The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 26, 2025
As the egregious violations of the emoluments clause add up, with unknown millions in dark money contributed during the transition, another $240 million in inaugural donations, and now peddling meme coins and receiving a Boeing 747, I wonder what Granny D would have said. My guess? She’d be circling the U.S. Capitol again.
On Memorial Day, an abridged portion of a speech at the U.S. Capitol by legendary campaign finance reformer Doris “Granny D” Haddock, the 90-year-old grandmother who walked across the U.S. to bring attention to campaign finance corruption.
“This morning we began our walk among the graves of Arlington so that those spirits, some of whom may be old friends, might join us today and that we might ask of them now: Did you, brave spirits, give your lives for a government where we might stand together as free and equal citizens, or did you give your lives so that laws might be sold to the highest bidder?
What might we call the selling of our government from under us? What might we call a change of government—from a government of, by and for the people, to a government by and for the wealthy elite? I will not call such a change of government a treason, but those more courageous shadows standing among us, whose blood runs through our flag and our history, and whose accomplishments are more solid beneath us than these stone steps, why they might use such a word in angry whispers that trace through the polluted corridors of this once great Capitol.
We speak for these spirits and for ourselves: No, you may not have our democratic republic to sell. What our family members died for, we do not forget. They died for our freedom and equality, not for a government of the rich alone.
We have a link to the full speech at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Open Democracy – Granny D Speech at the US Capitol Feb 29 2000
GrannyD.org – Videos, Quotes and Speeches from Doris “Granny D” Haddock
Trailer to “Granny D Goes to Washington”
Open Democracy – “The Politics of Joy (and Sacrifice): The Fearless Walks and Historic Talks of Doris “Granny D” Haddock”
Groups Taking Action:
Open Democracy Action, Public Citizen, Common Cause, American Promise, Represent.Us
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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