Democracy Happy Hour – September 20, 2023

Democracy Happy Hour, Sept 20, 2023 - Meeting Recordings:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/DQHJYPNky3qoIG2eerPvendAEPwJdlS2fxMGKWl6O83jnRESbnozQKQqpcRH6g_28Twtirb8EC-nz7Gn.0xmdj7upfUExBj3o

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/RMb2OPYX-VIPG6y6ceh9VPpTkyPguCj05sXOJr42t3rSLtQiQiTdCIq9hCV0qN_BZuUYa6WSDKq0mogg.7DwCiyFN_1NUw43W

• Chat file (will download to directly to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/8xJVfwHUaDdNDia5UotKsXJcnXuduu0gx9T-XpLh7e0QBdFDsQqQP45IIngsaxxw1rqkeuM_or1Q1dsO.0FXVRK2L2MDAzbNN

FDF Links:

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/
• Fix Democracy First - Donate @ https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate
• Fix Democracy First 20^th Anniversary Event with John Bonifaz: We Are Not Giving Up on Democracy! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3mVEOLkVAo

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

• Sept 27 - CANCELED - No Democracy Happy Hour this week (Cindy will be at the American Democracy Summit in Los Angeles.)
• Oct 4 - Oregon's Effort for Campaign Finance Reform with Dan Meek
• Oct 11 - U.S. Supreme Court Cases to Watch in the 2023-2024 Term
• Oct 18 - Protecting Elections & Election Workers with Mary Hall, Thurston County Auditor

ACTIONS & EVENTS:

• Free The Vote Murals in Spokane, Yakima & Tacoma - https://www.freethevotewa.org/murals

• The Washington Bus - https://secure.everyaction.com/JfhqQRa6-kOZMWJm696bCA2

• American Democracy Summit 2023 – Sept 27-29 in Los Angeles - https://americandemocracysummit.org/

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

• Federal Election Commission – Submit your comments on amending regulation to include deliberately deceptive Artificial Intelligence in campaign ads - https://www.fec.gov/updates/comments-sought-on-amending-regulation-to-include-deliberately-deceptive-artificial-intelligence-in-campaign-ads/

• Pending rulemaking matters for comment - https://www.fec.gov/legal-resources/regulations/pending-rulemaking-matters-comment/

Braver Angels Links:

• Braver Angels - https://braverangels.org/
• The 2023 Braver Angels National Convention - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5aGdUDGYLo
• Braver Angels Sign-up - https://braverangels.org/subcribe
• Braver Angels Washington State – https://wa.braverangels.org/
• Braver Politics - https://braverangels.org/politics/
• Braver Network - https://braverangels.org/braver-network/
• Braver Angels Events - https://braverangels.org/events/
• Braver Angels Local Alliances - https://braverangels.org/what-we-do/alliances/

Democracy in the News Links

Trump again argues for federal Judge Chutkan’s recusal from Jan. 6 case - https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/17/politics/january-6-trump-case-chutkan-judge/index.html

Special counsel fights Trump bid to oust Judge Chutkan from Jan. 6 case - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/09/14/special-counsel-chutkan-recusal-trump/

Special Counsel Seeking Gag Order on Trump in Election Case - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/15/us/politics/trump-gag-order.html

Georgia election case prosecutors cite fairness in urging 1 trial for Trump and 18 other defendants - https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-indictment-trial-ce215bfe9ff54fe389796e2faad4a948

Former president Trump waives right to speedy trial in Georgia election RICO case - https://www.11alive.com/article/news/special-reports/ga-trump-investigation/trump-waives-right-speedy-trial-georgia-election-rico-case/85-c3ed01c7-256a-4d25-b53f-dba67fbd8542

Trump’s Georgia trial won’t start in October, judge says - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/09/14/georgia-trump-case-judge-mcafee

Trump Moves to Quash Most Charges Against Him in Georgia - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/11/us/trump-georgia-charges-motion-removal.html

Trump official Jeffrey Clark attempts to move Georgia trial to federal court - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/18/jeffrey-clark-trump-georgia-trial-federal-court

GOP fake electors charged in Georgia try to move case to federal court - https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/20/politics/fake-electors-georgia-removal-hearing/index.html

What to expect from the lawsuit seeking to block Trump from the Minnesota ballot - https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2023/09/13/14th-amendment-trump-lawsuit-minnesota

Constitutional lawyer explains why Trump shouldn’t be removed from ballot - https://san.com/cc/constitutional-lawyer-explains-why-trump-shouldnt-be-removed-from-ballot

First Cases From Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Reach US Supreme Court - https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/first-cases-from-jan-6-capitol-riot-reach-us-supreme-court

Trump wrote to-do lists for assistant on White House documents marked classified - https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-wrote-lists-assistant-white-house-documents-marked/story?id=103226113

New Report: One-Third of States Have an Election Denier Overseeing Elections - https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/09/one-third-states-election-denier-governor-attorney-general-secretary/

The Election Denier Landscape - https://statesuniteddemocracy.org/resources/electiondeniers/

A New Antidemocracy Tool - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/new-antidemocracy-tool

Irreparable Injury: Voters in Six States Cast Ballots Under Illegal Maps in 2022 - https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/irreparable-injury-voters-in-six-states-cast-ballots-under-illegal-maps-in-2022/

Election experts warn democracy ‘under great stress’ - https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4201928-election-experts-warn-democracy-under-great-stress/

24 for ’24: Urgent Recommendations in Law, Media, Politics, and Tech for Fair and Legitimate 2024 U.S. Elections - https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Safeguarding_Democracy/24_for_24-REPORT-FINAL.pdf

US Democracy Defenders Applaud Fresh Push for 'Urgently Needed' Voting Rights Bill - https://www.commondreams.org/news/john-lewis-bill-voting-rights

Alabama - Bill to criminalize absentee ballot assistance back on the docket - https://www.alreporter.com/2023/09/13/bill-to-criminalize-absentee-ballot-assistance-back-on-the-docket/

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen says new plan will keep voter rolls accurate - https://www.al.com/news/2023/09/alabama-secretary-of-state-wes-allen-says-new-plan-will-keep-voter-rolls-accurate.html

State watchdog finds ballot group violated Alaska laws in effort to repeal ranked choice voting - https://www.adn.com/politics/2023/09/12/state-watchdog-finds-ballot-group-violated-alaska-laws-in-effort-to-repeal-ranked-choice-voting/

Federal judge strikes down 2 Arizona voting proof-of-citizenship laws - https://ktar.com/story/5540083/federal-judge-strikes-down-2-arizona-voting-proof-of-citizenship-status/

Georgia redistricting trial ends with debate over Black representation - https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-redistricting-trial-ends-with-debate-over-black-representation/DIW743PAJND2JNSXB2DR2GSJ5Q/

Group challenges new Minnesota law criminalizing election disinformation, felon voting rights - https://www.inforum.com/news/minnesota/group-challenges-new-minnesota-law-criminalizing-election-disinformation-felon-voting-rights

Ohio AG rejects second petition summary on proposed redistricting changes - https://www.13abc.com/2023/09/14/ohio-ag-rejects-second-petition-summary-proposed-redistricting-changes/

Ohio Secretary of State signs voter data sharing agreements with three states - https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/09/18/ohio-secretary-of-state-signs-voter-data-sharing-agreements-with-three-states/

Pennsylvania rolls out automatic voter registration - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/pennsylvania-automatic-voter-registration-josh-shapiro-rcna105584

Paxton Impeachment Trial - Texas Attorney General Is Acquitted - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/09/16/us/ken-paxton-impeachment-texas

WA lawmakers won’t call a special session on Yakima Valley district map - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-lawmakers-wont-call-a-special-session-on-yakima-valley-district-map/

After court ruling, new Central WA legislative maps could mean shakeup in Olympia - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/after-court-ruling-new-central-wa-legislative-maps-could-mean-shakeup-in-olympia

A conservative initiative slate hits the streets - https://washingtonobserver.substack.com/p/a-conservative-initiative-slate-hits

GOP-led Wisconsin Senate votes to fire nonpartisan official targeted by 2020 election skeptics - https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-senate-meagan-wolfe-elections-firing-62a0ec656530c740934b03083b3e3b11

Federal judge again declares that DACA is illegal with issue likely to be decided by Supreme Court - https://apnews.com/article/immigration-daca-dreamers-51ba8c941993ffa26e1251aef84b0284

Supreme Court freezes ruling that would curb government contact with social media companies - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/biden-administration-asks-supreme-court-block-curbs-contact-social-med-rcna105098

Dark money: The backstory of Alabama’s redistricting defiance - https://www.alreporter.com/2023/09/16/dark-money-the-backstory-of-alabamas-redistricting-defiance/

Biden campaign offers perks to donors - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/biden-campaign-offers-perks-donors-rcna105149

Billionaire megadonor couple funding election denial with extensive influence machine and dark money network - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/09/billionaire-megadonor-couple-funding-election-denial-with-extensive-influence-machine-dark-money-network-uihlein/

Inside Exxon’s Strategy to Downplay Climate Change - https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/exxon-climate-change-documents-e2e9e6af?mod=djemwhatsnews

The FEC, Still Failing to Enforce Campaign Laws, Heads to Capitol Hill - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/fec-still-failing-enforce-campaign-laws-heads-capitol-hill

The U.S. has a 'primary problem,' say advocates who call for new election systems - https://www.npr.org/2023/09/18/1199318220/nonpartisan-open-primaries-explainer

Proportional Representation Can Reduce the Impact of Gerrymandering - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/proportional-representation-can-reduce-impact-gerrymandering

Americans say media bias divides the nation. This chart shows most polarizing. - https://san.com/cc/americans-say-media-bias-divides-the-nation-this-chart-shows-most-polarizing

Protecting Democracy Online in 2024 and Beyond - https://www.americanprogress.org/article/protecting-democracy-online-in-2024-and-beyond/

Economic Democracy Explained: Community Control over Institutions through Co-Governance - https://www.demos.org/policy-briefs/community-control-over-institutions

Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics - https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/09/19/americans-dismal-views-of-the-nations-politics