The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 22, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

One of the most strident election deniers and ardent Trump supporters lost her Arizona U.S. Senate race November 5th.  But Kari Lake still has not conceded, and may yet resurface in Washington in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.

After a broadcasting career, Lake made her name by refusing to acknowledge the results of the 2020 Presidential election.  She ran for governor in 2022, but lost by 17,000 votes to Katie Hobbs. Lake never conceded that race, and challenged signature verification and the election process in Maricopa County.  All seven claims and three lawsuits were dismissed.

While disputing the election, she was accused of defaming Republican Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, repeatedly claiming that Richer used 300,000 quote “illegal, invalid, phony or bogus” early ballots to manipulate the results.  Lake settled the case November 17th for an undisclosed amount, according to the Washington Post.  

While still battling in court over her 2022 loss, Lake launched a U.S. Senate campaign, vanquishing three primary challengers, still refusing to accept the results of the 2022 election.  This time, she lost by over 72,000 votes to Ruben Gallego, and still has not conceded the race, according to the Arizona Mirror.  

The Arizona Republic reports that Lake was seen last week at Mar-a-Lago, one of many visits over the past year.  

We have links to more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Arizona Mirror
CNN – Fact check: Kari Lake’s continuing false Arizona election claims
Arizona Mirror – (2023) Supreme Court dismisses all but one of Kari Lake’s election claims

Arizona Public Media/AP – Kari Lake loses suit to see ballot envelopes in 3rd trial tied to Arizona election defeat
Huffington Post – Kari Lake’s Election-Denial Dodge At Senate Debate Is A Must-See
Talking Points Memo – Kari Lake Quietly Settles Defamation Lawsuit And Accepts Defeat In Wake Of Trump Win
Arizona Republic – Kari Lake settles defamation lawsuit, appears with Trump allies at Mar-a-Lago

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #KariLake #ElectionDeniers #TrumpTransition

The post AZ U.S. Senate Candidate & Election Denier’s Streak of Election & Courtroom Losses Continues, But Kari Lake May Still Resurface in DC appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 18, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

President Donald Trump was not a fan of crypto currency.  That is, until crypto magnates started pouring money into SuperPACs supporting his candidacy and select Congressional candidates to the tune of $133 million dollars.

Trump said on Twitter in 2019.  “I am not a fan of Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies, which are not money, and whose value is highly volatile and based on thin air. Unregulated Crypto Assets can facilitate unlawful behavior, including drug trade and other illegal activity,” he wrote.

In May, Trump’s campaign became the first to accept Bitcoin contributions, reporting $7.5 Million in crypto currency donations.  Money in politics tracking organization Open Secrets reports that three SuperPACs, Fairshake, Protect Progress, and Defend American Jobs, were funded primarily by crypto companies and entrepreneurs.  As of October’s filings, they had spent over $133 Million dollars to support Trump, and for and against Senate candidates, including $40 million supporting Republican Bernie Moreno against Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio.   Half of Fairshake’s contributions came from just two crypto companies, CoinBase and Ripple, totaling over $107 Million dollars.   

Trump has now changed his tune.  Speaking to a Bitcoin conference in July, Trump promised, “From now on, rules will be written by people who love your industry, not hate your industry.”   

We have links to Open Secrets’ data and more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Donald Trump – (2019) Cryptocurrency comment on X/Twitter
CNBC – Trump PAC has raised about $7.5 million in crypto donations since early June
NBC News – Here’s what Trump promised the crypto industry ahead of the election
Open Secrets – Pro-crypto super PACs pouring tens of millions into 2024 elections

Open Secrets – The crypto trio: How the cryptocurrency industry has made its mark on 2024 elections

Public Citizen – (Aug. 2024) Big Crypto, Big Spending: Crypto Corporations Spend an Unprecedented $119 Million Influencing Elections
CNN – The crypto industry plowed tens of millions into the election. Now, it’s looking for a return on that investment

Groups Taking Action:
Public Citizen, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), End Citizens United

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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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #MoneyinPolitics #BigMoneyCorruption #Crypto #Bitcoin #SuperPACs

The post Colossal Crypto Contributions Change Trump’s Mind, Likely Leading to Friendly Regulation – Or None at All appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 12, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

November 6th, the Mesa County, Colorado district attorney’s office announced charges against two women who allegedly stole mail-in ballots, filled them out and submitted them in an attempt to test the ballot signature verification process.

News site Colorado Politics reports that a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier, Vicki Lyn Stuart, allegedly provided Sally Jane Smith with 16 mail-in ballots intended for citizens in Grand Junction Colorado. 

When county election officials found signature discrepancies, one intended voter contacted by the election office said they had not voted, and another voter, using the state’s ballot tracking system, said the system showed he had voted, when he had not.  Local officials alerted the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation launched an inquiry in late October. 

Smith is accused of filling out and returning the ballots, and faces six counts of felony identity theft, two felony counts of attempting to influence a public servant, and six counts of forgery.    Mail carrier Stuart faces 16 counts of felony identity theft, 16 felony counts of forgery, and attempting to influence a public servant.   If convicted, both women face substantial fines and/or prison time.   Smith is a registered Republican, and Stuart, an independent.

Such election fraud is so infrequent, it rarely if ever affects election outcomes. 

We have links to the detailed local reporting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Colorado Secretary of State – Ballot Fraud Scheme Under Investigation in Mesa County
Colorado Newsline – Multiple fraudulent ballots returned in Mesa County, Colorado election officials say
Colorado Politics – Two Mesa County women arrested in alleged fraudulent mail-in ballot scheme
Colorado Newsline – 2 Mesa County women arrested in fraudulent ballot scheme

Brennan Center for Justice – Extensive research reveals that fraud is very rare.

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotebyMail #Colorado #VoterFraudArrests

The post Colorado Women Arrested for Allegedly Stealing and Submitting Mail-In Ballots to ‘Test’ Election Security appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Oct. 23, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

There are developments in a court challenge to questionable Georgia Election Board rules recently struck down by state courts.  The rules are widely seen as inviting partisan obstruction to Georgia’s election results. 

The week of October 13th, two Fulton County judges invalidated a total of seven rules only recently approved by the Georgia Election Board, ruling them too close to the election and with not enough time to properly train election officials, which is what county election officials had warned in their testimony.   

Judge Thomas Cox also determined that the constitution doesn’t grant the Georgia Election Board the authority to pass such sweeping rules, such as giving individual county election board members the power to conduct their own investigation of election results, or to choose not to certify an election. 

The Georgia Republican Party and Republican National Committee challenged Cox’s rulings directly to the Georgia Supreme Court, which has not yet announced if it will hear the appeal.  Rulings by the second judge that the new rules were too close to the election have not yet been challenged.

With only days left before the election, the Georgia Supreme Court could opt to not take the case, or to delay the hearings until after the election, leaving the lower court’s ruling in effect for November 5th.

We’ve linked to local reporting, our past reports  and the groups taking action, at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. Follow us on Facebook @AmericanDemocracyMinute.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – Georgia State Board of Elections Passes Hand Count Reconciliation Rule Against Recommendations of SOS and County Election Officials
American Democracy Minute –  In Case with 2024 Presidential Election Implications, Georgia Judge Blocks Controversial State Election Board Rules for Hand Counting & Certification
Georgia Supreme Court (via Democracy Docket) – GA Republican Party & RNC Appeal
Georgia Recoder – New Georgia election rules still in play with Harris-Trump election showdown now fast and furious

Groups Taking Action:

Fair Fight Action, Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (CREW), ACLU GA,  Common Cause GA

Check Your Voter Registration:

• U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
• Vote.Gov – Register to Vote in Your State
• Vote.Org – Check Your Registration to Vote
  
  

Please follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want 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 #Georgia #GeorgiaElectionBoard

The post Republicans Appeal to Georgia Supreme Court to Restore Fringe Georgia Election Board Rulings Struck Down by Lower Courts appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Oct. 22, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

Money-in-Politics watchdog Open Secrets reports that online advertising and a website popped up in early October, pretending to be pro-Harris political action committee.  It’s actually backed by a pro-Trump dark money group, which has raised and spent over $100 Million dollars in the last four years, funded in part by Elon Musk.

Using the name “Progress 2028,” dark money group Building America’s Future began pumping money into social media and digital ads in early October.  The ads and website list distorted policy positions for Harris, such as, “Expanding Medicaid to Undocumented Immigrants,” and “A national, mandatory buy-back program means fewer guns & fewer tragedies.” 

Open Secrets reports that Building America’s Future was linked to another euphemistically-named group, Citizens for Sanity, attempting to peel off Black men and Muslims from the Democratic Party through issue ads, and by supporting third party candidates.  Musk earlier gave $50 million dollars to support that effort, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Under current campaign finance rules, weakened by the U.S. Supreme Court, Building America’s Future doesn’t have to report most of these recent expenditures until after the election, and won’t be required to disclose the donors.

We’ve linked to the Open Secrets story and all of its supporting research at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Open Secrets – Pro-Trump dark money network tied to Elon Musk behind fake pro-Harris campaign scheme

New York Times – (Possible paywall) Republican Operatives Function as Hidden Hand Behind Pro-Trump Efforts
Open Secrets – Corporate “Ficticious Name” registration for “Progress 2028”
“Progress 2028” – Website, purportedly supporting Kamala Harris

Groups Taking Action:

End Citizens United, Issue One, Public Citizen

Check Your Voter Registration:

• U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
• USA Vote Foundation – Registration, Eligibility, State Election Office Links
• Vote.Gov – Register to Vote in Your State
• Vote.Org – Check Your Registration to Vote
  
  

Please follow us on Facebook and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want 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 #MoneyinPolitics #EndCitizensUnited

The post Reporting Shows Pro-Trump Dark Money Group Funding Misleading Fake ‘Pro-Harris’ Website & Ads appeared first on American Democracy Minute.