The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for January 16, 2023

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Associated Press – An Iowa official’s wife is charged with 52 counts of voter fraud in congressional race
Sioux City Journal – Wife of Woodbury County elected official faces 52 counts of voter fraud
U.S. Department of Justice – Woman Arrested for Voter Fraud Scheme
Alabama News Network – Perry County Commission Chairman Albert Turner, Jr. Indicted on Voter Fraud Charges
Alabama.com – Perry County Commission Chairman charged with voting multiple times, ‘stuffing’ ballot box
The Brennan Center – The Myth of Voter Fraud

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

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

We’re very careful on the ADM when we talk about voter fraud.  It happens, but in tiny numbers, and it’s not widespread as alleged by former President Trump.  Today, we have two cases of what may be real voter fraud – but guess what?  They got caught.

Last week, Kim Phuong Taylor was arrested in Sioux City, IA on 52 counts of voter fraud.  Phuong Taylor is the spouse of a 2020 Republican candidate for U.S. Congress. 

The indictment alleges that for the 2020 primary and general elections, Phuong Taylor filled out registration forms for members of the Sioux City Vietnamese community who had limited or no English, requested absentee ballots for them, and collected and submitted those ballots–some without their knowledge. She allegedly repeated it to aid her husband in the general election for a county post. The federal penalty for the Congressional race could be as much as 5 years per count.

In Alabama, Perry County Commission Chairman Albert Turner Jr., son of a civil rights activist, is charged with illegally voting during the May 2022 Democratic primary by filling out additional ballots.   He is also charged with collecting and mailing an undisclosed number of ballots during the November 2022 general election.   Turner denies the charges.

The moral of these stories?  What little fraud there is gets caught, because our system works.

We have links to articles at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post <strong>Voter Fraud Is Extremely Rare. Most Get Caught, Like These Alleged Cases in Iowa & Alabama</strong> appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

Listen! https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/americandemocracyminute/episodes/2022-06-20T08_25_42-07_00

Today’s Links:  
The Hill – “Midwest Democrats jockeying to come out on top in primary calendar shake-up”
Chicago Sun Times – “Strong Democratic Party of Illinois bid to become early presidential primary” state

Minnesota Post – “DFL hopes its ‘Democracy’s North Star’ pitch wins Minnesota an early presidential primary spot“
Politico – “Michigan Dems launch lobbying effort to earn early 2024 primary” 

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

For years, New Hampshire and Iowa have been first in the nation for their presidential primary and caucus.  A place where presidential candidates come, visit diners, eat corn dogs, and practice their stump speeches.   Their audience?  Most rural white people.   Now it appears that three upper midwestern states are vying for a chance to be the new proving ground.

Reports in The Hill suggest that the Democratic National Committee have put Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois in the the top tier of contenders along with existing early states, New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina.  Despite its overwhelmingly white population, New Hampshire has been a purple state over the last two decades, has an engaged electorate, and a small media market.  Solidly red Iowa appears to be on the bubble, trying to get out from under the cloud of a 2020 caucus which was mired in technical problems. 

Michigan’s Democratic leadership touts its diverse mix of voters, economic drivers, education and geography – and voted for Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020.    Minnesota, for years a Democratic bastion, is turning purple as well, but  boasts strong rural Democratic voters and a history of support for unions.   And Illinois claims it has the most diversity, and an opportunity for candidates to hone their messages for a wider base of national voters. 

Current early states are actively defending their spots, and the financial windfall and political power that comes with it.  States are expected to make their formal pitches to the DNC later this month.

The Hill’s article on the primary selection process is linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Granny D said, “Democracy is not something we have, it’s something we DO.” 

For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post American Democracy Minute for June 21, 2022: MI, MN & IL Vie for DNC’s Early Presidential Primary Spots appeared first on American Democracy Minute.