American Democracy Minute

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 20, 2024NYC’s Embattled Mayor Denied $4.5 Million in Matching Funds from City’s Public Campaign Finance Funding SystemNew York City Mayor Eric Adams was denied access to over $4 million dollars in matching public funding for his 2025 campaign, due to questions over an ongoing federal investigation and accusations of financial mismanagement.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:U.S. Department of Justice - New York City Mayor Eric Adams Charged With Bribery And Campaign Finance OffensesNew York City Campaign Finance Board - NYC Campaign Finance Board Approves Matching Funds Payments to 2025 CandidatesNew York City Campaign Finance Board - How it WorksBrennan Center for Justice - New York City Campaign Finance Board Denies Mayor Eric Adams Public Matching Funds; Brennan Center ReactsBrennan Center for Justice - Small Donor Public Financing ExplainedAmerican Democracy Minute - Seattle’s Democracy Voucher System of Financing Elections Helps Restore Power to the VotersGroups Taking Action:Brennan Center for Justice, Public Citizen,  Common Cause, League of Women Voters USRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #EndBigMoney #EndCitizensUnited #SmallDonorElections #NYC

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 19, 2024Among 2024 Electoral College Presidential Electors Were 13 2020 Alleged Fake Electors, Some of Whom Await Trial on Fraud ChargesIn official meeting rooms around the country, 538 electors for the 2024 Presidential election met December 17th to cast their vote on behalf of their state’s results.  Thirteen of those Electoral College electors are accused 2020 fake electors, some of whom still face prosecution. To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (C.R.E.W) - The cases against fake electors and where they standLawFare - Where the Fake Electors Cases Stand in State Court Michigan Public - "Vindication" as Trump’s "fake electors" serve as real '24 electorsNPR - 'Fake electors' from 2020 are casting 2024 votes for Trump while facing felony chargesABC News - 13 accused of being 'fake electors' cast Electoral College votes for TrumpWisconsin Politics - Trump vows to eliminate Education Department, pardon Jan. 6 convicts during Mosinee rallyCNN - Recordings, emails show how Trump team flew fake elector ballots to DC in final push to overturn 2020 electionWSAZ - January 6th defendants, “fake electors” hope President-elect Trump keeps his word on pardonsGroups Taking Action:C.R.E.W.,  LawForwardRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #January6th #FakeElectors

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 18, 2024New Report Shows Gerrymandering’s Impact on Control of CongressGerrymandering, the manipulation of voting district boundaries to engineer an election outcome which benefits a particular party, had a significant impact on control of the new Congress, according to a new report.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Brennan Center for Justice - How Gerrymandering and Fair Maps Affected the Battle for the HouseFactCheck.org - Speaker Johnson’s Partisan Spin on Gerrymandering in the 2024 ElectionNational Conference of State Legislatures - Redistricting Commissions: State Legislative PlansCampaign Legal Center - Independent Redistricting CommissionsCampaign Legal Center - Movement to Establish Citizen-Led Redistricting Commissions in the StatesCalifornia Citizens Redistricting Commission - What is the Commission?Groups Taking Action:Common Cause, Represent.Us, League of Women Voters USRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #EndGerrymandering #FairMaps #RiggedDistricts

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 17, 2024Ohio Voters Bill of Rights Ballot Measure Finally Authorized to Collect SignaturesFollowing up our report on states which have passed a voting rights act comes an authorization to collect signatures for the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights, protecting voters from suppression tactics, and implementing reforms like automatic voter registration.  The State of Ohio tried to reject it.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Ohio Attorney General - Full Text of the Ohio Voters Bill of RightsState of Ohio - Summary - Ohio Voters Bill of RightsCourt News Ohio - Attorney General Not Authorized To Review Proposed Amendment TitlesOhio Supreme Court - Decision in Dudley v. YostOhio Capital Journal - Ballot board clears Ohio Voters Bill of Rights, organizers can begin collecting signaturesGroups Taking Action:Ohio Voters Rights Coalition, Ohio Organizing Collaborative, Ohio Unity Coalition, Ohio NAACP Register or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Ohio #VRA #OHVotersBillofRights #VotingRights

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 16, 2024Brian is gone today.  The current climate suggests that further VRA destruction is imminent, so expect pro-democracy states who've not already implemented state VRAs to act rapidly in 2025.With the SCOTUS Majority Intent on Dismantling the Voting Rights Act, Pro-Democracy States are Enacting State VRAsWe reported recently on the impact of Shelby County v. Holder, the U.S. Supreme Court majority’s decision invalidating Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.  Anticipating even more erosion of the VRA, some states have passed their own state VRAs. Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:NAACP Legal Defense Fund - State Voting Rights Acts Provide Critical Protections to Black Voters and Other Voters of ColorCampaign Legal Center - Protecting the Freedom to Vote Through State Voting Rights ActsCenter for American Progress - The Protection of Voting Rights Requires State ActionState of Oregon via Casetext - Text of the Oregon Voting Right ActState of Connecticut - Text of the Connecticut Voting Rights ActNAACP Legal Defense Fund - Proposed Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Voting Rights Act of Florida (FLVRA)NAACP Legal Defense Fund - The Proposed New Jersey Voting Rights Act (NJVRA)Democracy Docket - Several States Look To Pass Their Own Voting Rights ActsGroups Taking Action:NAACP Legal Defense Fund, ACLU,  Campaign Legal Center, MALDEF, Voters Not PoliticiansPlease follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRightsAct #StateVRA #FreedomtoVote

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 13, 2024Updates for State Stories We’ve Been Following in North Carolina, Alaska, and WisconsinWe have updates on stories we’ve been following, including North Carolina’s  Supreme Court race & a power grab by its legislature, ranked choice voting in Alaska, and more charges in Wisconsin for Donald Trump’s fake elector scheme advisors.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:American Democracy Minute - After losing two recounts in State Supreme Court Race, North Carolina GOP Candidate Is Still Challenging the Eligibility of 60,000 VotersNC Newsline - NC Board of Elections rejects GOP Supreme Court candidate’s efforts to throw out thousands of votesCarolina Public Press - Holdout NC House reps get in line with GOP, override vetoAmerican Democracy Minute - Alaska’s Ranked Choice Voting and ‘Top 4’ Open Primaries Survive Repeal Referendum – By a WhiskerAlaska Public Media - The recount is over. Alaska will keep ranked choice voting.PBS Newshour/AP - Trump lawyers and aide face additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electorsGroups Taking Action Democracy North Carolina, Alaskans for Better Elections, Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (C.R.E.W.)Register or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Wisconsin #Alaska #North Carolina

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 11, 2024After losing two recounts in State Supreme Court Race, North Carolina GOP Candidate Is Still Challenging the Eligibility of 60,000 Voters After two recounts, an incumbent North Carolina Supreme Court justice was declared the winner by 734 votes, with 5.5 million ballots cast.  Her GOP challenger now claims 60,000 of those voters were ineligible.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Democracy Docket - As Recount Starts, North Carolina Supreme Court GOP Candidate Challenges 60K BallotsNC Newsline - Supreme Court election protest ensnares voters of all stripes, including some elected officialsWCNC - Even after partial hand recount affirms incumbent Dem Justice Riggs won NC Supreme Court race, Republican challenger still not ready to concedeWRAL - Riggs' lead grows after 2nd recount in NC Supreme Court race. Elections officials won't order a thirdNC Newsline - No third recount for GOP Judge Griffin as Democrats denounce his effort to throw out ballotsRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NorthCarolina #SupremeCourt #VotingMatters

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 11, 2024Restoration of Fair Voting Districts in Wisconsin Ends GOP Near Supermajority in Assembly and SenateIf you follow the American Democracy Minute you know that until last year Wisconsin held the infamous title as one of the most gerrymandered states in the U.S.  That changed November 5th.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - (2022) Wisconsin Republicans do not secure a supermajorityWisconsin Examiner - (2023) Special election moves Republicans closer to Assembly supermajorityAmerican Democracy Minute - (2023) With Court Cases and Elections Looming, the Wisconsin Assembly Scrambles to Protect its Gerrymandered Voting DistrictsAmerican Democracy Minute - Wisconsin Supreme Court Puts State Legislature’s Maps on Naughty List, Orders Legislature to Draw Constitutional Voting DistrictsWisconsin Public Radio - Republicans retain majority in Wisconsin Assembly Wisconsin Watch - Democrats flip 14 legislative seats, affirming GOP gerrymander is deadWBAY - Republicans retain Wisconsin Senate control but lose supermajorityGroups Taking Action:Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Law Forward, Wisconsin Democracy CampaignRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Wisconsin #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 10, 2024More than 83 Million Americans Voted Early in 2024. Trump Says He Wants  Rollbacks of Early In-Person and Mail VotingIn the 2024 election, estimates show that more than 83 million Americans voted early in person, or by mail.  President Donald Trump said December 5th he wants to look at returning to “same day” voting. It’s not likely to happen.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Roll Call - Remarks: Donald Trump Receives the Fox Nation Patriot of the Year Award in New York - December 5, 2024Newsweek - Fact Check: Donald Trump's Fox Nation 'Patriot of the Year' SpeechTargetSmart - National 2024 Early & Absentee Vote ReportTexas Tribune - 9 million Texans voted early in 2024. Here’s how that compares to previous years.Pew Research - Voters’ and nonvoters’ experiences with the 2024 electionFlorida Department of Elections - Early Voting and Vote-by-Mail Ballot Request ReportsGroups Taking Action:Vote at Home, League of Women Voters, Common Cause, NAACP Legal Defense Fund,  LULACRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotebyMail #EarlyVoting #VoteEarly #VoteatHome

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 9, 2024Brian is away today, but this report from earlier this year remains an important tool for election officials around the country to help make elections as accessible as possible.Ways Local Officials Can Expand Voter Participation and Recruit Election Workers Using Public/Private PartnershipsThe nonpartisan Fair Elections Center released a report to state and local election officials in February suggesting ways voter participation can be expanded.  Recommendations include expanding voter registration options, making use of public/private partnerships to distribute voting information, developing communication plans, and expanding poll worker training.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Fair Elections Center - LOCAL INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE VOTING EXPERIENCE:Recommendations for Local Elected Officials and Election OfficialsU.S. Election Assistance Commission -  Election 2024 ToolkitsGroups Taking Action:Fair Elections Center, Campaign Legal Center, Brennan Center for JusticePlease follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #RegistertoVote #BeAPollWorker #ProtectElections

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 6, 2024Before it Loses its Supermajority, the North Carolina Legislature Strips Election Powers from Its Governor, Bans AG from Opposing the Legislature.  Will the House Override the Veto?Before a new Democratic governor takes office in January and it loses its supermajority, the GOP-controlled North Carolina legislature used a hurricane relief bill to strip power from the governor and attorney general.  The draconian changes hinge on a pending veto override vote in the state House.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:NC General Assembly - SENATE BILL 382: Disaster Relief-3/Budget/Various Law Changes. Courthouse News Service - North Carolina Republicans blasted for using lame-duck session to wrest control of governmentGov. Roy Cooper - Statement on his veto of SB382NC Newsline - Despite protests, NC Senate overrides Cooper’s veto of bill that shifts executive powerWUNC - Lame-duck NC Senate approves constitutional amendment ballot measures alongside veto overrideWRAL - Amid protests, Senate overrides Cooper's veto of bill stripping power from governor, other Democratic officialsThe News & Observer - Will NC Republicans have the votes to override Cooper’s veto of powers-stripping bill?Groups Taking Action:Democracy North Carolina, League of Women Voters NC, Common Cause NCRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NorthCarolina #PowerGrab #SB382

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 5, 2024Control of the Minnesota House May Come Down to a Race Decided by 15 votes - and 21 Missing Absentee Ballots If you ever need proof that your vote matters, consider a Minnesota House race decided by only 15 votes. Or was it?  Twenty-one absentee ballots are missing, and hanging in the balance are not only who wins the district, but who wins control of the Minnesota State House.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Minnesota Public Radio - Tabke wins Shakopee-area legislative race after recount, House control still unknownCBS News Minnesota - Republicans file court challenge in close state House race after officials say 21 ballots likely thrown awayMinnesota Reformer - Commentary - The missing Shakopee ballots: What happened, what should have happened and what should happen now?Minnesota Reformer - Republican Aaron Paul contests Shakopee House election result, requests special electionScott County District Court via Election Law Blog - NOTICE OF ELECTION CONTEST UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTE§ 209.021 Register or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #MyVoteCounts #Minnesota #YourVoteCounts

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 4, 2024Brian is preparing for a meeting this evening, but this report is a great follow-up to yesterday's Presidential pardon primer.Can a U.S. President Pardon Him or Herself?  Legal Scholars Think The Question Will Likely End Up in the U.S. Supreme Court.Recently, we discussed the President’s broad powers and some limitations to issue a pardon. But can a U.S. President pardon him or herself?  To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:The White House Historical Association – The History of the Pardon PowerOffice of the Pardon Attorney, DOJ – Clemency StatisticsBrennan Center for Justice – Presidential Pardon Power ExplainedNational Constitution Center – Presidential pardons: A constitutional and historical reviewRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #PresidentialPardon #TrumpCriminalTrials #JoeBiden

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 3, 2024President Biden Pardons Son, Trump Previously-Pardoned Ambassador Nominee & Family Member.  How Did Presidential Pardons Evolve, and What Are Their Limitations?December 1st, President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter, convicted on federal gun and drug charges.  President-elect Trump recently nominated Charles Kushner, whom Trump pardoned for tax evasion and witness tampering, to become ambassador to France.  How did Presidential pardons evolve, and what are their limitations?To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Politico - We haven’t seen a pardon as sweeping as Hunter Biden’s in generationsUSA Today - Trump nominates Charles Kushner, who he pardoned in 2020, as US Ambassador to FranceThe White House Historical Association - The History of the Pardon PowerOffice of the Pardon Attorney, DOJ - Clemency StatisticsBrennan Center for Justice - Presidential Pardon Power ExplainedNational Constitution Center - Presidential pardons: A constitutional and historical reviewBallotPedia - Executive clemency and presidential pardonsPew Research - Trump used his clemency power sparingly despite a raft of late pardons and commutationsRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #PresidentialPardon #HunterBiden #Clemency

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 2, 2024Brian took a few days off, so we're revisiting a report from this past July which is even more relevent as the Trump administration takes shape.Would the Founding Fathers Have Embraced Having Unfettered Power for the Presidency?  Not Likely.Anti-authoritarian feelings ran high in the years before and after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as the Declaration’s litany of complaints against the King suggests.  So it’s unlikely the founding fathers would have supported expansion of Presidential powers, and absolute immunity for “official acts.”To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:National Archives - Declaration of Independence: A TranscriptionU.S. Supreme Court - Trump v. United StatesLibrary of Congress - Constitutional Convention Debate Transcripts - James WilsonNewsweek - The Founding Fathers Didn't Think Donald Trump Should Get Immunity Either | OpinionUniversity of Virginia Miller Center - IMPEACHMENT IN THE 1780S - Speech of James Iredell, North Carolina advocate for ratifying the U.S. ConstitutionThe Hill - Ty Cobb: Founding Fathers would be ‘weeping and stunned’ over Trump guilty verdictSalon - Historian says Trump lawyer "deliberatively misleading" SCOTUS: Ben Franklin "would be horrified"Washington Post - (2017) The president was never intended to be the most powerful part of governmentRobert J. Reinstein, American Univerity Law Review - (2017) The Limits of Executive PowerPlease follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #July4th #FoundingFathers #IndependenceDay #PresidentialPowers #OfficialActs

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 29, 2024Brian's taking a couple of days off.  Here's a still-timely report from earlier this year!What is the ‘Gingles Test’ and How Does it Impact Minority Voting Rights?Today, we’re looking at a principle called the “Gingles Test” that federal courts use  when determining whether a gerrymandered redistricting map is a violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.   How that test is interpreted can determine whether minority voters can elect the candidate of their choice, or their vote is diluted by an anti-voter state legislature.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:BallotPedia - Thornburg v. GinglesCharis Franklin, Fordham University Law - From Poll Tests To The Purcell Doctrine:  Merrill V. Milligan And The Precarious Preservation Of Voting RightsThe American Redistricting Project - Thornburg v. Gingles (1986)Brennan Center for Justice - Breaking Down the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act Decision Out of AlabamaLouisiana Illuminator – Federal court tosses Landry-backed Louisiana congressional mapGroups Taking Action:NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Campaign Legal Center, ACLU, Native American Rights FundCheck Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State Please follow us on Facebook and BlueSky and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #RacialGerrymandering #VotingRightsAct #VRA

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 28, 2024Brian is taking off a couple of days, but for Thanksgiving Day, is repeating a report on the increasing voter suppression of Native Americans.  Rank and file voters of all parties find this appalling, but few know that their party perpetrates such suppression tactics to protect political power. Voter Suppression of Native Americans is on the Rise.  Three Pieces of Pending Legislation Could Stop It.The ink wasn’t yet dry on the Indian Citizens Act of 1924 when voter suppression of Native Americans began.  Natives have been fighting for their right to register and vote, proper representation, and fair voting districts ever since.To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Native American Rights Fund - (2020) Obstacles at Every TurnBrennan Center for Justice - How Voter Suppression Laws Target Native AmericansNPR - Sometimes overlooked by campaigns, Native voters could decide major elections in 2024Split Ticket - The Largest Native American Voting BlocsIntermountain Histories - Trujillo v. Garley: The Struggle for Native American Voting RightsThe White House - (2022) REPORT OF THE INTERAGENCY STEERING GROUP ON NATIVE AMERICAN VOTING RIGHTSU.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren - Native American Voting Rights ActU.S. Congress - John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement ActGroups Taking Action:Native American Rights Fund, Native Vote, National Congress of American Indians, Declaration for American DemocracyCheck Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NativeVote #VoterSuppression #JohnLewisAct #FreedomtoVoteAct

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 27, 2024The Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause was Intended to Stop Bribery and Corruption.  Recently, Not So Much.The framers of the U.S. Constitution included the Foreign Emoluments Clause because they feared the influence, corruption and bribery they witnessed in Europe’s monarchies.  Why should Americans care about it?To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Congressional Research Service - The Emoluments Clauses of the U.S. ConstitutionNational Constitution Center - The Foreign Emoluments Clause: Article I, Section 9, Clause 8National Constitution Center - Prof. Zephyr Teachout - The Foreign Emoluments ClauseAmerican Constitution Society - Profiting off the Presidency: Trump’s Violations of the Emoluments ClausesU.S. Supreme Court - BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE OF FORMER FEDERAL ETHICS OFFICIALS SUPPORTINGRESPONDENTCenter for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (C.R.E.W) - Trump likely benefited from $13.6 million in payments from foreign governments during his presidencyCenter for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (C.R.E.W) - (2019)  Tracking President Trump’s unprecedented conflicts of interestBusiness Insider - Trump waited until after he left office to disclose trademarks he owns in China and RussiaGroups Taking Action:C.R.E.W., Public Citizen, Common CauseRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #EmolumentsClause #ForeignInfluence #Corruption #DonaldTrump

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 26, 2024The Presidential Transition Turns Into One Big Dark Money Special Interest SwampFederal election law governs campaign contributions directly to Presidential candidates.  But when an incoming administration refuses to follow the Presidential transition rules, those contributions become an unregulated spigot of special interest dark money. To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:Congressional Research Service - Presidential Transition Act: Provisions and FundingCenter for Presidential Transitions - 2024 Presidential Transition UpdatesFactCheck.org -  Cost of Obama’s TransitionFederal Election Commission - Presidential transition donations and disbursements are not regulated by the FEC.States News - Trump still has not signed critical transition agreements allowing access to agenciesRolling Stone - Trump Refuses to Disclose Who Is Funding His TransitionCampaign Legal Center - Trump Is Stalling His Presidential Transition With an Unprecedented Ethics StalemateThe Independent - Trump accused of opening door to financial corruption as transition donors kept secretGroups Taking Action:Campaign Legal Center, Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (C.R.E.W), Public Citizen,  Register or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DarkMoney #PresidentialTransition #Corruption #TrumpTransition

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 25, 2024Alaska’s Ranked Choice Voting and ‘Top 4’ Open Primaries Survive Repeal Referendum - By a WhiskerWith a razor-thin statewide margin of 664 votes, ranked choice voting and open primaries weathered a repeal challenge in Alaska, one of the few democracy reforms to survive the 2024 Presidential election cycle.  To view the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website.Today’s LinksArticles & Resources:BallotPedia - Alaska Ballot Measure 2, Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024)Alaska Beacon - Alaska chooses to keep ranked choice voting, Begich defeats Peltola, unofficial results showAlaska Beacon – Alaska Supreme Court upholds ranked choice repeal initiative, now bound for November voteBallotPedia – Ballot Measure Which Established Alaska’s Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting and Campaign Finance Laws Initiative (2020)American Democracy Minute – Fines Upheld for Alaska Pastor Using His Church Organization to Funnel ‘Free Speech’ Money to Political Groups Trying Repeal Ranked Choice VotingAlaska Division of Elections – Ranked Choice Voting, ExplainedGroups Taking Action:Alaskans for Better Elections, Represent.Us, Open PrimariesRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StatePlease follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgWant ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Alaska #OpenPrimaries #RankedChoiceVoting