The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 5, 2024

SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments Thursday in Trump’s 14th Amendment-Based Removal from Colorado’s Ballot
Thursday, February 8th, 10 AM Eastern, the U.S. Supreme Court hears a challenge from former President Donald Trump to Colorado’s decision to ban him from the state’s Presidential primary under the 14th Amendment.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
U.S. Congress – Fourteenth Amendment Section 3
Lawfare –  Section 3 Disqualifications for Democracy Preservation
American Democracy Minute - Colorado Supreme Court Rules Trump was a “Officer of the United States” Participating in Insurrection, and Bars Him from the State’s Ballot.  A SCOTUS Challenge is Likely.
Colorado Supreme Court  – Decision in Anderson v. Griswold
ScotusBlog - Supreme Court to decide whether insurrection provision keeps Trump off ballot
U.S. Supreme Court - Thursday, February 8, 10 AM, Live Audio Link

Groups Taking Action:
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington,  Protect Democracy

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#Democracy #DemocracyNews #14thAmendment #Insurrection #TrumpIneligible 

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 5, 2024

It’s Been a Year Since the East Palestine Toxic Train Derailment.  Since then, the Rail Industry Spent Millions in Congress to Stop More Regulation.
February 3rd, 2023, 38 Norfolk Southern rail cars detailed in East Palestine, OH, 20 of which carried hazardous materials, and 11 of which caught fire.   The Railway Safety Act was filed shortly after in Congress, but in 2023, Norfolk Southern and the rail industry spent millions to kill it.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
The Hill - (2023)  Railroad pushback to safety regulations scrutinized amid East Palestine disaster
U.S. Congress - HR 1674 Railway Safety Act
Open Secrets - Transportation Political Influence - Railroads Summary
Open Secrets - Norfolk Southern Political Spending
Public Citizen - One Year After Ohio Train Derailment Disaster, Report Finds Norfolk Southern’s Federal Lobbying Spending Increased 30 Percent
Public Citizen - Lobbying After Disaster Norfolk Southern Corporation Lobbying Spending in the Year Since The Ohio Train Derailment and Toxic Fire
Associated Press - Railroads say they’re making safety changes to reduce derailments after fiery Ohio crash
TTD - (Union Press Release) AHEAD OF EAST PALESTINE ANNIVERSARY, RAIL CHIEFS RENEW CALLS FOR SAFETY REFORMS

Groups Taking Action:
Public Citizen, Common Cause, Issue One, Represent.Us

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #EastPalestine #BigMoneyOut #RailroadSafety #OverturnCitizensUnited

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 2, 2024

Georgia has a $75 Million Runoff Election Problem.  Ranked Choice Voting Would Solve It, But Instead, the Georgia Senate Just Voted to Ban RCV.
Georgia is the only state which conducts runoffs for both general AND primary elections when no candidate receives a 50% majority.  But runoff elections are time consuming, have low turnout, and cost millions of dollars to run.   Ranked choice voting - also known as “instant runoff”-- could solve it, BUT the Georgia Senate just voted to ban it.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
The Conversation - (2022)  Georgia runoff elections are exciting, but costly for voters and democracy
Facing South - Georgia officials consider changes to state's runoff election system
Lt Gov. of Georgia - Lt. Governor Burt Jones Announces Legislation Banning Ranked-choice Voting
Georgia Recorder - State Senate panel presses ahead with bill that would ban ranked choice voting in Georgia
Georgia Secretary of State's Office - (2023)  Secretary Raffensperger Calls on General Assembly to Put Georgia Voters on Santa’s Nice List and End Georgia Runoffs
Georgia Secretary of State's Office - Use of Instant Runoff for Military and Overseas Voting
WGXA - State Senate committee approves ban on ranked-choice voting
National Conference of State Legislatures - Primary Runoffs
Represent.Us – Ranked Choice Voting, Explained

Groups Taking Action:
Better Ballot Georgia, FairVote, Represent.US

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #RCV #RankedChoiceVoting #InstantRunoff #RunoffElections #GeorgiaElections

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 1, 2024

Federal Appeals Court Denies Rehearing of Radical Arkansas Voting Rights Act Ruling Shutting Out Voters & Democracy Groups from Bringing Cases

In Nov. 2023, an 8th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s radical ruling that Arkansas voters did not have the right to sue under the 1965 Voting Rights Act.  Despite being widely panned as a fringe ruling, the 8th Circuit refused to re-hear the case January 30th.  

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Democracy Docket - Arkansas Legislative Redistricting Challenge
ACLU - (2023) FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS RADICAL RULING IN ARKANSAS REDISTRICTING CASE
Democracy Docket - 8th Circuit Rules Private Plaintiffs Cannot Sue Under Section 2 of Voting Rights Act

Arkansas Advocate - Federal appeals court won’t rehear closely watched Arkansas redistricting case
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit - Opinion in Arkansas State Conference NAACP and Arkansas Public Policy Panel   v.  Arkansas Board of Apportionment
NPR - A federal court declines to revisit a ruling that could weaken the Voting Rights Act

Groups Taking Action:
ACLU, Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP, Arkansas Public Policy Panel

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRightsAct #PrivateRightofAction #Arkansas #EightCircuit #RacialGerrymandering

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 31, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court hears the Appeal of Donald Trump’s Eligibility in February, But Where Do the Many State Cases Stand?

While we wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on former President Trump’s appeal to the Colorado 14th amendment ballot eligibility decision, we have updates on other recent state cases. 

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute - Court Challenges to Trump’s Ballot Eligibility are Pending in 17 States.   Losses in Colorado & Michigan are Being Appealed.
PBS Newshour - Supreme Court to hear Trump ballot case that could upend 2024 presidential election
The Hill - Trump candidacy challenge dismissed in Massachusetts
The Hill - Maine judge defers decision on Trump 14th Amendment question until Supreme Court rules
CNN - Illinois election board hears objection to Trump candidacy based on January 6 insurrection

Capital News Illinois - State election board to rule on challenge to Trump candidacy
Lawfare - Tracking Trump Section 3 Challenges
CNN - Tracking the major 14th Amendment efforts to remove Trump from the 2024 ballot

Groups Taking Action:
Free Speech for People, Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (CREW)

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #14thAmendment #BallotDisqualification #Insurrectionists

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 30, 2024

Wisconsin Senate Defiantly Passes Gerrymandered Replacement State Assembly and Senate Maps, But Won’t Have the Last Word
After having its earlier state assembly and senate maps thrown out by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in early January, the Wisconsin legislature tried to preserve its partisan advantage with its new maps.  But it won’t have the last word.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
CBS News - The Wisconsin Supreme Court has thrown out the GOP-drawn district maps. That could mean a huge change for the purple state
Wisconsin Examiner - Seven sets of legislative maps submitted to Supreme Court, most would reduce GOP advantage
Wisconsin Examiner - Senate Republicans pass last-ditch effort to institute maps that protect incumbents
Associated Press - Wisconsin’s Democratic governor promises to veto last-ditch Republican redistricting effort
Governor Tony Evers - State of the State Address

Groups Taking Action:
Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Common Cause Wisconsin,  Represent.Us WI, Fair Elections Project 

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #Gerrymandering #WisconsinPolitics #WisconsinSupremeCourt

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 29, 2024

Mixed News for North Carolina Voters, as Federal Courts Temporarily Block Voter Suppression Bill but Uphold Racially Gerrymandered Maps
Opinions in two North Carolina cases offer both good democracy news and bad.   A sweeping voter suppression bill was temporarily blocked, but a gerrymandered state senate map diluting Black voting power was upheld.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute - North Carolina Legislature Overrides Governor’s Vetoes of Voter Suppression and State Election Board Bills
North Carolina Newsline - Federal judge blocks part of Republicans’ new election law
Democracy Docket - Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Provision of North Carolina Voter Suppression Law
North Carolina Newsline - Federal judge denies Black voters’ request to throw out new Senate districts in northeastern NC
Democracy Docket - Federal Judge Declines to Block New North Carolina Senate Map for 2024 Elections

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterSuppression #HB747 #FairMaps #VotingRights #VotingRightsAct #NorthCarolinaPolitics

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 26, 2024

Two Florida Anti-Voter Redistricting and Voting Rights Laws Headed Back to Court
We have updates on two Florida anti-voter court cases, a racial gerrymandering case which will finally be heard by the Florida Supreme Court, and another, restricting third-party voter registration organizations, is headed to a federal appeals court. 

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
NPR - Florida lawmakers let DeSantis draw a congressional map after he vetoed the last one
Democracy Docket - Florida Congressional Redistricting Challenge (Black Voters Matter)
The Hill - Federal court blocks Florida election law
Democracy Docket - Florida Omnibus Voter Suppression Law Challenge (NAACP)
Florida Phoenix - FL third-party voting registration orgs prepare to defend preliminary victory in appellate court

Groups Taking Action:
It's a long list today!   Go to our post on http://www.AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRights #VoterSuppression #MajorityMinority #FloridaPolitics

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 25, 2024

By the 14th Anniversary of Citizens United, SuperPACs and Candidates Spent Over $300 Million in IA, NH & SC
January 21st was the 14th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates of money in political campaigns.   In Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, over $300 Million dollars has already been spent in just three early races. 

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
CNN -  New Hampshire ad spending tops $77 million as Haley and Trump fight to the finish
NPR - $300 million worth of ads have hit voters ahead of the first GOP primary contests
NH Secretary of State - SOS Predicts Presidential Primary Turnout
End Citizens United - End Citizens United Statement on the 14th Anniversary of Citizens United

Brennan Center for Justice - Citizens United Explained
Open Secrets - (2020) More money, less transparency: A decade under Citizens United

Groups Taking Action:
End Citizens United, Issue One, Open Democracy Action, Common Cause, Public Citizen, Equal Citizens

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #OverturnCitizensUnited #DarkMoneyOutVotersIn #EndBigMoney

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 24, 2024

SCOTUS Declines Stay Request from Michigan’s Independent Redistricting Commission; 19 State House & Senate Districts to be Redrawn
We reported January 16th on a federal court finding that maps drawn by Michigan’s Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission diluted Black voting power and must be redrawn.  An appeal to keep the existing maps was declined Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Our podcasting host recently made changes which stops us from including our entire script as part of the podcast content.  To view the whole script, please go to our website and find today's report.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Democracy Docket - Michigan Legislative Redistricting Challenge (Agee)
Michigan Advance - Bombshell ruling requires 13 Michigan districts to be redrawn before 2024 election
American Democracy Minute - Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission’s Maps for Greater Detroit Under Scrutiny for Voting Rights Act Violations. What Happened?
U.S. Supreme Court - Emergency Appeal by Michigan Citizen Redistricting Commission for Stay
Michigan Advance - U.S. Supreme Court rejects request to halt Michigan House map redraw
Democracy Docket - U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Halt Redraw of Michigan’s Legislative Maps
Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission - Website & Draft Maps

Groups Taking Action:
Voters Not Politicians,  League of Women Voters MI, NAACP Michigan State Conference, Detroit Action, Promote the Vote MI

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #FairMaps #VotingRightsAct #MichiganPolitics