The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 5, 2025

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Warns Judges, ‘The threats and harassment are attacks on our democracy – on our system of government’
At a Puerto Rico conference May 1st, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned judges that recent threats from the White house are “attacks on our democracy.”  We read a portion of her speech, and have a link to the full remarks.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

U.S. Supreme Court -  “Preserving Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law” Remarks by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson First Circuit Judicial Conference, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico May 1, 2025 | 8:00 PM
Politico - Ketanji Brown Jackson sharply condemns Trump’s attacks on judges
The Hill - Trump slams judges after ruling bars admin from using Alien Enemies Act to deport gangs

President Donald Trump - Post of Truth Social After Judge Halts Deportations Under the Alien Enemies Act
Politico - Trump calls for impeachment of judge who tried to halt deportations
White House Advisor Stephen Miller - Multiple Attacks on Judges via X (scan down the page) 

Groups Taking Action:
American Bar Association, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law,  Stand Up America Coalition
 
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #AttacksonJudges #KetanjiBrownJackson #SCOTUS #USSupremeCourt

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for May 2, 2025

Updates from North Carolina: Fed Court Stays Retroactive Registration Cures; State Court Strikes Down Law for Control of State Election Board
We’re in North Carolina today with updates on the partisan attempt to overturn the 2024 state supreme court election, and the legislature’s attempt to strip the governor’s power to appoint the state election board.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - Partisan Saga of North Carolina’s 2024 Supreme Court Race Now Returns to Federal Court.  5,000 Military & Overseas Ballots at Risk of Invalidation
NC Newsline - US appeals court pauses NC elections board action in the Supreme Court election case
U.S. District Court (via Democracy Docket) - Stay in Griffin v. North Carolina State Board of Elections

American Democracy Minute - (2024) Before 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?
Courthouse News Service - (2024)  North Carolina Republicans successfully strip power from incoming Democrats
Courthouse News Service - North Carolina court grants control of elections boards to state auditor

Groups Taking Action:

Democracy North Carolina, League of Women Voters NC

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NorthCarolina #NCSupremeCourt #ElectionSubversion #NCGOP #JoshStein

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report for May 1, 2025

What is a ‘Baby FARA’ and Why are States Enacting It?
The federal version of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, has been in place since 1938, but recently, states are passing their own versions, nicknamed “baby FARAs.”  What are they, and how do they relate to American Democracy?

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Congressional Research Service - Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA): An Overview
U.S. Department of Justice - Recent Cases and Enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act 
Covington & Burling Law Firm's Inside Political Law - Arkansas Governor Signs Baby FARA Law
Steptoe Political Law Blog - (2024)  Not FAR-Away: Proposed State Legislation Increases in an Attempt to Regulate Foreign Agents
Campaign Legal Center - (2024) Defending Foreign Corporate Election Spending Ban in Minnesota (Minnesota Chamber of Commerce v. Choi)
American Democracy Minute - (2023) After a Canadian Utility Spent $22 Million Dollars to Influence a Ballot Measure, Maine Voters Ban Foreign Money in State Elections 

Groups Taking Action:

Common Cause, Campaign Legal Center, Protect Our Democracy, Issue One

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ForeignInfluence #FARA #BabyFARA #DarkMoney  

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 30, 2025

US DOJ Removes Senior Managers from Voting Section, Abandons Current Cases, in Further Erosion of Voting Rights Protections 

The Trump administration’s U.S. Department of Justice reportedly reassigned top managers of the Voting Section, and instructed remaining attorneys to drop pending cases.  This includes voting rights and redistricting cases under the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice - Voting Section
Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice - Voting Section Litigation
NBC News - Pam Bondi reshapes the DOJ around Trump's priorities
The Guardian - Trump’s justice department appointees remove leadership of voting unit 
NPR - Under Trump, the Justice Department is stepping away from some voting rights cases
Democracy Docket - Trump’s DOJ Drops Lawsuit Against Georgia’s Voter Suppression Bill 

Groups Taking Action:

Legal Defense Fund, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, ACLU

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DOJ #VotingRights #VotingRightsAct #TrumpDOJ

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 29, 2025

The Federal Election Commission is Reportedly Now Out of Commission with the Departure of Another Member.  It’s Unlikely to Get Fixed Soon.
As if the Federal Election Commission didn’t have enough problems, another member has reportedly chosen not to continue when his term runs out April 30th.  That leaves the normally six-member commission with three, and unable to conduct business.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Federal Election Commission - Leadership and Structure
Brennan Center for Justice - Enforcement & the FEC
NOTUS - The Federal Election Commission Is Facing a De Facto Shutdown
Congressional Research Service - Federal Election Commission: Membership and Policymaking Quorum, In Brief
The Hill - Trump-appointed FEC commissioner to resign on inauguration
Brennan Center for Justice - Trump Targets Independent Campaign Finance Watchdog in Latest Ouster
End Citizens United - End Citizens United Files FEC Complaint Against Trump Campaign and X Over Illegal Corporate Contribution 

Groups Taking Action:

IssueOne, Campaign Legal Center, Public Citizen, CREW

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FEC #FederalElectionsCommission #ShutDown #DonaldTrump

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 28, 2025

Federal Judge Blocks Proof of Citizenship Provisions in Trump Executive Order on Elections
A partial victory for pro-voter groups April 24th, as a federal judge blocked the proof of citizenship portion of President Donald Trump’s executive order  changing federal elections.  The judge did not address other sections, which she suggested were best challenged by states, rather than voters.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

The White House - PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS
Brennan Center for Justice - The President’s Executive Order on Elections
US District Court for DC - LULAC & League of Women Voters v. Donald Trump Opinion
US District Court for DC - LULAC & League of Women Voters v. Donald Trump Order
Reuters - Judge partly blocks Trump order that claimed greater control over US elections
NPR - Judge pauses parts of Trump's sweeping executive order on voting

Groups Taking Action:
LULAC, League of Women Voters, NAACP, Asian Pacific American Advocates

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DonaldTrump #ExecutiveOrders #ProofofCitizenship

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 25, 2025

Trump 'Meme Coin' Cryptocurrency Scheme Selling Access to the President Raises Alarms for Emolument Clause Violations
President Donald Trump launched a cryptocurrency “meme coin” with his likeness on January 17th, just before inauguration day.  April 21st, with its value plummeting, the company offered top buyers of the coin a dinner with Trump and a personal tour of the White House.  That likely violates the Emoluments Clause.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Constitution Society - (2019)  Profiting off the Presidency: Trump’s Violations of the Emoluments Clauses
Brennan Center for Justice - (2019)  How Will the Courts Handle the Trump Emoluments Cases?
American Democracy Minute - (2024) The Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause was Intended to Stop Bribery and Corruption.  Recently, Not So Much
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) - (2024)  The intensifying threat of Donald Trump’s emoluments
Mother Jones - Trump Crypto Coin Buyers Offered VIP Tour of White House
CoinStats - TRUMP Meme Coin Tumbles After Soaring on Exclusive Gala Announcement

Groups Taking Action:

CREW, Public Citizen

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Corruption #EmolumentsClause #DonaldTrump #TrumpMemeCoin

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 24, 2025

Michigan Considers Proof of Citizenship Restrictions While Awaiting Outcome of the SAVE Act Vote and Challenge to Trump’s Executive Order
Voting proof of citizenship efforts are afoot in Michigan while voters await the outcome of the federal SAVE Act and a Trump executive order requiring similar restrictions. This, despite no evidence of widespread noncitizen voting in Michigan, or anywhere else in the U.S.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - New Trump Executive Order Attempts to Bypass Congress & States to Require Proof of Citizenship Documents & Mandate Election Deadlines
Michigan Advance/Votebeat - Michigan House GOP proposes proof-of-citizenship requirement for all voters
Michigan Advance - Board of State Canvassers greenlights petition seeking to block noncitizens from voting in Michigan
Center for American Progress - U.S. Passport ownership by state
Michigan Live - See how Michigan’s U.S. House members voted on bill (SAVE Act) requiring voters’ proof of citizenship

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause MI, League of Women Voters MI, Promote the Vote MI

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #PromotetheVote #HJR B  #Michigan #ProofofCitizenship

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 23, 2025

61 Individual and Corporate Donors Gave $1M or More to Trump’s Inaugural.  Where did the $239M Go?  We’ll Likely Never Know
A parade of well-known brands and CEOs lavished a post-election tribute of $239 million dollars to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee,  according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission.  What was it used for?  Voters will likely never know.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - What are the Rules as to How Contributions to Inaugural Committee Funds Are Spent?  There Aren’t Any.
Federal Election Commission - Schedule 13-A Summary for the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee
Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee (via FEC) - Submitted Records
Federal Election Commission - Itemized Donations
Open Secrets - Warren Stephens donations in the 2023-24 Election Cycle
Yahoo Finance - Chicken, crypto, and Nvidia: The companies that helped Trump’s inauguration shatter fundraising records

CNBC - Apple regains $3 trillion market cap after Trump exempts tariffs on iPhones
Groups Taking Action:

Common Cause, Public Citizen,  C.R.E.W., Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DonaldTrump #InauguralFund #MoneyinPolitics #Corruption

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 22, 2025

Chilling Trump Order Seeks Retribution Against Former CISA Head Who Pushed Back Against Trump’s Unfounded Claims of 2020 Election Fraud
In one of his most bone-chilling orders to date, President Donald Trump directed the U.S. Department of Justice and other agencies to open an investigation of Christopher Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency. Krebs’ alleged crime? Publicly refuting Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Associated Press - (2020) Repudiating Trump, officials say election ‘most secure’
CISA - (2020) Joint Statement from Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council & the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Executive Committees
Voice of America - (2020)Trump Fires Security Chief Who Said 2020 Vote Was 'Most Secure' in US History
CBS News - Fired director of U.S. cyber agency Chris Krebs explains why President Trump's claims of election interference are false
The White House - Addressing Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship
The White House - Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship
Votebeat - Election officials alarmed as Trump orders probe of former cybersecurity chief​
SentinelOne - An Official Statement in Response to the April 9, 2025 Executive Order, Updated with Krebs Resignation
Cyberscoop - Trump signs order stripping Chris Krebs of security clearance

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ExecutiveOrders #CyberSecurity #ChrisKrebs #CISA #Retribution

#Authoritarian