The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 24, 2025

Voting proof of citizenship efforts are afoot in Michigan while voters await the outcome of the federal SAVE Act and a Trump executive order requiring similar restrictions. This, despite no evidence of widespread noncitizen voting in Michigan, or anywhere else in the U.S.

In Michigan, a constitutional amendment which failed to achieve a two-thirds majority in the legislature, just received the go-ahead to collect signatures for a citizen ballot initiative instead.  If organizers meet the signature requirements, it could appear on the 2026 ballot.

The Michigan proposal require any new registering voters to show QUOTE “a birth certificate, passport and/or other documents,”  and would eliminate the use of sworn affidavits for voters without approved IDs.  Voters without citizenship documents could cast a provisional ballot, but must return with the documents within six days for it to count.  

While that may keep the 20 -that “2-0”- alleged Michigan noncitizens from voting,  

one in nine Americans don’t have ready access to citizenship documents, and over 5.8 million Michigan citizens don’t own a U.S. Passport, according to the Center for American Progress.    

On national proof of citizenship front, a federal circuit court ruling on President Donald Trump’s March 25th order is expected by April 24th, and the SAVE Act is in the U.S, Senate but unlikely to overcome the filibuster.

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – New Trump Executive Order Attempts to Bypass Congress & States to Require Proof of Citizenship Documents & Mandate Election Deadlines
Michigan Advance/Votebeat – Michigan House GOP proposes proof-of-citizenship requirement for all voters
Michigan Advance – Board of State Canvassers greenlights petition seeking to block noncitizens from voting in Michigan
Center for American Progress – U.S. Passport ownership by state
Michigan Live – See how Michigan’s U.S. House members voted on bill (SAVE Act) requiring voters’ proof of citizenship

Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause MI, League of Women Voters MI, Promote the Vote MI

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

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Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #PromotetheVote #HJR B  #Michigan #ProofofCitizenship

The post Michigan Considers Proof of Citizenship Requirements While Awaiting Outcome of the SAVE Act Vote and Challenge to Trump’s Exec. Order appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for April 11, 2025

Nineteen states and several pro-voter groups filed suit against a March 25th executive order by President Donald Trump.  The order appears to override Congressional and state jurisdiction granted by the U.S. Constitution, and its noncitizen voting restrictions could actually disenfranchise millions of eligible Americans.

To be clear, there is NO evidence of widespread noncitizen voting in any state.  But the March 25th order requires documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, which in practice would require it for state elections, too.  States who don’t follow the Trump directive could lose federal funding.  

Problem is, one in nine Americans don’t have ready access to their citizenship papers.  An estimated 69 million married women use a name different from their birth certificate, and only half of Americans have a valid U.S. Passport.

The order also requires states to comb their voter rolls for possible noncitizens, gives states access to federal databases, and mandates states report voting infractions to the U.S. Justice Department.  It requires that mail ballots be received by election day, eliminating grace periods.

The U.S. Constitution assigns administration of elections to the states and Congress, which is the basis of states’ challenge.  The Campaign Legal Center and four other pro-democracy groups also challenged the ruling on similar grounds.

We’ve linked to Trump’s order and the legal challenges at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

The White House – Executive Order:  PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS
NPR – 19 states sue over Trump’s voting executive order, arguing it’s unconstitutional
PBS – Election watchdog groups sue Trump administration over executive order, calling it unconstitutional
Campaign Legal Center – CLC Sues to Block Trump Administration’s Illegal Election Overreach
Campaign Legal Center  – Complaint in U.S. District Court for DC Against Trump Executive Order
U.S. District Court for MA, via State of NY – Complaint by 19 States Against Trump Executive Order

Groups Taking Action:

Campaign Legal Center, State Democracy Defenders Fund, LULAC, Arizona Students’ Association, Secure Families Initiative

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

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

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #DonaldTrump #ExecutiveOrders #Unconstitutional #Disenfranchisement

The post Pro-Voter Groups and 19 States Challenge Trump Executive Order on Voting Rules as Unconstitutional and Likely to Disenfranchise Millions appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for March 3, 2025

Today’s Script

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

On February 18th, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order #14215, entitled “Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies.”  It claims Presidential authority over historically independent agencies – including the Federal Election Commission.

There are more than 50 agencies considered “independent” federal agencies,   constitutionally under the executive branch, but structured by Congress to be insulated from day-to-day Presidential control.  Three of those agencies play a critical part in federal elections:  The Federal Election Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and the U.S. Postal Service.   

The bipartisan FEC was formed after Watergate to oversee campaign finance and rules. While often hamstrung as a policing agency, the FEC does require disclosure of campaign spending and donors – including the president   

Donald Trump, his campaign, and billionaire donor and the head of the ad hoc Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk, faced dozens of complaints before and during the 2024 election.  Enforcement deadlocked along party lines – including the Stormy Daniels affair.  

February 28th, the Democratic National Committee and the Congressional and Senate campaign committees asked the DC Circuit Court to strike down the executive order, arguing it interferes with the FEC’s ability to enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act as Congress intended.  

Pro-democracy groups fear unchecked presidential authority could erode SOME oversight to NO oversight.  We’ll explore how the role of the Federal Communications Commission could also be hampered in our next report.

Find more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.  

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute – Trump Attempts to Fire Federal Election Commission Chair ‘Effective Immediately.’  It’s Not Legal.
The American Presidency Project – Executive Order 14215—”Ensuring Accountability for All Agencies”
Democratic National Committee – DNC, DCCC & DSCC File Lawsuit Against Trump’s Illegal Executive Order Ending Free and Fair Elections
Politico – National Dems sue over Trump executive order they say could weaponize FEC
U.S. District Court for DC – Democratic National Committee, DCCC, DSCC v. Trump
USA Today – Trump-Elon Musk interview violated campaign finance regulations, Democratic PAC claims 
NPR – Trump wants more power over agencies. Experts worry about campaign finance regulators

Groups Taking Action

Brennan Center, Public Citizen, Common Cause

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 #FEC #FederalElectionCommission #ExecutiveOrder #DonaldTrump

The post Executive Order Asserting Presidential Authority Over Independent Agencies Could Put Federal Election Oversight Under Partisan Control appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 24, 2025

Today’s Script

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

Over 88 million American voters voted early in the 2024 presidential election.   An estimated 42 million voted by mail.  What could a Trump takeover of the U.S. Postal Service mean for mail-in and absentee voters?

Trump said last December that he wanted to return to QUOTE, “One day voting,” and continued his false claims of mail-in voting as fraudulent. 

In 1970, Congress attempted to separate USPS from political influence with the Postal Service Reorganization Act to make it more independent and competitive, and established the 9 member, bipartisan postal board of governors.

The Washington Post reported February 21st that a Trump executive order firing the Senate-confirmed board is imminent, and oversight of the USPS would move under the U.S. Commerce Department.  

That action is not only likely illegal, but putting postal policy in the hands of hyper partisans could spell disaster for absentee and universal mail ballots.  Further eroding delivery standards or ending prioritization of election mail could make delivery so unreliable it can’t be trusted.  As could starving the USPS of funds and personnel.  States with universal mail voting like Oregon, may need to remake their entire election system.   

Such changes would make it more difficult to vote for shift workers, the disabled, the elderly and the 6 in 10 other Americans who  support mail voting. 

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

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Council on Foreign Relations – The 2024 Election by the Numbers
GovInfo.gov – Postal Service Reorganization Act of 1970
U.S. Postal Service – About the Board of Governors
The MIT Press Reader – The Birth of the USPS and the Politics of Postal Reform
Associated Press – (2020) Trump admits he’s blocking postal cash to stop mail-in votes

Washington Post – (Possible paywall) Trump expected to take control of USPS, fire postal board, officials say
Associated Press – Trump says he may take control of the US Postal Service. Here’s what to know

Pew Research – Republicans, Democrats continue to differ sharply on voting access

Groups Taking Action:

Vote at Home, League of Women Voters, Common Cause, NAACP Legal Defense Fund,  LULAC

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 #USPS #PostalWorkers #VotebyMail

The post How Could a Trump Takeover of the U.S. Postal Service Affect Mail-In Voting? 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.