The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 7, 2025

In a brief to the North Carolina Court of Appeals, a bipartisan group of former county election directors urged the court to reject a claim that as many as 65,000 voters were ineligible last November.  And a former state supreme court justice is arguing in another appeals case that gerrymandering by the state legislature is akin to ‘stuffing the ballot box.” 

We’ve followed the claims from state supreme court candidate Jefferson Griffin that as many as 65,000 registered, eligible voters had incomplete registrations in a race he lost by 734 votes to incumbent justice Allison Riggs.  The race is the only unresolved election in the country.   

In late February, a bipartisan group of 42 former county election directors filed a brief outlining why the voters should be considered valid, and concluding:  “The citizens of North Carolina who obeyed the laws and the direction of the elections administrators should not have their votes discarded.” 

In another North Carolina case, former state supreme court justice Bob Orr is arguing in state appeals court that the legislature’s gerrymandered voting districts manipulate election outcomes.  By ‘packing’ voters by party into a district, he argues, it violates the state constitution’s guarantee of free elections with a fair count.  Orr told the Charlotte News & Observer, “If they can’t stuff the ballot box, how can they stuff the voter pool?”

We have more on both cases at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – Appeals Continue in 2024 NC Supreme Court Race Challenge
NC Newsline – NC Supreme Court rejects requests to have GOP Judge Griffin’s case skip appeals court
NC Newsline – (Commentary) Documenting the damage of Judge Jefferson Griffin’s Supreme Court election challenge
North Carolina Court of Appeals – Brief by Bipartisan Group of 42 Former County Election Directors

News & Observer – Bob Orr pushes NC courts to answer an essential question: Do we have a right to fair elections? | Opinion

Groups Taking Action:

Democracy North Carolina, ACLU NC, League of Women Voters NC

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #NorthCarolina #FairMaps #EndGerrymandering

The post North Carolina: Former Election Directors Weigh In On Unresolved Supreme Court Race; Former Justice Argues Partisan Gerrymandering Akin to ‘Stuffing the Ballot Box’ appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 5, 2025

We reported last year that the Trump transition team had been funding itself through unknown private donations, and refused to sign a General Services Administration transition support memo which limited private donations to $5,000.  The memo was never signed, and the transition’s private donors still haven’t been disclosed.

Nonprofit news site NOTUS reports that previous transition teams disclose that information by February 19th, including for Biden and Trump’s first transition.   In November, Trump’s chief of staff promised to disclose those donors. 

The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 allows money controlled by the GSA to fund Presidential transition expenses, including office space, personnel, IT, and other support services to aid incoming and outgoing administrations.   The GSA budgeted $21.6 million dollars this cycle, according to the Congressional Research Service.  That funding is contingent on the incoming administration signing a memo of understanding, and the Transition Act limits outside donations of $5,000. 

But while Trump’s team agreed on the terms of the new administration’s move into the White House, it refused to sign GSA’s transition support memo, allowing it to sidestep the limits and disclosure requirements.      

So between November 7th and January 20th, it’s likely millions were received from wealthy donors and corporations, and Americans still don’t know who funded its transfer of power, and the influence it bought.  We’ve linked the NOTUS report and GSA’s transition page at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.  

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Oversight – (****2016 – 1st Trump Administration) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION AND DONALD J. TRUMP
U.S. General Services Administration – Transition Memoranda, Reports, and Key Documents
U.S. General Services Administration – Trump Vance 2025 Transition Team Ethics Plan
American Democracy Minute – (2024) The Presidential Transition Turns Into One Big Dark Money Special Interest Swamp
NPR – (2024)  With clock ticking, Trump transition is so far skipping background checks and briefings
NPR – (2024)  Trump team signs a key transition agreement with Biden White House
NOTUS – (Free w/registration) – Donald Trump Still Hasn’t Disclosed His Secret Transition Funders

Groups Taking Action:

Campaign Legal Center, Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (C.R.E.W), Public Citizen 

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #TrumpTransition #DarkMoney #Corruption #DonaldTrump 

The post The Deadline was Feb. 19 and the Trump Transition Team Still Hasn’t Disclosed Its Transition Donors appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 15, 2025

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

Donald Trump’s inaugural committee has received $170 Million dollars in contributions, and it’s expected to reach $200 Million – almost double his 2017 total.  

Yes, the contributions pay for the inaugural balls, but inaugural funds are also a vehicle for corporate “pay to play” contributions, currying favor for federal contracts, lenient legislation, or access to the President. 

The Associated Press reported January 9th that the totals were far beyond President Trump’s $107 Million in 2017, and President Biden’s $62 Million in 2021.  

The Federal Election Commission oversees inaugural contributions, and any donation of $200 or more must be reported  – but 90 days after the contribution is made and long after the spotlight is gone.   There are no individual or corporate contribution limits, and only foreign nationals are barred from donating.  

Among the known 2024 inaugural donors, Amazon, Meta, Open AI Toyota, Ford General Motors and Boeing all made public statements when they donated $1 Million each.  Banking, pharmaceutical, and communications companies contributed seven figures, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

Energy company Chevron said in a statement to Reuters, “Chevron has a long tradition of celebrating democracy by supporting the inaugural committees of both parties.”  Or perhaps, they’re sending a message to someone.

We have more on the pay-to-play history of inaugurations at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Federal Election Commission – Funding inaugural committee activities
National Archives – Federal Code § 104.21 Reporting by inaugural committees.
CNN/AP – Trump’s inaugural committee has already raised a record $170 million in donations
Federal Election Commission – Inaugural committee reporting

Open Secrets – First Trump Administration: 2017 Inauguration Donors
Courthouse News – (2017) Trump Inaugural Committee Reported to FEC for Violations
Open Secrets – (2019) –  Shining a light on inaugural committees
Open Secrets – (2019) – Companies that funded Trump’s inauguration came up big in 2017

Groups Taking Action:

Common Cause, Public Citizen,  C.R.E.W.

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #TrumpInauguration #PaytoPlay #CorporateInfluence

The post Donations to Trump’s Inauguration May Reach $200M, Funding the Parade, Inaugural Balls  . . . and Pay-to-Play Influence appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 14, 2025

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

As we approach the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s fateful Citizens United decision, we consider the estimated $15.9 billion dollars spent in the 2024 campaign. That’s a lot of special interest influence.

While still tallying up the total, money-in-politics watchdog Open Secrets estimates the 2024 election cycle was the costliest ever, surpassing 2020’s $15.1 billion.  For context, the $15.9 Billion estimate is larger than the state budgets of New Hampshire, Vermont and Idaho COMBINED.

Only 24% of political contributions to candidates were small donations of $200 or less, down from 30% in 2020.   When you consider contributions to PACs and other outside spending, that percentage drops further, with only 16% from small donors in 2024.  The top 1% of donors? They contributed an estimated 50% of all political contributions. 

That means by far, our elections are not funded by the citizens who actually vote, but by wealthy special interests and corporations whose interests may not align with the majority of voters.   Open Secrets projects that outside spending alone, mostly by SuperPACs, will reach $5 billion dollars.   

Now that the election is over, it’s the inaugural fund setting records. The New York Times reports that donors to the Trump inaugural have contributed over $170 Million dollars.    More on that, tomorrow.   

Find Open Secrets’ data linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Open Secrets – Total 2024 election spending projected to exceed previous record 

Campaign Legal Center – EVENT Jan. 16 – 15 Years of Citizens United: How Big Money Dominated the 2024 Election
AdImpact – Download AdImpact’s 2024 Political Spending Projections Report
Brennan Center for Justice – Online Political Spending in 2024

Groups Taking Action:

Issue One, End Citizens United, Represent.Us, Public Citizen

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #MoneyinPolitics #BigMoneyCorruption #EndCitizensUnited

The post An Estimated $15.9 Billion was Spent in the 2024 Election Cycle, and 50% of It Came from the Top 1% of Special Interest Donors appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 8, 2025

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

The 2024 election was certified January 6th by Congress with no objections, accusations of fraud, or violent mobs.  Why was it, well, blissfully boring? 

Vice President Kamala Harris handed each state’s electoral college letters of certification to “tellers,” who then read them out loud. When complete, the total was announced, and Trump declared the winner.  The whole process took less than 30 minutes. 

What changed?  The Electoral Count Reform Act was implemented, making it harder for Congress to derail certification. Election rules were tightened in many states, but in battleground Michigan, where voter access was dramatically expanded over GOP objections and litigation, Trump won. After losing in 2020, he claimed widespread voter fraud in Detroit.

Hand counting activists have also been curiously silent. Were the voting machines different this time?  Electronic ballot tabulators, the target of conspiracy theories and multi-million dollar lawsuits, are still on the job and recognized as far more accurate and less costly than hand counting.   

What about the legions of undocumented immigrants Trump claimed last October would vote illegally? There was no widespread evidence of noncitizen voting in this or any other U.S. election.   

Other Trump not inciting his followers with disinformation and than no criminal conspiracy to overthrow the results, not much did change. Our 2024 election was secured by many of the same heroic election officials doing the blissfully boring work of democracy.  We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl. 

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
American Democracy Minute – It May Be Bumpy, But Most Democracy Experts Think the Electoral Count Reform Act Will Help Protect the Election
NPR – Under the shadow of the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, Congress certifies the 2024 election
The Guardian – Kamala Harris says ‘America’s democracy stood’, after certifying Trump’s election victory – as it happened
Associated Press – Highlights from the certification of Trump’s 2024 presidential election
Univ. of Washington Center for an Informed Public – What to expect when we’re electing: A guide to voting machine rumors
CBS News – Trump falsely claims noncitizen voter fraud is widespread. Here are 5 facts.

Brennan Center for Justice – The Damage from Conspiracy Theories About Noncitizen Voting

Groups Taking Action:

Protect Democracy,  Campaign Legal Center, League of Women Voters US, Public Citizen

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE! 

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

Are you a radio station?  Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ElectionCertification #ProtectDemocracy #2024Election

The post Unlike the 2020 Election, 2024’s Election Was Certified without Violence, Sham Audits or Criminal Conspiracies.  How Come? appeared first on American Democracy Minute.