Democracy Happy Hour – September 11, 2024

Topic: OpenSecrets: Tracking Money in Elections with Sarah Bryner, Director of Research and Strategy

Fix Democracy First hosts a weekly Democracy Happy Hour on Wednesdays @ 5-6:30pm PT. Grab a drink and join us and learn about the latest democracy efforts, challenges, solutions, as well upcoming events and actions.

This is a recurring event. You only have to register once.

Democracy Happy Hour, September 11, 2024 - Meeting Recordings

• Speaker View: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/wFldVlQV2JYUbwtAlyLuDHpU1WiSlJ7f2dcYksPFgrproMoeIsWAAriJLGvVHbDDmriwuzaLrOsZNd_q.seXTstJ2yErooGbT

• Gallery View: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/p0a5sXzpwkAJPbnoEtivDlfsEWPDk2x4eSbGeTIc-0apHq-IMkbdZzFsGBbB_gfraSpMj0ZO990WiAOs.d0jmadIybOrnbNtm

• Chat file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/xUXUHZXdkCcnRtiAvFrqubD4uKP2Mk9x6AeouW1GVqFklAqiFR_V3YmNP48JO4_HK4N7OtGLaps2fQfl.onFb_2TBXqPLvRlQ

• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/r7i5pjQmA_AD8AnTzqa3xGbHlUTloU7OVOSBIHC1eQ-p4V-N9G7PyRJ35cSUhoHRgH6eu9bDspk188Z1.V3HVwm8hfK_doHRh
  
  

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

• Sept 18 – Living Room Conversations: Connecting People Across Differences with Becca Kearl, Executive Director
• Sept 25 - When We All Vote with Amanda Hollowell, National Managing Director
• Oct 2 – Election Protection Coalition with Danny Navarro

Actions and events

• Civics 101: Branches of Government & Elected Office Positions – October 1^st @ 6 pm PT/9 pm ET - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctcO2pqz0pH9SSQByJ7BtuTPLrGMn6Koyh#/registration
• Democracy in the Park Picnics, Spokane WA
  
  • Manito Park in Spokane, Saturday, September 28th @ 12 pm https://bit.ly/Democracy-in-the-Park-Spokane
• Experts’ Guide to Free and Fair Elections - Sep. 19 @ 12 pm PT/ 3 pm ET - Virtual Event - https://brennan.swoogo.com/freeandfairelections
• Petition – Please Sign: Pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, the Native American Voting Rights Act, and DC Statehood. - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/sign-petition-tell-congress
• Power the Polls - https://www.powerthepolls.org/fixdemocracyfirst
• Project 2025 is a Threat to Our Democracy - Write a letter to the editor to educate your community on the dangers of Project 2025 - https://act.newmode.net/action/voting-rights-now/project-2025-threat-our-democracy%C2%A0
• RISE Vote 2024 State-Based Teacher Training on Voter Registration and Pre-registration - https://secure.givelively.org/event/generation-citizen-inc/rise-vote-2024-state-based-teacher-training-on-voter-registration-and-pre-registration
• Why Do You Vote?  https://www.whydoyou.vote/
  • • Coffee Chats – Tuesdays at 9 am PT/12 pm ET
      https://www.whydoyou.vote/events
    • SPARK THE VOTE Social Media & Film Challenge, September 14^th - https://www.whydoyou.vote/spark-the-vote-challenge

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OpenSecrets: Tracking Money in Elections

Sarah Bryner, Director of Research and Strategy

• OpenSecrets - https://www.opensecrets.org/
• OpenSecrets Team - https://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff
• OpenSecrets Reports - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/reports
• OpenSecrets – Dark Money – https://www.opensecrets.org/dark-money
• OpenSecrets – Political Action Committees (PACs) – https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/2024

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Democracy in the News

Resources

• How Money Shapes Pathways to Power in Congress - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-money-shapes-pathways-power-congress
• Master Plan: Legalizing Corruption - https://the.levernews.com/master-plan/
  • The Hour is Late! | Master Plan Podcast | Official Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK_2XHBlhRk
• Securing Voter Registration Databases: 2024 Survey Preliminary Results - https://electioninnovation.org/research/2024-vrdb-security-pre-election-snapshot/
• The Cases of January 6^th – https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases
• The Expansion of Innovative Voter Registration Methods, 2000–2024 - https://electioninnovation.org/research/expansion-voter-registration-methods/
• United States of America v. Donald J. Trump - https://www.justice.gov/storage/US_v_Trump_23_cr_257.pdf

August

August 28

• Lawsuit Challenges New Rules for Election Certification in Georgia - https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/lawsuit-challenges-new-rules-election-certification-georgia

August 29

• Ballot measures in 41 states give voters a say on abortion and other tough questions - https://apnews.com/article/ballot-measures-abortion-marijuana-immigration-taxes-6ef66d1c94fce24e3150d0ff4bf57a1b
• In Georgia, Local Officials Express Frustration Over New Election Rules - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/29/us/elections/georgia-state-board-of-elections.html
• Record-breaking federal lobbying tops $2.2 billion in first half of 2024 - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/08/record-breaking-federal-lobbying-tops-2-billion-first-half-2024

August 30

• The GOP is making false claims about noncitizens voting. It’s affecting real voters - https://www.npr.org/2024/08/30/nx-s1-5091032/noncitizens-voting-election-gop-texas-tennessee-alabama

September

September 1

• Democrats grow concerned Republicans are planting seeds with legal suits to overturn a Trump defeat - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/democrats-grow-concerned-republicans-are-planting-seeds-legal-suits-ov-rcna168961

September 3

• Federal judge rejects Donald Trump’s request to intervene in wake of hush money conviction - https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-new-york-immunity-a905207c7db9fc48d022d68ac6cc12e1

September 4

• A Democracy With Everything but a Choice - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/04/us/missouri-uncontested-races-elections.html
• America First Legal Sues To Remove Voters From Every Arizona County - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/america-first-legal-sues-to-remove-voters-from-every-arizona-county/
• Christian group recruits ‘Trojan horse’ election skeptics as US poll workers - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/04/christian-election-poll-workers
• ‘Deceptive’ and ‘misleading’: Ballot language to limit voters’ initiative power thrashed by critics — including Republicans - https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2024/09/04/ballot-language-limit-voters/
• Racial and political gerrymander look virtually the same with Tennessee’s U.S. House maps - https://tennesseelookout.com/2024/09/04/racial-and-political-gerrymander-look-virtually-the-same-with-tennessees-u-s-house-maps/
• Trump appeals to move New York hush money case to federal court - https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/04/politics/trump-hush-money-case-federal-court/index.html

September 5

• GOP lawsuits set the stage for state challenges if Trump loses the election - https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-republicans-democrats-trump-lawsuits-2cebcee57ae7112efdd85386002e16ca
• Harris raised over $300 million in August, extending cash windfall - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna169759
• Idaho judge dismisses AG’s challenge to open primaries ballot initiative - https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/09/05/idaho-judge-dismisses-ags-challenge-to-open-primaries-ballot-initiative/
• Judge: U.S. can lay out Trump election interference evidence this month - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/09/05/trump-jan6-election-interference-case-hearing/
• Pa. appeals court rules provisional votes must be counted in ‘naked ballots’ case - https://penncapital-star.com/campaigns-elections/pa-appeals-court-rules-provisional-votes-must-be-counted-in-naked-ballots-case/
• RNC Attacks Nonprofit’s Voting Registration Efforts in Swing States - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/rnc-attacks-nonprofits-voting-registration-efforts-in-swing-states/

September 6

• DeSantis’ election police questioned people who signed abortion petitions - https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/elections/2024/09/06/florida-abortion-amendment-petition-signature-fraud-voters/
• Judge Delays Trump’s Sentencing Until Nov. 26, After Election Day - https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/06/nyregion/trump-sentencing-delay-ruling.html
• Texas Republican attorney general sues over voter registration efforts in Democrat strongholds - https://apnews.com/article/texas-voter-registration-lawsuits-paxton-561b48c0d9d77641737e566485c98d35

September 7

• Foreign influence efforts are circling the presidential election. Again. - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/07/foreign-influence-2024-election-00177828
• Trump Is Banking on Billionaires to Put Him Back in the White House - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-harris-white-house-for-sale-1235095894/

September 8

• Trump pledges to jail opponents, baselessly suggests election will be stolen from him - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/08/trump-election-threats/

September 9

• DOJ Issues New Guidance on Voter Roll Maintenance Amid Surge of Challenges - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/doj-issues-new-guidance-on-voter-roll-maintenance-amid-surge-of-challenges/
• House Republicans push to link government funding to a citizenship check for new voters - https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-house-republicans-voter-registration-citizenship-6c97f372a7d27c40deea15a948178794
• Nashville judge rules against a controversial Tennessee voting restriction - https://wpln.org/post/nashville-judge-rules-against-a-controversial-tennessee-voting-restriction/

September 10

• Congressional Democrats, Activists Renew Push for Passage of Four Voting Rights Bills - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/congressional-democrats-activists-renew-push-for-passage-of-four-voting-rights-bills/
• Elon Musk’s misleading election claims reach millions and alarm election officials - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/10/elon-musk-illegal-immigrant-voting-misinformation/
• Fact-checking 55 suspect claims, mostly Trump’s, in debate with Harris - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/11/fact-check-presidential-debate-harris-trump/
• Local Republican official in Michigan promises to certify election results after being sued - https://apnews.com/article/michigan-election-certification-trump-2024-kalamazoo-county-1ef7485efd8087259afd1c20827bfe70
• Petition asks FL Supreme Court to stop DeSantis from ‘interfering’ with abortion amendment - https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/09/10/petition-asks-fl-supreme-court-to-stop-desantis-from-interfering-with-abortion-amendment/
• Trump, Republicans push swing-state courts to reject mail-in ballots - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/10/mail-voting-pennsylvania-trump-republicans/

September 11

• Election officials warn that widespread problems with the US mail system could disrupt voting - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/election-officials-warn-that-widespread-problems-with-the-us-mail-system-could-disrupt-voting/
• Trump-Harris debate updates: Candidates go on attack in zinger-filled showdown - https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-harris-2024-presidential-debate/?id=113525682

Good News Websites

• ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news
• Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/
• Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
• Politics & Government Good News - https://www.goodgoodgood.co/impact/democracy
• Sunny Skyz - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news
• The Happy News - https://thehappynewspaper.com/

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