the several states may, at will, annul the judgments of the courts of the United States, and destroy the rights acquired under those judgments, the Constitution itself becomes a solemn mockery, he continued, quoting from one of the courts precedents. The nature of the federal right infringed does not matter; it is the role of the Supreme Court in our constitutional system that is at stake.

There is also a chilling strain of authoritarianism at work here. It is one thing to simply ban abortion; the states and Congress ban plenty of things, for good or for ill. If enough voters think such a ban is wrong, they can theoretically vote out the lawmakers who did it and get it lifted. Bounty-style laws diffuse that feedback loop by directly turning Americans against each other: neighbor against neighbor, family member against family member, citizen against citizen, on issues where Americans have profound and sometimes irreconcilable disagreements. Just as Warsaw Pact dictators relied on vast networks of informants to achieve their goals in the twentieth century, so too will right-wing state lawmakers pit their constituents against each other to accomplish theirs.

These tactics are proliferating beyond the abortion context. A Florida bill, described as the Dont Say Gay bill by its opponents, aims to severely restrict discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. The bill also states that school officials may not discourage or prohibit parental notification of and involvement in critical decisions affecting a students mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being, a move that could compel educators to out LGBTQ students to their parents. If a parent believes that a school district is violating the law, they can sue for damages or force the state to appoint special magistrates to investigate educators at the districts expense.

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Texas's Abortion Bounty Law Is Inspiring Republican Lawmakers Around the Country - The New Republic

WILLMAR State Rep. Dave Baker has announced that he will run for re-election to the Minnesota Legislature in the new House District 16B.

Baker, R-Willmar, made the announcement Friday. He is running for his fifth two-year term in the House. He was first elected in 2014.

Dave Baker

After redistricting, Bakers district now includes more of Kandiyohi County. He previously represented northern portions of the county. Redistricting added the communities of Raymond, Blomkest and Prinsburg and the townships of Edwards, Holland, and Roseland to the district.

Baker is running for his fifth two-year term in the House and was first elected in 2014.

He owns Baker Hospitality Inc., which operates the Grandstay Hotel and Event Center located between Spicer and New London, Green Lake Cruises in Spicer and Willmars Super 8.

In a statement, Baker said he looks forward to meeting people in the communities new to his district and called the upcoming campaign his fifth job interview.

Baker and his wife, Mary, are Willmar residents.

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Willmar Republican Dave Baker running for re-election to Minnesota House of Representatives - West Central Tribune

Texas Republican Morgan Luttrell won a contested House primary over an opponent backed by the GOPs far-right flank.

Luttrell, a formerNavy SEAL endorsed by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin McCarthyMcCarthy-backed Republican wins contested Texas House primary Russia inflames political war over gas prices, oil drilling Lawmakers want House to stay in session to pass aid to Ukraine MORE (R-Calif.), bested several other candidates in the primary, including conservative activist Christian Collins, who was backed by Reps. Marjorie Taylor GreeneMarjorie Taylor GreeneGOP efforts to downplay danger of Capitol riot increase The Memo: What now for anti-Trump Republicans? Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she's meeting with Trump 'soon' in Florida MORE (R-Ga.) and Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.). Collins had also previously worked for Sen. Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzMcCarthy-backed Republican wins contested Texas House primary Russia inflames political war over gas prices, oil drilling Senate Republicans oppose Biden's .5 billion COVID-19 relief request MORE (R-Texas).

Luttrells victory sets him up as the favorite to win the general election to replace retiring Rep. Kevin BradyKevin Patrick BradyMcCarthy-backed Republican wins contested Texas House primary Five takeaways from the Texas primaries Republican rep won't run for Senate, hopes to become Ways and Means chair: report MORE (R) in Texass deep red 8th Congressional District outside of Houston.

Collins and his allies had seized on Luttrells support for McCarthy and endorsements from people like Rep. Adam KinzingerAdam Daniel KinzingerMcCarthy-backed Republican wins contested Texas House primary Senate GOP shrugs off latest Trump revelation The Memo: Boebert's antics seen as new sign of politics' decline MORE (R-Ill.), one of former President TrumpDonald TrumpMcCarthy-backed Republican wins contested Texas House primary DHS grants temporary immigration status to all Ukrainians in the US Senate GOP shrugs off latest Trump revelation MOREs fiercest intraparty critics, to suggest that Luttrell is insufficiently conservative.

The race also underscored the divided bases of the GOP. Collins founded the Texas Youth Summit, which promoted speakers who tout the Judeo-Christian principles this country was founded upon, while Luttrell came from a more traditional military background.

The results of the primary could also reverberate in the battle for the speakership should Republicans retake the House this November. Luttrell has indicated that he would back McCarthy for the speakership, while Collins said he would follow the recommendations of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, which has grown closer to McCarthy but sunk his 2015 speaker bid.

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McCarthy-backed Republican wins contested Texas House primary | TheHill - The Hill

Further, the division he caused with his attacks on fellow Republicans in the state including the governor and secretary of state, whom he accused as not supporting his lie helped depress turnout. That Democratic control of the Senate meant that his new arch-rival, Senator Mitch McConnell, would have less power was something Trump almost seemed to relish.

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Indeed, ask any Republican why the party lost those races and the first answer you will hear Trump. And evidence is mounting that Trump might again be the reason why Republicans fail to win back Senate control in 2022.

The math on Senate control is simple. The 100 member chamber is evenly divided among the parties. Democrats only control the Senate now because Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote.

But if Republicans flip just one seat held by a Democrat, then they will control the Senate, and with that, control whether Bidens nominees get confirmed, whether war can be declared, all the way down to whether bills to name post offices get a vote.

Here is the thing: Some of the most promising recruits Republicans eyed for key Senate races are passing. In each case, Trump was a complicating factor.

The latest came on Thursday as Arizona Governor Doug Ducey passed on running for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly. Ducey has been a particular target of Trump because, like Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Trump felt Ducey didnt do enough to try to overturn Bidens slim, but solid, win in his state.

Ducey didnt mention Trump in a statement on why he didnt run, but the implication was clear. As is the fact that Trump has ties to Republicans already running in the contest. Ducey may not have wanted to deal with Trump endorsing his primary opponent. Just look at the open Senate seat in North Carolina. Republicans got their top recruit in the race, a former governor, only for Trump to back his opponent and seriously complicate the race.

Ducey is the fourth Republican governor to pass on running against a Democratic incumbent, despite Republicans appearing to have poll numbers on their side this year.

Others who passed on Senate runs include Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, and Vermonts Phil Scott, who turned down the opportunity to compete for the open seat in his state.

Hogan met Trumps wrath as the two fought publicly on how to respond to the early days of the pandemic. As for Sununu, who opted to run for reelection instead, Trumps former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, claimed Trump told him to find someone to defeat Sununu in a primary.

This is not to suggest that these four Republican governors would have won. It would have been especially hard for a Republican to win in Vermont and Maryland, no matter how good of a Republican year.

Still, only one of them would have had to win for Republicans to have a very good chance at winning back Senate control. Republicans have other paths to victory, including by defeating Democratic incumbents in Georgia, Nevada, and Colorado, but the paths are becoming fewer for one familiar reason.

James Pindell can be reached at james.pindell@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jamespindell and on Instagram @jameswpindell.

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Trump may have just cost the GOP Senate control (again) - The Boston Globe

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published.

Former President Donald Trump has officially endorsed a plan, created by a man who has self-identified with the Oath Keeper militia, that aims to have Trump supporters consolidate control of the Republican Party.

The plan, known as the precinct strategy, has been repeatedly promoted on Steve Bannons popular podcast. As ProPublica detailed last year, it has already inspired thousands of people to fill positions at the lowest rung of the party ladder. Though these positions are low-profile and often vacant, they hold critical powers: They help elect higher-ranking party officers, influence which candidates appear on the ballot, turn out voters on Election Day and even staff the polling precincts where people vote and the election boards that certify the results.

Just heard about an incredible effort underway that will strengthen the Republican Party, Trump said Sunday in a statement emailed to his supporters. If members of our Great movement start getting involved (that means YOU becoming a precinct committeeman for your voting precinct), we can take back our great Country from the ground up.

Trumps email named Dan Schultz, an Arizona lawyer and local party official who first developed the precinct strategy more than a decade ago. Schultz spent years trying to promote his plan and recruit precinct officers. In 2014, he posted a callout to an internal forum for the Oath Keepers militia group, according to hacked records obtained by ProPublica.

Why dont you all join me and the other Oath Keepers who are inside the Party already, Schultz wrote under a screen name. If we conservatives were to do that, wed OWN the Party.

Federal prosecutors in January charged the leader of the Oath Keepers and 10 of its other members with seditious conspiracy in last years attack on the U.S. Capitol. One of them pleaded guilty, as have several members of the group in related cases who are cooperating with the investigation. The groups leader, Stewart Rhodes, pleaded not guilty.

There is no indication that Schultz had any involvement in the Capitol riot.

Schultz told ProPublica he never became a formal member of the Oath Keepers organization. I have taken oaths to support and defend the Constitution as a West Point cadet, as a commissioned U.S. Army officer and as a practicing attorney, Schultz said in a text message. Those oaths do not have expiration dates, by my way of thinking, and I have kept my oaths. In that sense, I am an oath keeper.

According to experts on extremist groups, the Oath Keepers recruit military and law enforcement veterans using the idea that their oath to defend the Constitution never expired. The group then urges people to resist what they say are impending orders to take away Americans guns or create concentration camps.

I dont ever want to be pulling the trigger on an AR-15 in my neighborhood, Schultz said in a 2015 conference call with fellow organizers, referring to the semi-automatic rifle. Oath Keepers, I love them for instilling the oath. But what they need to do also, I think, is spread the message that hey, we can do stuff politically so we never get to the cartridge box.

In more recent interviews on right-wing podcasts and internet talk shows, Schultz has repeatedly described his precinct strategy as a last alternative to violence.

Its not going to be peaceful the next go-round, perhaps, Schultz said in a June interview with the pro-Trump personality David Clements. But it ought to be, and the way to ensure that it will be is weve got to get enough of these good decent Americans to take over one of the two major political parties.

It was not clear whether Trump or his aides were aware that Schultz has self-identified with the Oath Keepers. Trumps spokesperson, Liz Harrington, did not respond to requests for comment.

Schultz has spent months trying to get his idea in front of Trump. Steve Stern, a fellow movement organizer, told ProPublica that he met a former Trump administration official for lunch at Mar-a-Lago, the ex-presidents private club in Palm Beach, in December. While there, Stern said, he got a chance to briefly mention the project to Trump.

Then, last month, Schultz and Stern landed an interview on a talk show hosted by Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO who promotes conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. Lindell said he would discuss the plan with Trump personally. Schultz and Stern followed up with a conference call with Harrington and Bannon, according to Stern. Harrington previously worked at Bannons War Room website.

I know the presidents very jacked up about it, Bannon said on his podcast, speaking with Schultz after Trump released the endorsement. Help MAGA, help the America First movement, right? Help the deplorables, help President Trump, help yourself, your country, community, your kids, grandkids, all of it. Put your shoulder to the wheel.

Bannon, who led Trumps 2016 campaign, originally lifted the precinct strategy to prominence in a podcast interview with Schultz last year. After the episode aired, thousands of people answered Bannons call to become precinct officers in pivotal swing states, according to data compiled by ProPublica from county records and interviews with local party officials.

As of last August, GOP leaders in 41 counties reported an unusual increase in sign-ups since Bannons first interview with Schultz, adding a total of more than 8,500 new precinct officers. The trend appears to have continued since then. New precinct officers started using their powers to remove or censure Republican leaders who contradicted Trumps election lies and to recruit people who believe the election was stolen into positions as poll watchers and poll workers.

Her Story Brought Down Alaskas Attorney General. A Year Later, She Feels Let Down.

Bannon received a last-minute pardon from Trump after the former adviser was charged with financial fraud. He has pleaded not guilty to contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack. Bannons spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

In addition to Bannon and Lindell, the precinct strategy has won support from pro-Trump figures such as former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who urged Trump to impose martial law, and lawyers Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, who led some of the lawsuits seeking to overturn the election results. Right-wing groups such as Turning Point Action, which organized buses to transport rallygoers on Jan. 6, also joined the effort to recruit precinct officers.

While Stern said hes thrilled about Trumps written statement endorsing the precinct strategy, he said he hopes to hear it from Trumps own lips at an upcoming rally. Stern said he plans to be there with tables to sign more people up.

Jeff Kao and Mollie Simon contributed reporting.

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Trump Just Endorsed an Oath Keeper's Plan to Seize Control of the Republican Party - ProPublica