Democracy Happy Hour – June 21, 2023

Democracy Happy Hour, June 21, 2023 - Meeting Recordings & Chat File:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/J5BbnL_2mZCLtnjH_gAQJkyGEJfhEVzdMp1JGmnwDpKscjB91wVzub1TeqQsIzl88N8lwbXR-LCJbhqC.XxikUHElIAMySuBJ
• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/vHED9C5zrMs_W28JJ9-H4sD71c3a0cL6qdR9t_5_ta7gq9fp3Xvc-TEzeQXDnV6GwleiqC52dbXFCguE.bDAzaQK6vnh7SqCe

Fix Democracy First Links:

• FDF Donation Page @ fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

• Fix Democracy First 20^th Anniversary Celebration - SAVE THE DATE! – Tickets available soon - Saturday, September 9, 2023 – Bloedel Hall @ St. Mark’s in Seattle - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/events/20th-anniversary-celebration
• You can view past Democracy Happy Hour recordings on our Past Events page @ https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/events#past-events

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

• June 28, July 5 & July 12 - CANCELED - There are NO Democracy Happy Hour these weeks, as Cindy will be on vacation.
• July 19th - The Future of AI & Its Impact on Democracy
• July 26th - Requiring Truthful Content in Political Speech with Tim Love & Bob Viney  
  

ACTIONS & EVENTS:

League of Women Voters of WA: Volunteers Needed: What Are Multi-Member Districts and How Do They Work? (Education Project) - https://lwvwa.org/This-Month-in-the-League/13212227

Sign and send the petition to corporate executives: Stop donating to pro-insurrectionist members of Congress! - https://actionnetwork.org/letters/sign-and-send-the-petition-demand-corporations-stop-donating-to-pro-insurrectionist-members-of-congress-3?source=direct_link&referrer=group-fixdemocracyfirst

Citizen Connect - https://citizenconnect.us/

14Point3 Campaign - https://freespeechforpeople.org/the-14point3-campaign/

·      Campaign to disqualify Trump from 2024 ballot - https://freespeechforpeople.org/trump-is-disqualified-from-the-ballot/

People Powered Elections Washington - https://www.peoplepoweredelections.org/

·      People Powered Elections Washington: Email Sign Up - https://secure.everyaction.com/Kvt4e-0DY0yyLf_1C7y-og2

Declaration of American Democracy Coalition Links:

• Declaration for American Democracy Coalition - https://dfadcoalition.org/
• Take Action page - https://dfadcoalition.org/takeaction/
• Share your democracy story - https://dfadcoalition.org/story/
  
• LTE Tool for Shelby v Holder anniversary: https://act.newmode.net/action/people-demanding-action/ten-years-shelby-v-holder
  
• Link to check who supported the Freedom To Vote Act: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1

Democracy in the News Links

Judge orders Trump lawyers not to disclose evidence in documents case - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/19/donald-trump-classified-documents-evidence-restrictions

Trump rejected lawyers’ efforts to avoid classified documents indictment - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/14/trump-indictment-classified-documents-settlement/

Judge Cannon sets Trump trial for August, but it’s not likely to stick - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/20/trump-trial-date/

How much prison time could Trump face? Past cases brought steep punishment for document hoarders - https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-classified-documents-espionage-act-dc9d5d46f61809fb5aa1d972f47bed6a

Trump’s penchant for talking could pose problems as Mar-a-Lago criminal case moves ahead - https://apnews.com/article/trump-maralago-indictment-fox-3cc9181e1b69f5c882c58b1224ad43e8

Trump’s indictment plus candidacy could endanger democracy and the rule of law - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/17/trump-indictment-candidacy-democracy-institutions/

FBI resisted opening probe into Trump’s role in Jan. 6 for more than a year - https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/06/19/fbi-resisted-opening-probe-into-trumps-role-jan-6-more-than-year/

Takeaways from The Post’s examination of DOJ’s Jan. 6 investigation - https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/06/19/jan-6-investigation-trump-fbi/

The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election - https://time.com/5936036/secret-2020-election-campaign/

Election officials sound the alarm about violence against poll workers - https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2023/06/14/election-officials-sound-the-alarm-about-violence-against-poll-workers-00102041

Homeland Security issues violence warning ahead of upcoming election cycle - https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2023/06/14/homeland-security-issues-violence-warning-ahead-of-upcoming-election

At least 11 states have enacted restrictive voting laws this year, new report finds - https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/14/politics/restrictive-voting-laws-brennan-report/index.html

G.O.P. Leaders Embrace Early Voting, but Will Their Base Get on Board? -  

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/19/us/politics/early-mail-voting-republicans-trump.html

Legislature approves hand counts in Arizona elections - https://www.azmirror.com/blog/legislature-approves-hand-counts-in-arizona-elections/

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs Has Vetoed Over 20 Election Bills So Far - https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/arizona-gov-katie-hobbs-has-vetoed-over-20-election-bills-so-far/

A voting rights win in Alabama launches Arkansas gerrymander lawsuit back into action - https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2023/06/14/a-voting-rights-win-in-alabama-launches-arkansas-gerrymander-lawsuit-back-into-action

Arkansas federal judge blocks first ban on gender-affirming care - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/06/20/transgender-care-arkansas-court-ruling/

It’s official, new CT voting rights signed into law - https://www.courant.com/2023/06/13/its-official-new-ct-voting-rights-signed-into-law-heres-what-they-do/

Raffensperger challenges Trump to debate to discuss 2020 election results in Georgia - https://www.wrbl.com/news/exclusive-raffensperger-challenges-trump-to-debate-to-discuss-2020-election-results-in-georgia/

Michigan voter reforms have made it a model for strengthening democracy, report says  - https://michiganadvance.com/2023/06/15/michigan-voter-reforms-have-made-it-a-model-for-strengthening-democracy-report-says/

Minnesota just boosted protections for tens of thousands of election workers - https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-just-boosted-protections-for-tens-of-thousands-of-election-workers/600282968/

Oregon Senate Passes Bill Banning Politicians From Accepting More Than $100 a Year in Cash From One Donor - https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2023/06/15/oregon-senate-passes-bill-banning-politicians-from-accepting-more-than-100-a-year-in-cash-donations-from-one-source/

State Supreme Court upholds Washington Voting Rights Act - https://crosscut.com/news/2023/06/state-supreme-court-upholds-washington-voting-rights-act

The Supreme Court leaves Indian Child Welfare Act intact - https://www.npr.org/2023/06/15/1182121455/indian-child-welfare-act-supreme-court-decision

Native adoptions can give priority to tribal families, Supreme Court rules - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/06/15/supreme-court-icwa-native-adoption/

Supreme Court's voting rights ruling in Alabama could change U.S. political landscape - https://www.apr.org/news/2023-06-15/supreme-courts-voting-rights-ruling-in-alabama-could-change-u-s-political-landscape

Voting rights advocates welcomed a Supreme Court win. But the fight isn't over - https://www.npr.org/2023/06/18/1182115769/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-cases

Shelby County v. Holder Turns 10, and Voting Rights Continue to Suffer from It - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/shelby-county-v-holder-turns-10-and-voting-rights-continue-suffer-it

Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court - https://www.propublica.org/article/samuel-alito-luxury-fishing-trip-paul-singer-scotus-supreme-court

ProPublica asked about Alito’s travel. He replied in the Wall Street Journal. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/06/21/alito-wsj-propublica-fishing-trip/

Justice Samuel Alito: ProPublica Misleads Its Readers - https://www.wsj.com/articles/propublica-misleads-its-readers-alito-gifts-disclosure-alaska-singer-23b51eda

Dems push dialogue on Supreme Court ethics reform - https://www.courthousenews.com/dems-push-dialogue-on-supreme-court-ethics-reform/

Supreme Court Term Limits - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/supreme-court-term-limits

Gov. Ron DeSantis used secretive panel to flip state Supreme Court - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/06/20/gov-ron-desantis-used-secretive-panel-flip-state-supreme-court/

Analysis Reveals How Billionaire GOP Megadonor Harlan Crow Gave Millions to Dark Money Groups - https://www.commondreams.org/news/harlan-crow-2661379280

Harlan Crow’s deep dark money connections - https://www.citizensforethics.org/news/analysis/harlan-crows-deep-dark-money-connections/

Trump Campaign Says It Has Raised $6.6 Million Since Indictment - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/14/us/politics/trump-donations-indictment.html

Koch Network Unleashes Early Attacks Against Trump - https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2023/06/15/koch-network-unleashes-early-attacks-against-trump/

Republican primary spending projected to approach or surpass $1 billion - https://www.npr.org/2023/06/20/1183122314/republican-primary-election-fundraising-billion-dollar-donations

Tax records reveal more contributions from Publix heiress to “dark money” groups sponsoring Jan. 6 rally - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/06/tax-records-reveal-more-contributions-from-publix-heiress-to-dark-money-groups-sponsoring-jan-6-rally/

Chief of staff to new top Democrat on antitrust subcommittee lobbied for Apple, Amazon - https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/15/correas-chief-of-staff-lobbied-for-apple-amazon-on-antitrust.html

Power companies quietly pushed $215m into US politics via dark money groups - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/15/us-power-companies-political-lobbying-donations-nonprofit

Critics say changes to NYS public campaign finance law subverts its purpose - https://www.waer.org/news/2023-06-13/critics-say-changes-to-nys-public-campaign-finance-law-subverts-its-purpose

LA City Council approves motion to study democracy vouchers - https://www.lademocracyvouchers.org/la-city-council-passes-motion-to-study-democracy-vouchers

How AI Puts Elections at Risk — And the Needed Safeguards - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-ai-puts-elections-risk-and-needed-safeguards

PDC Meeting in Spokane on June 22 - https://www.pdc.wa.gov/about-pdc/commissioners/commission-meetings/regular-commission-meeting-june-22-2023