West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice appointed Republican Joshua Booth to fill the 19^th House District seat vacated by Derrick Evans.

This comes after Evans’s arrest in connection with the storming of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Justice chose Booth from a list of three candidates provided to him by Republican Party representatives.

However, the Wayne County Republican Executive Committee has filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of the appointment.

According to the committee, Justice reportedly received two different lists of candidates.

The lawsuit argues state law requires Justice to choose a name from the original list submitted by the Wayne County Executive Committee, which did not include Booth.

In addition, the committee argues Justice should ignore the second list submitted by the chairman of the state Republican Party.

As a result, an expedited review by the West Virginia Supreme Court has been requested.

A lawsuit has been filed challenging the new Ohio presidential and state primary election date and procedures.

The lawsuit challenges House Bill 197, which included a provision to extend absentee balloting until April 28 for the presidential and state primary elections.

In response to COVID-19, the state’s Health Department postponed in-person voting originally scheduled for March 17.

The lawsuit seeks to delay the election date further.

Additionally, registered voters who have not cast a ballot in the election will have an absentee ballot mailed to them.

The lawsuit would also allow voters who do not receive a ballot in time to vote at the board of elections.

Finally, it would set the voter registration date 30 days prior to the primary date, as required by federal law.

Campaign Finance

“FEC Republicans Explain Dropping Gingrich, Murray Cases” by Kenneth Doyle for Bloomberg BNA

California: “Ex-California Lawmaker Tom Calderon Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering” by David Siders and Alexei Koseff for Sacramento Bee

Florida: “Florida AG Asked Trump for Donation before Nixing Fraud Case” by Jeff Horwitz, Gary Fineout, and Michael Biesecker for The Associated Press

Missouri: “On the Trail: St. Louis aldermen will take another look at campaign contribution limits” by Jason Rosenbaum for St. Louis Public Radio

Ethics

Pennsylvania: “Kathleen Kane’s Administration Hit with Discrimination Complaint from Her Twin Sister” by Steve Esack for Allentown Morning Call

Elections

“Exclusive: Trump’s 3,500 lawsuits unprecedented for a presidential nominee” by Nick Penzenstadler and Susan Page for USA Today

“Clinton Celebrates Victory, Declaring: ‘We’ve reached a milestone’” by Anne Gearan, Robert Costa, and John Wagner for Washington Post

Virginia: “Supreme Court Will Weigh in On Whether Va. Districts Are Racially Gerrymandered” by Robert Barnes and Laura Vozzella for Washington Post

Legislative Issues

Rhode Island: “RI Assembly Reworks ‘Community-Service’ Grants Program” by Katherine Gregg for Providence Journal

The state Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit requiring Attorney General Leslie Rutledge to approve language or offer an alternative to Attorney David Couch’s ethics initiative for the November ballot.

Couch is unlikely to submit a new proposal since state law would require statewide notice to be published by June 8, with language preapproved by Rutledge.

Personal PAC, an abortion rights group, has filed a lawsuit seeking to strike down the limit on the amount of money given by donors to PACs.

Presently, the limit is set at $10,000 per election cycle.

Personal PAC is seeking an immediate and permanent injunction which would allow donors to make unlimited contributions to PACs.