The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 19, 2025

Today’s Script

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

A federal judge sentenced former New Jersey U.S. Senator Bob Menendez January 29th to 11 years in prison for corruption charges and acting as a foreign agent. Menendez, a Democrat, was contrite in the courtroom, but blasted the process as “political,” and “corrupted to the core” in a not-so-subtle appeal to President Donald Trump.

Menendez was convicted July 16th on all federal charges of conspiracy, bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction and acting as a foreign agent in schemes involving an Egyptian-American businessman and a New Jersey developer.   

In exchange for cash, a Mercedes convertible, and gold bars, Menendez used his influence as chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee to procure exclusive import of halal processed meat products into Egypt.  The New Jersey Monitor reports that Menendez then signed off on billions in U.S. military aid to the government of Egypt, despite the country’s deteriorating human rights record.

But times have changed.  February 11th, the U.S. Justice Department ordered the Southern District of New York to drop bribery and corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.  He was accused of taking illegal campaign donations from foreign nationals and businessmen, and doing favors in exchange for luxury travel. The apparent quid pro quo with the Trump administration prompted six SDNY attorneys to resign in protest.

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – (2024) ‘This wasn’t politics as usual, this was politics for profit.’  U.S. Senator Robert Menendez Convicted of Bribery & Conspiracy Charges.
U.S. Attorney – Southern District of NY – Former U.S. Senator Robert Menendez Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison For Bribery, Foreign Agent, And Obstruction Offenses
NJ Monitor – Former Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years in bribery scheme
U.S. Justice Department – New York City Mayor Eric Adams Charged With Bribery And Campaign Finance Offenses
U.S. Department of Justice  via CNN – Dismissal Without Prejudice of Prosecution of Mayor Eric Adams
NBC News – Federal prosecutors in New York and Washington resign after refusing to drop Adams charges

Groups Taking Action:

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW),  Public Citizen,  Brennan Center for Justice

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Corruption #QuidProQuo #EricAdams #BobMenendez

The post Just 2 Weeks Before Bribery and Corruption Charges are Dropped Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez Gets 11 Years for Similar Charges appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for January 11, 2023

Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
The Guardian – House Republicans move to defang ethics office investigating its members
The Guardian – House Republicans aim to rein in ethics body preparing to investigate their party
Washington Post – House Republicans pass ethics changes that Democrats say would hamper probes
Democracy Advocacy Groups – Letter to Congress on Changes to the Office of Congressional Ethics
Groups Taking Action:
Campaign Legal Center, Business for America, Campaign for Accountability, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

New U.S. House Majority Neuters the Office of Congressional Ethics

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

If a Congressman supports an insurrection, and there’s no one to investigate, did it ever happen?   Monday, the incoming U.S. House majority passed new rules, which, among other things, guts the Office of Congressional Ethics.

The Guardian and Washington Post report that while the new House leadership can say they didn’t SHUT DOWN the bipartisan office, term limits were instituted for staff, likely to force out four professionals currently serving, and giving only 30 days from the beginning of the 118th Congress to find replacements.  If they do find staff that quickly, four members now have to approve their hiring and compensation, so slow-walking it would sink the process.

So, there may not be enough staff to conduct investigations on the members of Congress who refused to honor subpoenas from the January 6th Committee, or pursue inquiries into newly-sworn-in Congressman and apparent serial liar,  George Santos.   

A January 4th letter signed by 25 pro-voter groups roundly condemned the move as eroding trust in government. QUOTE “Together these changes weaken OCE to the point where the office would struggle to perform its core function, dismantling one of the only ways members of Congress are held accountable for ethics violations.”

With the Office of Congressional Ethics defanged, and the change in leadership for the House Ethics Committee, meaningful accountability for Congress is done – for now. 

We have articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post <strong>New U.S. House Majority Neuters the Office of Congressional Ethics</strong> appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for January 9, 2023

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One of the Deals Made to Elect Kevin McCarthy Speaker Was With a SuperPAC

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Salon: – “Shameful”: Democrats sound alarm over “creepy” dark-money super PAC deal to help McCarthy win
Politico – Complaint from End Citizens United

Reuters – Kevin McCarthy elected House speaker, but at a cost
The Hill – McCarthy-backed PAC agrees to not spend in safe GOP open-seat primaries in Speakership concession
Groups Taking Action:

End Citizens United, Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington

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

You’ve likely heard that Kev “The Contenda” McCarthy won in the 15th round in a heavyweight title bout early Saturday morning. Oh, sorry, wrong blood sport. That was U.S. Representative Kevin McCarthy, who was elected Speaker of the House early Saturday morning on the 15th ballot.

It was, however, a slugfest, with ultra-Conservative Republicans in the Freedom Caucus, trading votes for key committee positions and rules changes. Such backroom deals are part of Congress.

But what raised an alarm for Democracy advocates was a reported deal negotiated as part of Congressional business with a SuperPAC. Salon reports McCarthy openly negotiated with the Congressional Leadership Fund SuperPAC to NOT run and support more moderate candidates against Freedom Caucus-supported ultra-Conservative candidates for open primary seats.

In a letter published by Politico, End Citizens United, a money-in-politics watchdog group, complained to the Office of Congressional Ethics, that QUOTE, “McCarthy and House staff acting on his behalf are using official resources to plan and direct campaign & political activities with federal super PACs” UNQUOTE, in violation of House rules, and that McCarthy and agents working on his behalf are directing the political decisions of Congressional Leadership Fund, in violation of the soft money prohibition of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.

Another of McCarthy’s concessions to the Freedom Caucus? Gut the Office of Congressional Ethics.We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post One of the Deals Made to Elect Kevin McCarthy Speaker Was With a SuperPAC appeared first on American Democracy Minute.