Democracy Happy Hour – March 29, 2023

Democracy Happy Hour, March 29, 2023 - Meeting Recordings & Chat File:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/1vrtGJvJvS75wgZ5jbtSTvCQvwkMNM1tdsMNarODgvVRoFH5dEw-wp4u8poi6QrP-S9GaA_6Q_8C9I6e.P7n-7bOmtX3ruxRi
• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/UZiCEFEoI-8jAj7BedwHs82fkpQVC2WJSaEhKWAQysGZlHiis9pGleoCzGx-Y6KhrG0Bnj_CtU0E0Lg6.dzFtUJH1FUzZjDtI

Fix Democracy First Links:

• Fix Democracy First – Legislation Page - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/legislation

• Website & past event recordings under event page: fixdemocracyfirst.org

• Donate @ fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

• Apr 5th - Renewing Our Constitutional Democracy with Robert Viney
  
• Apr 12th - Democracy by Lottery Part 2 with Nick Coccoma
  
• Apr 19th - WA Legislative Recap: What passed? What's next?
  
• April 26th - Local Intersections: Working Together to Strengthen Democracy with Caleb Christen
  

ACTIONS & CONNECTIONS:

• Multi-Member Districts Using RCV Affinity Group - https://forms.gle/GqiSG42neBYJ4ppG9
  
• People Powered Elections Washington - https://www.peoplepoweredelections.org
• Email Sign Up - https://secure.everyaction.com/Kvt4e-0DY0yyLf_1C7y-og2
• 14Point3 Campaign - https://freespeechforpeople.org/the-14point3-campaign/
• TRUMP IS DISQUALIFIED FROM THE BALLOT - https://freespeechforpeople.org/trump-is-disqualified-from-the-ballot/

• Citizen Connect - https://citizenconnect.us/

ERIC (Electronic Registration Information Center): What is it and why do we need it? Links:

• VIDEO - ERIC Introduction - ERIC Introduction
• ERIC website - https://ericstates.org/
• What Is the Voter Roll Organization ERIC? - https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/what-is-the-voter-roll-organization-eric/
• Electronic Registration Information Center - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Registration_Information_Center
• Just who, or rather what, is ERIC? - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/just-who-or-rather-what-is-eric
• ERIC member state map – UPDATED - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Registration_Information_Center#/media/File:ERIC_states_as_of_3-6-2023.png
• The truth about ERIC, the voter roll program targeted by extremists - https://www.votebeat.org/23045551/eric-electronic-registration-information-center-voter-roll-matching-program
• G.O.P. States Abandon Bipartisan Voting Integrity Group, Yielding to Conspiracy Theories - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/07/us/politics/gop-voter-registration-fraud-eric.html
• State voter fraud system fractures as Republicans opt out - https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-conspiracies-registration-trump-republicans-23f0a2f89b6c8b53c4c7b89e2bdc82af
• How Election Deniers Are Making Voter Fraud Easier - https://www.governing.com/now/how-election-deniers-are-making-voter-fraud-easier
• Florida left voter roll accuracy program, ERIC. Emails reveal value, spur questions | Analysis - https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/29/desantis-wants-to-target-voter-fraud-so-why-did-florida-leave-eric/70013126007/
• GOP bill would remove Arizona from ERIC, the database designed to combat voter fraud - https://www.azmirror.com/2023/03/22/gop-bill-would-remove-arizona-from-eric-the-database-designed-to-combat-voter-fraud/
• Red-State Exodus From Election Database Could Impact Colorado Voter Rolls - https://pagosadailypost.com/2023/03/21/red-state-exodus-could-impact-colorado-voter-rolls/
• As Election Deniers Target The U.S. Voter Database, WA Worries - https://www.invw.org/2023/03/23/as-election-deniers-target-the-u-s-voter-database-wa-worries/
• An Open Letter From ERIC’s Executive Director - https://ericstates.org/an-open-letter-2023-03/
• Issue One’s National Council on Election Integrity Calls for Renewed Vigilance Against Ongoing Threats to U.S. Elections - https://issueone.org/press/issue-ones-national-council-on-election-integrity-calls-for-renewed-vigilance-against-ongoing-threats-to-u-s-elections/
  

Democracy in the News Links:

Mike Pence Ordered to Testify in Jan. 6 Probe - https://www.wsj.com/articles/mike-pence-ordered-to-testify-in-jan-6-probe-a77eb230

Meadows, other top Trump aides ordered to testify in Jan. 6 probe as judge rejects claims of executive privilege - https://abcnews.go.com/US/meadows-top-trump-aides-ordered-testify-jan-6/story

Manhattan Trump grand jury set to break for a month - https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/29/manhattan-trump-grand-jury-set-to-break-for-a-month-00089422

Trump repeatedly evokes threat of violence over a potential indictment - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/23/indictment-looms-trump-criticizes-calls-peace/

Trump Scoffs at Calls for ‘Peaceful’ Response to Arrest - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-scoffs-calls-peaceful-response-arrest-1234702510/

Trump extends election-rigging myth to his potential criminal charges - https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2023/03/27/trump-2024-jan6-false-claims/

It's not just Stormy Daniels. Here are ongoing criminal investigations Trump faces - https://www.npr.org/2023/03/23/1164985436/trump-criminal-investigations

Four Convicted of Obstruction on Jan. 6 in Final Oath Keepers Trial - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/20/us/politics/oath-keepers-jan-6-convicted.html

House GOP ignored Capitol Police requests to review public Jan. 6 footage, lawyer says - https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/17/house-gop-capitol-police-jan-6-video-00087636

Fox Argues Top Executives Weren’t Involved in Voter Fraud Broadcasts - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/business/media/fox-executives-dominion.html

Election conspiracy movement grinds on as 2024 approaches - https://apnews.com/article/voting-machines-election-conspiracies-republicans-trump-f867ef5ed8d66f375066f8cbdb25cdf4

‘Conspiracy theories’ still dominate Arizona Senate Elections Committee - https://www.azmirror.com/2023/03/21/conspiracy-theories-still-dominate-arizona-senate-elections-committee/

Georgia’s S.B. 202 Unpacked - https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/georgias-s-b-202-unpacked/

Idaho Senate passes voter ID and registration bill - https://www.idahopress.com/eyeonboise/senate-passes-voter-id-and-registration-bill/article_a30667ac-cdc6-11ed-8473-5fad6747a9d3.html

Mississippi sets tighter restrictions on absentee ballots - https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-elections-absentee-ballot-harvesting-91c4e5d67f9169e1a2104813b1fe133f

Youngkin requires people convicted of felonies to apply for voting rights - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/22/youngkin-virginia-felon-rights-restoration/

Voting rights effort targets those held in jails across US - https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-jails-disenfranchisement-criminal-justice-chicago-f8d24a6355ba8aaa14cd895e641d582c

Republicans Face Setbacks in Push to Tighten Voting Laws on College Campuses - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/29/us/politics/republicans-young-voters-college.html

Bipartisan former members of Congress call for boost in funding to secure elections - https://newjerseymonitor.com/2023/03/25/bipartisan-former-members-of-congress-call-for-boost-in-funding-to-secure-elections/

Securing 2024: Defending US Elections through Investment and Reform - https://issueone.org/articles/securing-2024-defending-us-elections-through-investment-and-reform/

The battle over abortion is boiling over with lawsuits, bans, and protections that come 9 months after the Supreme Court’s key ruling - https://fortune.com/2023/03/22/abortion-policy-laws-lawsuits/

State Supreme Court: Oklahomans have right to life-saving abortions, emergency or not - https://www.kgou.org/news/2023-03-21/state-supreme-court-oklahomans-have-right-to-life-saving-abortions-emergency-or-not

Supreme Court declines to hear Kansas racial gerrymandering case, leaves congressional map in force - https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/27/politics/kansas-racial-gerrymandering-supreme-court/index.html

WA Supreme Court upholds capital gains tax - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-supreme-court-upholds-capital-gains-tax/

Navajo Nation tells Supreme Court treaty promises Colorado River water - https://www.ksl.com/article/50605454/navajo-nation-tells-supreme-court-treaty-promises-colorado-river-water

What will the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on a Navajo Nation water rights case mean for other tribes? - https://coloradosun.com/2023/03/23/supreme-court-navajo-nation-tribal-water-rights/

US Supreme Court justices get tougher rules for reporting free trips, gifts - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-justices-get-stiffer-rules-reporting-free-trips-gifts-2023-03-29/

The Conservative Legal Movement Is Coming For Public Defenders Next - https://ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics/supreme-court-gideon-v-wainwright-conservative-legal-movement/

Billionaires George Soros, J.B. Pritzker and the Uihleins pour millions into Wisconsin's Supreme Court race in final weeks - https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/03/28/soros-pritzker-and-uihleins-pour-millions-into-supreme-court-race/70055900007/

Costly Court Race Points to a Politicized Future for Judicial Elections - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/28/us/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-race.html

Gun rights groups continue to target state and federal assault weapons bans amid mass shootings - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/03/gun-rights-groups-continue-to-target-state-and-federal-assault-weapons-bans-amid-mass-shootings/

FEC hears testimony on use of campaign funds to cover salaries, health care - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/03/fec-hears-testimony-on-use-of-campaign-funds-to-cover-salaries-health-care

Book ban attempts hit record high in 2022, library org says - https://apnews.com/article/book-bans-american-library-association-f84ac6fe3f8e3238fc54931bc1a5e054

Peltola testifies on behalf of Oregon and Minnesota ranked choice voting initiatives - https://www.adn.com/politics/2023/03/20/peltola-travels-to-minnesota-to-advocate-for-ranked-choice-voting/

Towards Proportional Representation for the U.S. House - https://protectdemocracy.org/work/proportional-representation-uniform-congressional-district-act/