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. 17, 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 two cases with national implications, a Fulton County Superior Court Judge temporarily blocked implementation of new Georgia Election Board rules which appeared designed to delay the certification of the 2024 Presidential election.  

The Georgia Election Board approved controversial new rules – within 90 days of the election – allowing individual members of county election boards to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying an election.   Another rule approved only September 18th requires a hand count of paper ballots into stacks of 50 to compare with the machine count total.    

Either of the rules could throw the election process into chaos and litigation, and delay the outcome, according to democracy advocates.  Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger called the hand counting rule “misguided.” 

Judge Robert McBurney found both rules were decided too close to the election, not leaving enough time to train elections workers, and eroding voter confidence.   “Intervenors have further demonstrated how the 11th-and-one-half hour implementation of the Hand Count Rule will make this coming election inefficient and non-uniform . . .” he said. 

In the “reasonable inquiry” case, McBurney wrote that under Georgia law, no election superintendent may refuse to certify or abstain from certifying election results under any circumstance.  The rulings are in effect for the 2024 election, and other challenges are pending.  We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Georgia Recorder – Judge ponders Cobb County challenge to Georgia election board rules OK’d close to start of voting

Fulton County Superior Court – (Hand Counting Case) COBB COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND REGISTRATION et al., v. STATE ELECTION BOARD
Georgia Recorder – Fulton judge says Georgia law requires county election officials to certify results
ABC News – Georgia judge blocks ballot counting rule and says county officials must certify election results
Campaign Legal Center – Can Georgia’s Election Board Refuse to Certify Results? The Law Says No

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters GA, Protect Democracy, 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 #Georgia #Certification 

The post In Case with 2024 Presidential Election Implications, Georgia Judge Blocks Controversial State Election Board Rules for Hand Counting & Certification appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Aug. 16, 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 the last report of our series on protections against overturning the Presidential election, we consider what happens if the state official authorized to certify your state’s election results refuses to do so.   It’s not as far-fetched as you think.  

Ohio’s hyperpartisan Secretary of State Frank LaRose made no attempt to hide recent partisan attempts to change the rules for citizen ballot initiatives, try to stop initiatives his party didn’t like, and aggressively purge Black and Brown voter registrations.  Pro-democracy organization Public Wise is also tracking statewide officials considered “election threats,” including the election board chair and vice chair in Wisconsin, the secretary of state in Florida, and the lieutenant governor of Georgia, among seven battleground states.   

Democracy Docket disturbingly pointed out that in states including Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Nevada, candidates elected November 5th could be sworn in BEFORE the federal December 11th certification deadline, meaning an incoming governor or secretary of state election denier COULD be the executive authorized to certify.  A good reason to do your homework, and vote the whole ballot. 

Most states have penalties for willful obstruction of election proceedings. Failing that, the U.S. Justice Department could enforce the new Electoral Count Reform Act, Voting Rights Act, or civil rights laws.  But those deterrents may not keep rogue officials from trying. 

We’ve linked analysis at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Protect Democracy – Report: Election Certification Is Not Optional
National Conference of State Legislatures – Election Certification Deadlines & Procedures by State
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) – Full Report ‘Election Certification Under Threat”
Public Wise – Election Threat Index
Democracy Docket – What Happens When Election Officials Refuse to Certify Results?

Democracy Docket – This November’s State Legislative Elections Are Key To Protecting the Presidential Election

Groups Taking Action:
Public Wise, Protect Democracy, CREW

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 #ElectionProtection #ElectionCertification

The post What if Your State’s Chief Election Executive Blocks Certification of the Presidential Election? 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.