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

In 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. 

Trump campaign associates coordinated a plot in seven battleground states to submit a fraudulent slate of Republican electors.  The plot failed when Vice President Mike Pence refused to participate and certified the results. 

The alleged “fake electors” in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Mexico, Georgia and Arizona were subject to investigations by state officials, the January 6th Committee, and the Special Counsel.  Fake electors in Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona still face trial. Nevada prosecutors just refiled charges Dec.12th.  No charges were brought in New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. 

Stunningly, 13 of those electors were renominated by their state Republican parties as electors in 2024.  Six of the 15 awaiting trial for forgery in Michigan were renominated. Six Nevada electors were re-indicted last week on forgery charges, two of whom were renominated, including Jesse Law and state GOP chair Michael McDonald.  

Still unclear is whether Trump will include the fake electors in his promised pardons for those accused and convicted for the January 6th insurrection.  

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (C.R.E.W) – The cases against fake electors and where they stand
LawFare – Where the Fake Electors Cases Stand in State Court
Michigan Public – “Vindication” as Trump’s “fake electors” serve as real ’24 electors
NPR – ‘Fake electors’ from 2020 are casting 2024 votes for Trump while facing felony charges

ABC News – 13 accused of being ‘fake electors’ cast Electoral College votes for Trump
Wisconsin Politics – Trump vows to eliminate Education Department, pardon Jan. 6 convicts during Mosinee rally
CNN – Recordings, emails show how Trump team flew fake elector ballots to DC in final push to overturn 2020 election
WSAZ – January 6th defendants, “fake electors” hope President-elect Trump keeps his word on pardons

Groups Taking Action:
C.R.E.W.,  LawForward

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #January6th #FakeElectors

The post Among 2024 Electoral College Presidential Electors Were 13 Alleged 2020 Fake Electors, Some of Whom Await Trial on Fraud Charges appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Oct. 28, 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.

Our third segment on Protect Democracy’s “Deceive, Disrupt, Deny” report anticipates how bad actors will likely use bogus claims of widespread non citizen voting to justify obstructing election certification, nuisance litigation, and sham audits.

Ultimately it won’t work, due to newly clarified deadlines and responsibilities states and courts must meet under the Electoral Count Reform Act.  But in a close election, those delays will try to buy time for partisans to find flaws, diminish election confidence, and mobilize partisan activists to demand it be overturned.  

Since 2020, election deniers have been appointed and in some cases elected to election offices around the country.  In several U.S. counties, officials initially refused to certify the 2022 results.  The Brookings Institution identifies 15 counties Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada as of high or medium concern. 

Partisan legislatures or state election officials can also call for sham audits, as happened in 2020 in Arizona and Wisconsin, and lawsuits challenging the process and outcome are a certainty. 

The good news is that the Electoral Count Reform Act clarified the hard federal deadlines by which states must submit results and slates of electors.  More on that in our next report.   Find Protect Democracy’s full report at 

at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Protect Democracy – Deceive, Disrupt, Deny:  2024 election subversion strategies and how to defuse them
Brookings – The counties that may try not to certify the 2024 election
American Democracy Minute (2022) – Election Denier Chaos in Cochise County, Arizona
American Democracy Minute – (2022) – NM County Officials Refuse to Certify Primary Election with No Evidence
Brennan Center for Justice – What Georgia Tells Us About the 2024 Election Subversion Campaign

Groups Taking Action:
Protect Democracy, Campaign Legal Center, Brennan Center for Justice

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 #ProtectElections #ElectionSubversion #ProtectDemocracy

The post ‘Deceive, Disrupt, Deny’ Report Anticipates Non Citizen Voting Will Be Used to Justify Post-Election Delays, Sham Audits & Litigation appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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

We’re examining ‘Deceive, Disrupt, Deny’, a new report which games out a likely election subversion plan by partisan extremists.  With an effort already underway to spread baseless claims of widespread noncitizen voting, extremists may again be motivated to confront voters and election workers.

Legal and physical protections for voters and election workers have been strengthened since 2020, as have consequences for harassment and intimidation.  But experts from election watchdog Protect Democracy think surveillance of ballot drop boxes, and voter and election worker intimidation by election denier groups may continue to be a factor. Voters can also expect to see more partisan poll watchers for in person voting, looking for opportunities to object to a voter’s eligibility, or obstruct election procedures.

Some of that obstruction may happen in the courts.  Protect Democracy reports that state parties and the Republican National Committee have over 100 pending lawsuits over election procedures, including challenges to mail-in voting, voter registration purges, and hand counting of ballots.

Almost all states are better prepared for the potential of threats, intimidation or violence, and most states have increased transparency to tamp down conspiracy theories.  But what happens when the candidate baselessly denies that he lost?   More on that part of the subversion plan in our next report. 

We’ve linked to Protect Democracy’s report, safeguards and remedies, at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Protect Democracy – Deceive, Disrupt, Deny:  2024 election subversion strategies and how to defuse them
Rolling Stone – Right-Wing News Site Recruits Election Deniers to Cover the 2024 Election
Associated Press – The RNC is launching a massive effort to monitor voting. Critics say it threatens to undermine trust
USA Today – Citizen advocates are training to disrupt 2024 elections in the name of election integrity
States United – Replacing the Refs
Brennan Center for Justice – What Georgia Tells Us About the 2024 Election Subversion Campaign

Groups Taking Action:
Protect Democracy, Campaign Legal Center, Brennan Center for Justice

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 #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers 

The post The ‘Deceive, Disrupt, Deny’ Subversion Plan: After Claims of Widespread Noncitizen Voting Comes Intimidation, Disruptive Poll Watchers & Baseless Lawsuits appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

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

We’re exploring a new report by election system watchdog Protect Democracy called ‘Deceive, Disrupt, Deny’, which lays out the likely strategy by bad actors to subvert the 2024 election.   That strategy won’t succeed, but it won’t be pretty, either.

“Deceive,” is the first of the three-pronged attack.  Bad actors are already claiming, despite the passage of 900 new election bills since 2020, that the election system is somehow rigged.    

In 2020, that deception was that electronic ballot tabulators were somehow manipulated to change the outcome.   In 2024, it’s baseless claims of widespread noncitizen voting.  

To support that claim, some states passed proof-of-citizenship laws, gave closer access to partisan poll observers and allowed “mass challenges” of voter eligibility.  In reality, there is no evidence of widespread voting by noncitizens. 

The report also points to activists and partisan politicians continuing to question the security and accuracy of electronic ballot tabulators, and pushing hand counting.  Not only is hand counting less accurate, but will likely delay the election results, causing further doubt.  

Protect Democracy expects bad actors to also turn election day problems, such as ballot shortages or machine failures into conspiracy theories.  Such deception triggered nuisance audits and lawsuits in 2020, further delaying results and sowing doubt among voters.   

We’ll have more in our next report. We’ve linked to Protect Democracy’s Deceive, Disrupt, Deny report at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Protect Democracy – Deceive, Disrupt, Deny:  2024 election subversion strategies and how to defuse them
Brennan Center for Justice – What Georgia Tells Us About the 2024 Election Subversion Campaign

Groups Taking Action:
Protect Democracy, Campaign Legal Center, Brennan Center for Justice

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 #ProtectElections #ElectionSubversion #StoptheSteal

The post ‘Deceive, Disrupt, Deny’:  Report Lays Out Likely Playbook to Subvert the 2024 Election, Some of Which is Already in Motion appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Aug. 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.

We’re beginning a series exploring whether our Presidential election is safer now from being overturned by bad actors.  In our first report, we examine new protections in the federal Electoral Count Reform Act. Later, we’ll explore what  protections states have in place — or not. 

The attempt by GOP bad actors to legally and savagely pressure Vice President Mike Pence to not certify the 2020 Presidential election resulted in changes to the federal 1887 Electoral Count Act in 2022.       

It takes 270 electoral votes to win a Presidential election, out of a possible 538 from the 50 states plus DC.  The fake elector scheme hinged on members of Congress objecting to their state’s count, reducing Joe Biden’s number of electors, then substituting a slate of fake electors giving Donald Trump the electoral votes instead. 

The Electoral Count Reform Act raised the threshold to consider an objection in the House and Senate, from one senator and one representative, to one-fifth of each body.  Should the bodies vote to object to a state’s count, the total electoral votes needed to win diminishes by the number of that state’s electors, removing that incentive to object.  It also clarified the role of the Vice President as procedural, not judging validity of the state’s counts.   

We’ll explore how the act clarified the states’ role in our next report. 

Find detailed resources at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

National Archives – Electoral College Timeline of Events
National Archives – Roles and Responsibilities in the Electoral College Process
Brennan Center for Justice – How Electoral Votes Are Counted for the Presidential Election
Senator Susan Collins – SUMMARY – ELECTORAL COUNT REFORM ACT OF 2022
Campaign Legal Center – Congress Takes Historic Action to Update the Electoral Count Act
Brennan Center for Justice – Much Needed Reform for the Electoral Count Act

Groups Taking Action:

Protect Elections, League of Women Voters US, National Popular Vote Compact

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 Twitter 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 #ProtectElections #ElectoralCountReformAct #ElectionSubversion

The post What is the Electoral Count Reform Act and How Will it Protect Presidential Elections at the Federal Level?  appeared first on American Democracy Minute.