Singh's defense attorney, Michael Lipman, said he still believes in his client's innocence and is appealing the conviction on several legal grounds.
"He was paid a minimal amount of money by Azano to do a minimal amount of work for these two campaigns," Lipman said, adding there was no evidence that Singh was paid $267,000 for his services and no evidence that he knew of Azano's other donations.
The case came down to whether or not Mr. Singh knew that Mr. Azano, a donor of the campaign was not an Asian American but an Asian Mexican along with other charges. Below are the arguments presented at the Appellate court. The charges against the company ElectionMall Inc. where Ravi Singh was CEO and Founder, were dropped. The company closed operations in 2016 due to the cost of litigation.
“What they’ve forgotten about is federalism,” said the lawyer, Harold Krent, “It’s up to the state and local government to decide who votes, who can contribute. How ironic that we’re here in San Francisco, which has given the vote to noncitizens in school board elections. And the argument from the government is: ‘Oh yeah, we can overrule that at any time because we have total control of who can participate in governance in terms of voting, in terms of contributions.’” Ravi Singh stated "All my life I just wanted to give back to my country, it has not been easy starting one of the first internet political technology companies online www.ElectionMall.com with a turban on my head...now I have lost my company that took me 14 years to build but not my desire to give back and serve my country." VIDEO
Read the decision: http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2019/05/16/17-50337.pdf
United States v. Ravneet Singh , 17-50337 (9th Cir. May 16, 2019)
US SUPREME COURT (AZANO) : https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/19/19-568/120287/20191025135029587_38877%20pdf%20Sevilla%20br.pdf
JOSE SUSUMO AZANO MATSURA, PETITIONER v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 19-568 (Supreme Court of the United States. December 2019)
Listen to the audio: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/media/view.php?pk_id=0000033790
USA v. Ravneet Singh, 17-50337 (March 13, 2019)
Watch the Video: https://youtu.be/lwGMOKrvcRM
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. (2019, March 13). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwGMOKrvcRM&feature=youtu.be
Politico Ravi Singh : https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/3
Gerstein, J. (2019, March 14). Court wrestles with lawbanning foreign donations . POLITICO . https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2019/03/14/court-wrestles-with-law-banning-foreign-donations-1222405
United States v. Ravneet Singh, 17-50337 (9th Cir. 2019) This opinion cites 63 opinions. 8 references to United States v. Brown, 623 F.3d 104 (2d Cir. 2010) Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | Oct. 19, 2010 | Also cited by 25 other opinions 5 references to Ratzlaf v. United States, 510 U.S. 135 Supreme Court of the United States | Jan. 11, 1994 | Also cited by 771 other opinions 5 references to Bryan v. United States, 524 U.S. 184 Supreme Court of the United States | June 15, 1998 | Also cited by 440 other opinions 3 references to District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 Supreme Court of the United States | June 26, 2008 | Also cited by 1157 other opinions 3 references to Bluman v. Federal Election Com'n., 800 F. Supp. 2d 281 (D.D.C. 2011) District Court, District of Columbia | Aug. 8, 2011 | Also cited by 5 other opinions 2 references to Cheek v. 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Jimmy Sanchez, AKA Seal D, AKA Smokey, United States of America v. Suzanne Schoenberg Sanchez, 425 F.3d 1248 (9th Cir. 2005) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Oct. 19, 2005 | Also cited by 15 other opinions 2 references to United States v. Ford, 639 F.3d 718 (6th Cir. 2011) Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | April 14, 2011 | Also cited by 1 other opinion 2 references to People v. Estrada, 63 Cal. App. 4th 1090 (Cal. Ct. App. 1998) California Court of Appeal | May 11, 1998 | Also cited by 1 other opinion 1 reference to Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 Supreme Court of the United States | Oct. 1, 1979 | Also cited by 58097 other opinions 1 reference to Neder v. United States, 527 U.S. 1 Supreme Court of the United States | June 10, 1999 | Also cited by 3172 other opinions 1 reference to Massaro v. United States, 538 U.S. 500 Supreme Court of the United States | April 23, 2003 | Also cited by 1656 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. 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CM Joiner Leasing Corp., 320 U.S. 344 Supreme Court of the United States | Nov. 22, 1943 | Also cited by 498 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Verdugo-Urquidez, 494 U.S. 259 Supreme Court of the United States | Feb. 28, 1990 | Also cited by 407 other opinions 1 reference to Federal Election Com'n v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc., 551 U.S. 449 Supreme Court of the United States | June 25, 2007 | Also cited by 303 other opinions 1 reference to Cleveland v. United States, 531 U.S. 12 Supreme Court of the United States | Nov. 7, 2000 | Also cited by 227 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. John E. Kenny, Trenton P. Oelberg, and William L. Parker, Defendants, 645 F.2d 1323 (9th Cir. 1981) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | June 8, 1981 | Also cited by 211 other opinions 1 reference to Yates v. United States, 135 S. Ct. 1074 Supreme Court of the United States | Feb. 25, 2015 | Also cited by 177 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Frank Fernandez, United States of America v. Roy Gavaldon, AKA Spider, United States of America v. David Gonzales-Contreras, AKA David Contreras-Gonzalez, United States of America v. Dominick Shewmaker Gonzales, AKA Solo, AKA Dominick Gonzales, United States of America v. Jimmy Sanchez, AKA Seal D, AKA Smokey, United States of America v. Suzanne Schoenberg Sanchez, 388 F.3d 1199 (9th Cir. 2004) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Oct. 27, 2004 | Also cited by 158 other opinions 1 reference to Chevron USA Inc. v. Echazabal, 536 U.S. 73 Supreme Court of the United States | June 10, 2002 | Also cited by 133 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Francisco Javier Alvarez, A.K.A. Frank Javier Alvarez, United States of America v. Richard Valenzuela, 358 F.3d 1194 (9th Cir. 2004) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Feb. 25, 2004 | Also cited by 131 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Pablo Rivera-Sanchez, 222 F.3d 1057 (9th Cir. 2000) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Aug. 2, 2000 | Also cited by 124 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Richard Virgil Bibbero, Jr., United States of America v. James Paul Marshall, 749 F.2d 581 (9th Cir. 1984) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Dec. 14, 1984 | Also cited by 121 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Ronald R. Rewald, 889 F.2d 836 (9th Cir. 1989) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Nov. 13, 1989 | Also cited by 108 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Mauro Restrepo, Maureen McGinley Manuel Lupio, 930 F.2d 705 (9th Cir. 1991) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | April 10, 1991 | Also cited by 106 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Jose Loya, 807 F.2d 1483 (9th Cir. 1987) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Jan. 13, 1987 | Also cited by 99 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Oscar De J. Tobon-Builes, 706 F.2d 1092 (11th Cir. 1983) Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | June 6, 1983 | Also cited by 94 other opinions 1 reference to Commissioner v. Clark, 489 U.S. 726 Supreme Court of the United States | March 22, 1989 | Also cited by 92 other opinions 1 reference to Morse v. Republican Party of Va., 517 U.S. 186 Supreme Court of the United States | March 27, 1996 | Also cited by 82 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Cleophas James Kearney, United States of America v. Eugene Lemon, Jr., 560 F.2d 1358 (9th Cir. 1977) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Aug. 22, 1977 | Also cited by 82 other opinions 1 reference to 98 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 8965, 98 Daily Journal D.A.R. 12,449 Frank Colacurcio, Jr., Dba Ddf & S Investment Co. David Ebert, Dba Ddf & S Investment Co. Steve Fueston, Dba Ddf & S Investment Co. v. City of Kent, 163 F.3d 545 (9th Cir. 1998) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Dec. 8, 1998 | Also cited by 72 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Michael Charles Jones, 231 F.3d 508 (9th Cir. 2000) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Nov. 2, 2000 | Also cited by 68 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Yancey, 621 F.3d 681 (7th Cir. 2010) Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | Sept. 3, 2010 | Also cited by 55 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Weidner, 437 F.3d 1023 (10th Cir. 2006) Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit | Feb. 16, 2006 | Also cited by 48 other opinions 1 reference to 96 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 753, 96 Daily Journal D.A.R. 1177 United States of America v. Paula Andrews, United States of America v. Ivan Andrews, 75 F.3d 552 (9th Cir. 1996) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Feb. 2, 1996 | Also cited by 47 other opinions 1 reference to April Brannan v. United Student Aid Funds, Inc., 94 F.3d 1260 (9th Cir. 1996) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Aug. 30, 1996 | Also cited by 42 other opinions 1 reference to James v. Bowman, 190 U.S. 127 Supreme Court of the United States | May 4, 1903 | Also cited by 40 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Lanham, 617 F.3d 873 (6th Cir. 2010) Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | Aug. 24, 2010 | Also cited by 36 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Nader, 542 F.3d 713 (9th Cir. 2008) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Sept. 5, 2008 | Also cited by 31 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Kernell, 667 F.3d 746 (6th Cir. 2012) Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | Jan. 30, 2012 | Also cited by 28 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Douglas Cordell, 912 F.2d 769 (5th Cir. 1990) Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit | Sept. 11, 1990 | Also cited by 28 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Blaine County, Montana Don K. Swenson, in His Official Capacity as a Member of the Blaine County Board of Commissioners Arthur Kleinjan, in His Official Capacity as a Member of the Blaine County Board of Commissioners Victor J. Miller, in His Official Capacity as a Member of the Blaine County Board of Commissioners Sandra Boardman, in Her Official Capacity as Clerk and Recorder and Superintendent of Elections for Blaine County, Montana v. Joseph F. McConnell Franklin R. Perez Candace D. De Celles Cheryl Sears Wesley D. Cochran Linda M. Buck Donald L. Knife Daniel Kinsey Fort Belknap Community Council, Plaintiff-Intervenors-Appellees, 363 F.3d 897 (9th Cir. 2004) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | April 7, 2004 | Also cited by 27 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. David Richeson, United States of America v. Mahmood Ul-Hassan, 825 F.2d 17 (4th Cir. 1987) Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit | July 23, 1987 | Also cited by 21 other opinions 1 reference to Aspen Green, Resident and Qualified Elector in Tortolita Neal Allen, Resident and Qualified Elector in Tucson Judy Lester, Resident and Qualified Elector in Tucson Jon Michael, Resident and Qualified Elector in Tortolita Dorita Brady, Residient and Qualified Elector in Tortolita Wallace J. Craig, Resident and Qualified Elector in Tortolita v. City of Tucson, an Arizona Municipal Corporation, Town of Marana Town of Oro Valley, Intervenors-Appellees, 340 F.3d 891 (9th Cir. 2003) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Aug. 20, 2003 | Also cited by 20 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Huitron-Guizar, 678 F.3d 1164 (10th Cir. 2012) Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit | May 7, 2012 | Also cited by 17 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Michael R. Goland, 959 F.2d 1449 (9th Cir. 1992) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | March 25, 1992 | Also cited by 16 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Moore, 612 F.3d 698 (D.C. Cir. 2010) Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit | July 27, 2010 | Also cited by 12 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Gray, 642 F.3d 371 (2d Cir. 2011) Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | April 28, 2011 | Also cited by 11 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Phillip Fairchild, 990 F.2d 1139 (9th Cir. 1993) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | April 8, 1993 | Also cited by 8 other opinions 1 reference to United States v. Flores, 663 F.3d 1022 (8th Cir. 2011) Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit | Dec. 16, 2011 | Also cited by 6 other opinions 1 reference to Securities and Exchange Commission, Henry C. Yuen Elsie M. Leung, Intervenors-Appellants v. Gemstar-Tv Guide International, Inc., 401 F.3d 1031 (9th Cir. 2005) Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | March 22, 2005 | Also cited by 4 other opinio