Democracy Happy Hour – May 29, 2024

Democracy Happy Hour, May 29, 2024 - Meeting Recordings:

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/H-OF_XwSI_bmnE2fmJ4hi0Is7m2ROKevmsprLgOvkeyGYQYNHEASFtRbygKHWsfKXRJq-OReVtisSM1o.qR2YFJZtgpdo80xl
• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/HjaS_mDZpsDee8nmeg7KOpyORb0q2kHR_h5BFQOO4p8k1poxJAkYzoLl69O7yQiu4dConlLruceHCSfZ.wvg3BgYN4V_Rghcs
• Chat file (will download directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/Ige36LNC1VqsLpqbAhRm5-Plo3CjHaYEDPvLCERBXnFscagl_G_KiAm09nhDlnT6PhGXKEvm1cappw0f.wF96f7FvwFOR975Q

FDF Links:

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/
• Donate to Fix Democracy First here: https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

• June 5 - The Laboratories of Autocracy Playbook and How We Fight Back with David Pepper, Author & Activist
• June 12 - Citizens United Overreach: Legal Risk in For-Profit Corporate Boards’ Political Spending with Tom Moore, Center for American Progress
• June 19 - Unite for Democracy: Democracy is US! with Peggy O'Neal
• June 26 & July 3 - CANCELED - No Democracy Happy Hours - Cindy on vacation.

ACTIONS & EVENTS:

• Why Do You Vote? - https://www.whydoyou.vote/
  • Coffee Chats – Tuesdays at 9 am PT/12 pm ET - https://www.whydoyou.vote/events
• Power the Polls - https://www.powerthepolls.org/
• Electoral Justice for Pierce County – June 6^th @ 4:30 pm PT – Tacoma, WA – More info & register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/electoral-justice-in-pierce-county-tickets-881569908327
• Kent for Districts – Ballot initiative in Kent, WA to create districts – They are looking for volunteers to help get this on the November ballot. - https://www.kentfordistricts.com/
• Support the Building Civic Bridges Act
  • https://resolutionaries.org/advocacy-bcba/#/2/
  • https://kilmer.house.gov/imo/media/doc/building_civic_bridges_act.pdf
• Respect Voters - https://www.respectvoters.org/

Renovating Our Democracy Together & Partners in Democracy Links:

• Partners in Democracy - https://partnersindemocracy.us
• 360° Democracy Standard - https://partnersindemocracy.us/360-democracy-standard
• Partners in Democracy Resources - https://partnersindemocracy.us/resources
• Get Involved - https://partnersindemocracy.us/get-involved
• Partners in Democracy Mailing List - https://partnersindemocracy.us/join

Democracy in the News Links:

Trump hush money jury begins deliberations in historic case - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/29/trump-jury-instructions-deliberations

Live Updates: Jury Begins Deciding Trump’s Fate in Hush-Money Case - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/05/29/nyregion/trump-trial-hush-money

Defense attacks Cohen, prosecution attacks Trump in hush money trial closing - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/28/trump-trial-closing-arguments

If convicted in his hush money trial, here’s what Trump could face next - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/29/trump-if-convicted-hush-money-trial-new-york/

On the week Trump’s Fla. trial was scheduled to start, uncertainty and a pretrial hearing - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/05/22/trump-florida-classified-documents-nauta-hearing/

Judge denies request to restrict Trump statements about law enforcement in classified records case - https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-law-enforcement-maralago-4900bebe9fa20533f50622e155bb70d8

Judge Denies Limited Gag Order Request in Trump Documents Case - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/28/us/politics/gag-order-denied-trump-documents.html

Election officials in key battleground states say they're prepared for threats to poll workers ahead of 2024 elections - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/election-officials-key-battleground-states-prepared-threats-2024-rcna154061

Debunking misinformation failed. Welcome to ‘pre-bunking’ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/05/26/us-election-misinformation-prebunking

Voter outreach groups targeted by new laws in several GOP-led states are struggling to do their work - https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-outreach-republican-states-new-laws-70e034dd46baf474998259a2b737c096

House Passes Measure to Repeal D.C. Noncitizen Voting Law - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/23/us/politics/house-passes-measure-to-repeal-dc-noncitizen-voting-law.html

Miami agrees to settle racial gerrymandering lawsuit, accept new voting map from plaintiffs - https://floridapolitics.com/archives/676180-miami-agrees-to-settle-racial-gerrymandering-lawsuit-accept-new-voting-map-from-plaintiffs/

Florida is using a fraud-hunting tool used by the right to look for voters to remove from the rolls - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/florida-eagleai-fraud-hunting-tool-right-voters-rcna153841

New York State’s Matching Funds Program Debuts. What Does it Mean for This Year’s Election? - https://citylimits.org/2024/05/28/new-york-states-matching-funds-program-debuts-what-does-it-mean-for-this-years-election/

Nevada Photo ID Initiative For 2024 Ballot Will Proceed, State Supreme Court Rules - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/nevada-photo-id-initiative-for-2024-ballot-will-proceed-state-supreme-court-rules/

Ohio Elections Official Threatens to Exclude Biden From the Ballot - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/us/politics/biden-ohio-ballot.html

Ohio governor calls special session to ensure Biden gets on ballot - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/23/ohio-biden-ballot/

Democrats Adopt Nomination Plan to Allow Biden on the Ohio Ballot - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/28/us/democrats-biden-ohio-ballot.html

Ohio voting org asks judge to toss law they say illegally limits people who can help disabled voters - https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2024-05-27/ohio-voting-org-asks-judge-to-toss-law-they-say-illegally-limits-people-who-can-help-disabled-voters

Voting rights groups file lawsuit to challenge Pennsylvania mail-in ballot date requirement - https://penncapital-star.com/voting/voting-rights-groups-file-lawsuit-to-challenge-pennsylvania-mail-in-ballot-date-requirement/

A Black newspaper in Washington state gets a second life: ‘We can’t let the Black Lens die’ - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/24/black-lens-newspaper-spokane-washington

Supreme Court’s South Carolina ruling boosts GOP, with national implications - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/23/supreme-court-ruling-south-carolina-voting-map-gerrymander

Voting rights experts find old ideas in new racial gerrymandering standard - https://www.courthousenews.com/voting-rights-experts-find-old-ideas-in-new-racial-gerrymandering-standard/

The Supreme Court is in for a supremely busy June - https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/shows/houston-matters/2024/05/28/488635/the-supreme-court-is-in-for-a-supremely-busy-june/

Another Provocative Flag Was Flown at Another Alito Home - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/us/justice-alito-flag-appeal-to-heaven.html

The ‘Appeal to Heaven’ flag evolves from Revolutionary War symbol to banner of the far right - https://apnews.com/article/alito-supreme-court-flags-history-symbol-protest-a5415aeba90e21a86a50f8489fc54b7a

Justice Alito tells Congress he will not recuse from Jan. 6-related cases - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/29/supreme-court-alito-recuse-flag-jan-6

Trump makes sweeping promises to donors on audacious fundraising tour - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/28/trump-wealthy-donors-fundraising

Revealed: the extremist Maga lobbying group driving far-right Republican policies - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/23/conservative-partnership-institute-republican-laws

Shell company steering $2.6 million to Republican PACs raises concerns of illicit funding scheme - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/05/shell-company-steering-millions-to-republican-pacs-raises-concerns-of-illicit-funding-sch

Can Proportional Representation Create Better Governance? - https://protectdemocracy.org/work/can-proportional-representation-create-better-governance/

Connecting citizens to opportunities to strengthen democracy - https://thefulcrum.us/civic-engagement-education/citizen-connect

GOOD NEWS Websites:

Politics & Government Good News - https://www.goodgoodgood.co/impact/democracy

Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

Sunny Skyz - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news

ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news

Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/

The Happy News - https://thehappynewspaper.com/