The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 25, 2025

President Donald Trump launched a cryptocurrency “meme coin” with his likeness on January 17th, just before inauguration day.  April 21st, with its value plummeting, the company offered top buyers of the coin a dinner with Trump and a personal tour of the White House.  That likely violates the Emoluments Clause.

The website for the meme coin loudly promotes a dinner with Trump at his Washington golf club for the top 220 owners of the coin, and for the top 25 owners, an “exclusive reception” and a “special VIP tour.”  But as of April 24th, any reference to touring White House was scrubbed from the site.  

With its value having fallen from $74.00 to a low of $7.66 on April 17, the price jumped after the announcement to $14.54 on April 23rd.  But it’s not the price of the coin that should worry Americans, but that corporations, special interests or foreign governments could exploit the offer as an opportunity to channel money to the notoriously transactional Trump in exchange for access and favors.

Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington told  Mother Jones magazine, “This is about as unethical as you can get – essentially selling off access to the president.” 

We have a pre-scrubbing graphic,  and more on the Emoluments Clause, at  AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

April 23 – GetTrumpMemes.com via WaybackMachine.com – “Have Dinner With President Trump”

April 24 – GetTrumpMemes.com – “Have Dinner with President Trump” – Reference to White House Tour Scrubbed

American Constitution Society – (2019)  Profiting off the Presidency: Trump’s Violations of the Emoluments Clauses
Brennan Center for Justice – (2019)  How Will the Courts Handle the Trump Emoluments Cases?
American Democracy Minute – (2024) The Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause was Intended to Stop Bribery and Corruption.  Recently, Not So Much
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) – (2024)  The intensifying threat of Donald Trump’s emoluments
Mother Jones – Trump Crypto Coin Buyers Offered VIP Tour of White House
CoinStats – TRUMP Meme Coin Tumbles After Soaring on Exclusive Gala Announcement

Groups Taking Action:

CREW, Public Citizen

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #Corruption #EmolumentsClause #DonaldTrump #TrumpMemeCoin

The post Trump ‘Meme Coin’ Cryptocurrency Scheme Selling Access to the President Raises Alarms for Emolument Clause Violations appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 19, 2025

Today’s Script

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

A federal judge sentenced former New Jersey U.S. Senator Bob Menendez January 29th to 11 years in prison for corruption charges and acting as a foreign agent. Menendez, a Democrat, was contrite in the courtroom, but blasted the process as “political,” and “corrupted to the core” in a not-so-subtle appeal to President Donald Trump.

Menendez was convicted July 16th on all federal charges of conspiracy, bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction and acting as a foreign agent in schemes involving an Egyptian-American businessman and a New Jersey developer.   

In exchange for cash, a Mercedes convertible, and gold bars, Menendez used his influence as chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee to procure exclusive import of halal processed meat products into Egypt.  The New Jersey Monitor reports that Menendez then signed off on billions in U.S. military aid to the government of Egypt, despite the country’s deteriorating human rights record.

But times have changed.  February 11th, the U.S. Justice Department ordered the Southern District of New York to drop bribery and corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.  He was accused of taking illegal campaign donations from foreign nationals and businessmen, and doing favors in exchange for luxury travel. The apparent quid pro quo with the Trump administration prompted six SDNY attorneys to resign in protest.

We linked to more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – (2024) ‘This wasn’t politics as usual, this was politics for profit.’  U.S. Senator Robert Menendez Convicted of Bribery & Conspiracy Charges.
U.S. Attorney – Southern District of NY – Former U.S. Senator Robert Menendez Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison For Bribery, Foreign Agent, And Obstruction Offenses
NJ Monitor – Former Sen. Bob Menendez sentenced to 11 years in bribery scheme
U.S. Justice Department – New York City Mayor Eric Adams Charged With Bribery And Campaign Finance Offenses
U.S. Department of Justice  via CNN – Dismissal Without Prejudice of Prosecution of Mayor Eric Adams
NBC News – Federal prosecutors in New York and Washington resign after refusing to drop Adams charges

Groups Taking Action:

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW),  Public Citizen,  Brennan Center for Justice

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 #Corruption #QuidProQuo #EricAdams #BobMenendez

The post Just 2 Weeks Before Bribery and Corruption Charges are Dropped Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams, Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez Gets 11 Years for Similar Charges appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Nov. 13, 2023

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.

With an astounding 86.4% vote on November 7th, Maine passed a citizen ballot initiative banning foreign campaign contributions to state candidates and ballot measures.  How much foreign money could there be in a Maine election? More than you think.

Hydro Quebec, a large Canadian power producer, conducted a multi-year effort to build a power line corridor through New England states.  The company failed in New Hampshire, then spent $22 Million dollars in Maine to convince voters to defeat a ballot initiative opposing the project.  In November 2021, 59% of Maine voters rejected the project, but a court ruled the initiative violated Hydro Quebec’s rights and the project moved forward.  

Federal rules prohibit campaign contributions by foreign entities in federal elections, but don’t address state spending or ballot initiatives.  The amendment to Maine’s constitution prohibits foreign entities or subsidiaries with 5% or more stake from making contributions to candidates or ballot measures.  It requires media to determine the source of advertising dollars for initiatives. It bans attempts to evade the rules, and sets penalties of up to two times the expenditure. And it requires disclosure whenever a foreign government attempts to influence an issue in Maine. 

Similar bans were enacted in Minnesota and Alaska, and several state legislatures considered bans this year.   More on those efforts in an upcoming report.  

We have more on Maine’s initiative and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Hydro Quebec – Appalaches-Maine Interconnection – Work Update June 2023
Reuters – States and localities take on foreign-influenced political spending
BallotPedia – Maine Question 2, Prohibit Foreign Spending in Elections Initiative (2023)
Spectrum News – Maine considers closing loophole that allows foreign government spending on referendums
Maine Public Radio – Question 2 passes, banning foreign electioneering in Maine
State of Maine – §1064. Foreign government campaign spending prohibited

Groups Taking Action:

Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, League of Women Voters Maine, American Promise, End Citizens United, Represent.Us

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #ProtectPollWorkers

The post After a Canadian Utility Spent $22 Million Dollars to Influence a Ballot Measure, Maine Voters Ban Foreign Money in State Elections appeared first on American Democracy Minute.