The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 19, 2023

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.

We’re updating a story we’ve been following in Alaska, where fines have been recommended for a church, an associated church organization, and a pastor accused of making alleged illegal and unreported political contributions supporting an effort to repeal Ranked Choice Voting. 

The Alaska Public Offices Commission staff has recommended combined fines of almost $50,000 to Wellspring Ministries, the Ranked Choice Education Association, Alaskans for Honest Elections, and Art Mathias, a pastor or principal in all three organizations, according to reporting by Alaska Public Media.   

The Commission’s  staff found that Mathias made donations totalling $90,000 to Ranked Choice Education Association.  That group is registered as an affiliated church organization, but allegedly funneled that money to support Alaskans for Honest Elections, a group leading a citizen ballot initiative signature drive to repeal Alaska’s new ranked choice voting and open primary system. The organizations involved were cited for not properly reporting the contributions, other expenses, and proper “Paid for By” disclosures on websites and videos.  Alaska officials noted that the IRS has jurisdiction on investigating whether an illegal charitable tax deduction was taken for the $90,000 contribution.  

A final decision by the Alaska Public Offices Commission is expected later this month, according to the Anchorage Daily News.  Recommendations are pending on another anti-RCV group for similar reporting failures.

We have the Commission’s report and local articles at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Alaska Public Offices Commission – Staff Report for Alaskans for Better Elections v. Alaskans for Honest
Elections, Alaskans for Honest Government, Wellspring Ministries, Wellspring Fellowship,
Ranked Choice Education Association, Art Mathias and Phillip Izon.

Alaska Public Media – APOC staff recommends fines for opponents of Alaska’s ranked choice voting
Anchorage Daily News – State watchdog finds ballot group violated Alaska laws in effort to repeal ranked choice voting
Alaska Beacon – Two more Alaska ballot measures pass legal muster, but another is disqualified

Groups Taking Action:

Alaskans for Better Elections

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #AlaskaPolitics #DarkMoney #RCV #AlaskansforBetterElections

The post Penalties Recommended for Church Organization and Pastor for Alleged Illegal and Unreported Contributions Supporting Anti-Ranked Choice Voting Effort appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 1, 2023

Today’s Script

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

Investigation Expands Into Alleged Sketchy Behavior of Groups Trying to Repeal Alaska’s Ranked Choice Voting

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

We’re revisiting a complicated and expanding story from July, involving alleged sketchy behavior from groups hoping to repeal ranked choice voting in Alaska, involving a pastor, a group he organized as part of his church, and a former U.S. Senate candidate. 

In July, Alaska Public Media reported that PRO-ranked choice Alaskans for Better Elections filed a campaign finance complaint against an ANTI-ranked choice group, Ranked Choice Education Association, registered as a nonprofit “integrated auxiliary” of a church. That group later made a political donation to Alaskans for Honest Elections, organizing the initiative to repeal RCV.  The church’s pastor is both president of the Ranked Choice Education Association and Alaskans for Honest Elections.  An investigation by the Alaska Public Offices Commission is ongoing.  

Then August 25th, the Alaska Beacon reported the Commission’s staff issued a recommendation in ANOTHER case involving a separate anti-RCV nonprofit.  Preserve Democracy was founded by Kelly Tshibaka, a 2022 U.S. Senate challenger to Sen. Lisa Murkowski.   Alaskans for Better Elections complained that Tshibaka’s nonprofit lobbied legislators and accepted political donations without filing the required paperwork or reports.   Preserve Democracy has been cleared of the illegal lobbying, but the Commission staff recommended fines of $16,450 dollars for its lack of financial disclosures.   The full Public Offices Commission must still adopt that recommendation.     

We have more on this convoluted story at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Anchorage Daily News – Ranked choice voting opponents begin gathering signatures for ballot initiative
Alaska Public Media – Complaint alleges foes of Alaska’s ranked choice voting formed a church to funnel political donations
Alaska Beacon – Another campaign complaint filed against opponents of Alaska ranked choice voting
Alaska Beacon – Report from Alaska campaign regulator says Tshibaka-linked group violated state law
Stateline News – As ranked choice voting gains momentum, parties in power push back
Preserve Democracy – Anti-RCV Presentation Made to Alaska Legislative Committee

Republican National Committee – Resolution Opposing Ranked Choice Voting
Alaska Division of Elections – Ranked Choice Voting – Explained
Alaskans for Better Elections – Supplemental Filing Alleging Connections Between Two Anti-RCV Groups

Groups Taking Action:

Alaskans for Better Elections,  FairVote, Represent.Us, Rank the Vote

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org
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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #RCV #RanktheVote

The post Investigation Expands Into Alleged Sketchy Behavior of Groups Trying to Repeal Alaska’s Ranked Choice Voting appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 12, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time) 

Today’s Links now below the script

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

A group organized to repeal ranked choice voting in Alaska may have used a church’s nonprofit status to avoid disclosing donor information, according to a complaint filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission.

Alaska Public Media reports that a complaint by Alaskans for Better Elections alleges that the Ranked Choice Education Association was formed as a wing of Wellspring Fellowship of Alaska, with the purpose of providing funding to repeal Ballot Measure 2, implemented in 2022.

Ballot Measure 2 creates a “top-four” system for Congressional races, establishes open primaries, and employs ranked choice voting for general elections.  It also mandates campaign transparency for “dark money” contributors donating to PACs, groups, nonprofits and corporations.

Wellspring Fellowship’s pastor, Dr. Arthur Mathias, is also the president of the Ranked Choice Education Association, which registered as a “church integrated auxiliary” of Wellspring.  Ranked Choice Education Association in turn made contributions to Alaskans for Honest Elections, which is collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to overturn Ballot Measure 2.   

Political contributions are not tax deductible at either the state or federal level, and overt political activity by churches can jeopardize federal non profit status.  The complaint accuses both organizations of not reporting contributions according to Alaska law, and possible misrepresentation of those donations.

We have a link to the report and the full complaint at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Alaska Public Media – Alaska Public Offices Commission Complaint by Alaskans for Better Elections
Alaska Public Media – Complaint alleges foes of Alaska’s ranked choice voting formed a church to funnel political donations
BallotPedia – Alaska Ballot Measure 2
Juneau Empire – Ranked choice repeal ‘church’ violating campaign laws, complaint alleges

Anchorage Daily News – Complaint alleges opponents of Alaska’s ranked choice voting formed church to skirt disclosure laws

Groups Taking Action:
Alaskans for Better Elections

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DarkMoney #RankedChoiceVoting

The post Foes of Alaska’s Ranked Choice Voting Alleged to Have Used Church as a Front to Shield Disclosure of Donors appeared first on American Democracy Minute.