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

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#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.

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Today’s Links
Articles:
Al Dia – Voto Latino partners with allies to sue Arizona over a voter restriction law
Washington Examiner – Liberal advocates sue over Arizona law alleged to allow ‘targeted voter suppression’
Democracy Docket – Voting Rights Groups Sue Arizona Over New Voter Suppression Law
Democracy Docket –  DNC and Arizona Democratic Party Sue Over Arizona’s Citizenship Requirement
Groups
Voto Latino, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans

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

Over the 18 months, Arizona GOP legislators passed two restrictive voting bills, one targeted at Native Americans,  requiring proof of citizenship to vote by already registered voters.  The other is a vague bill tightening vote-by-mail rules. Last week, Arizona hit the trifecta:  The state was sued by the U.S. Justice Department, voting rights groups and the Democratic party all in one day.

The first is SB 1260 allows a clerk to take someone OFF the vote-by-mail list if he or she THINKS the voter has moved to another county, but creates no mandate to follow up.  It also prohibits the forwarding of a mail ballot.  Sending a ballot received at home to an Arizona-registered son or daughter at college, could be a felony.  Advocacy group Voto Latino also cites voters with unstable housing, and retirees who may spend parts of the year in other states.  Voto Latino and other groups are attempting to get the law struck down because of its vague provisions and burdensome barriers to voting.

Most states now have voter ID laws, but Arizona’s HB 2492 targets a federal-election-only ballot, which is an option in Arizona.   Many Native Americans who’ve voted for years using the ballot would not be able to because they don’t have the citizenship documents.   Two suits, one by the U.S. Justice Department and another by Democratic groups argue that HB 2492 puts an undue burden on the right to vote, violating the 1st and 14th Amendments.  There are now five lawsuits filed to invalidate this law.

See links to articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org     For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post ADM for August 22, 2022: Arizona Trifecta: Three Lawsuits for on its Voter Suppression Bills All in One Day appeared first on American Democracy Minute.