Fix Democracy First hosts a weekly Democracy Happy Hour on Wednesdays @ 5-6:30pm PT. Grab a drink and join us and learn about the latest democracy efforts, challenges, solutions, as well upcoming events and actions.

This is a recurring event. You only have to register once. Register here.

Leaving MAGA

With Rich Logis

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/S2n3iNVjVUwpCFEvA7psAE4IHJoCj3xNGnulcnfbAGsWyyCXvssR7BI9J0cL5GydX6jSjzq6wXN5h0i3.wOq6siV4n5sUmFMy
• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/iapSryOslJZ7vghMVWf4jbfG8tlVl7AhcqYGW2d7sxa70ZmIJHpq1ProIxXyeHuvaz2AuqrxVVmlwWxA.dWRGVRPt02-ygL0q
• Chat file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/N-9b_r5qqov5m3d4DWX8omrWwngcaK15CKv5FUE_Rq33-LYRTq60MsKmhJf1IrkBhnfeFY8NxA7EN6k.0linoVQo3KVsPNGw
• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/y_G1kIdzl-yPfFPEzJULpvLSfmRa6aMU2-B9ZPEqjW5yn5cP4Kylzoonc1TPZuSBvfmM4Ed_MHmlKZih.h7JD3FQU-B6n_SFC

Meeting resources

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/xsr2lqOPkAP5pFjQcI4kKku1AYsEXqDWm_xfvJnVs0ov51Q33Jm3T6EFRwbU2xYqGyzTViefB-Njw2wF.-V63Ow2vIm8A8yB7
• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/qk8pgv-xebpAhYYWpIa6TBwKwsCa1QgZBePvGc6iZHnYwatLcwNlsFFzCQdEfXkQGGqaklDte95yFZd0.YbG9c3X2aCYjdH6z
• Chat file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/B-18bJ5uWcrMb7YvLVTwCxNS-hEjZ3n0LDlRE4wai8XoL7QyiwC6pknSDdoQWFC5nCss_kdWb_Y8kr86.vWm_o2FtPlXfZH3E
• Closed Caption file (will download directly to your computer): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/mG0pVxB9mfHgTxyy_cqLqRPOKTsFCgIxVD1JQyWZGG-j4cHv1qbjUpr_I4dGHH9BvfiYU3pwPVmZjTAU.BuzTse_Vv2PEwyo0

Meeting links

• Leaving MAGA at https://leavingmaga.org
• Rich’s memoir, One Betrayal Too Many: Why I Left MAGA: https://leavingmaga.org/memoir

FDF Links

• Fix Democracy First - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/
• Donate to Fix Democracy First here: https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

Join Fix Democracy First Boards

• Fix Democracy First Education Fund (501c3) Board Application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXiaGJJ0bVqV5eqW2irfLHWrU0n8iwVIsDwDjtrTP36mEj5g/viewform
• Fix Democracy First (501c4) Board Application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtDKKTBsOo7X_nk-7POVUTpJ-K1vfP-U_zHQrW1Ke7JNfvug/viewform

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule

• Apr 29 - Final DHH with Cindy - Open Discussion

What's next for the Democracy Happy Hours? An ongoing discussion is happening for what's next, and your input is important. Please share your thoughts at our April 29th program, or email Cindy at cindy@fixdemocracyfirst.org.

Actions and events

Actions

• Impeach Trump. Again. - https://www.impeachtrumpagain.org/. Sign the Petition: https://www.impeachtrumpagain.org/#action
• Sign & Share our WA Citizen Resolution to UNDO Citizens United - https://bit.ly/WA-Undo-Citizens-United

Events

• Fix Democracy First’s Spring 2026 Online Auction starts Saturday, April 11th and runs through April 26: https://fdfef.winningbidder.com/Event
• Introducing the Transparent Election Initiative with Move to Amend (Roundtable Discussion)  – May 13th at 4 pm PT/7 pm ET- Register here: https://www.movetoamend.org/tei_roundtable
• May Day – https://maydaystrong.org/ - On May 1, 2026, workers, students, and families rally, march, and take action across the country to demand a nation that puts workers over billionaires, with many refusing business as usual through No School. No Work. No Shopping.

Democracy in the News

Resources

• The Anti-Corruption Tracker: Mapping the Erosion of Oversight and Accountability - https://www.justsecurity.org/117267/anti-corruption-tracker/
• Follow the Money. Find Your Candidate's Conflict of Interest. - https://integrityindex.us/
• How You Can Protect Democracy - 29 concrete actions you can take right now to protect democracy - https://protectdemocracy.org/how-to-protect-democracy
• Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions - https://www.justsecurity.org/107087/tracker-litigation-legal-challenges-trump-administration/
• Respect Missouri Voters - Our Road to Qualification - https://respectmovoters.org/dashboard
• State of Emergency - Democracy, Civil Rights & Progress Under Attack  - https://stateofblackamerica.org/sites/default/files/2025-07/NUL-SOBA-Executive%20Summary-2025-web%20%281%29%20%281%29.pdf
• The Civics Center is on a mission to make voter registration part of every high school in America. - https://www.thecivicscenter.org
• The People's Hub For Grassroots Democracy Organizing  - https://www.usgrassroots.org/
• The SAVE Act: Overview and Facts - https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-save-act-overview-and-facts/
• Timeline of the Trump Administration’s Efforts to Undermine Elections - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/timeline-trump-administrations-efforts-undermine-elections
• Timeline: Tracking the Trump Justice Department’s Anti-Voting Shift - https://www.democracydocket.com/timeline-tracking-the-trump-justice-departments-anti-voting-shift/
• Tracking the Lawsuits Against Trump’s Agenda - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/trump-administration-lawsuits.html
• Transparent Election Initiative (Montana Plan) State-by-State Impact - https://transparentelection.org/states
• Trump’s Take, cash and gifts received by Trump - https://www.americanprogress.org/feature/trumps-take/
• V-Dem Institute Democracy Report 2026 - https://www.v-dem.net/publications/democracy-reports/

March

March 31

• How Corruption Affects Democracy - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-corruption-affects-democracy

April

April 08

• Analyzing the President’s Executive Order on Mail Voting - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/analyzing-presidents-executive-order-mail-voting

April 14

• Federal judge blocks Indiana’s ban on use of student IDs for voting - https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2026/04/14/federal-judge-blocks-indianas-ban-on-use-of-student-ids-for-voting/

April 15

• Democrats file articles of impeachment against Hegseth for ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/15/democrats-pete-hegseth-impeachment
• Election Law and the Supreme Court in 2026: Pending Cases on Redistricting, Campaign Finance, and Mail-In Ballots - https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/LSB11419.html
• John Eastman loses his law license in California over 2020 election scheme - https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/15/john-eastman-law-license-california-00875083

April 16

• House Votes to Preserve Deportation Protections for Haitians, Rebuking Trump - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/16/us/politics/house-deportation-protections-haitians-trump.html
• Judge Again Halts Aboveground Construction on Trump’s Ballroom - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/16/us/politics/trump-ballroom-judge-halt.html
• North Carolina election board’s GOP majority approves sharing voter data with DHS - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/north-carolina-election-boards-gop-majority-approves-sharing-voter-data-with-dhs/
• Sniping by justices underscores tension over Supreme Court’s ‘shadow docket’ - https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/16/politics/justices-tension-supreme-court-shadow-docket-sotomayor-kavanaugh-jackson

April 17

• A look at investigations into federal officers months after immigration crackdown in Minnesota - https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-ice-investigations-charges-7c84eec817290a87e5b596a5cf0dea39
• ICE went on a hiring spree. Sterling credentials were not required, AP investigation finds - https://apnews.com/article/ice-background-checks-vetting-immigration-8ae6b7b850f7c0265b3cb8b5060ef8fd
• Judge rejects Justice Department effort to get sensitive voter information from  b  - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-rejects-trump-admin-doj-effort-voter-information-rhode-island/
• The Supreme Court hands a win to oil and gas companies fighting environmental lawsuits in Louisiana - https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-environmental-oil-gas-companies-louisiana-8928e73be9545de69089b0e578b1b8d2
• Trump DOJ loses again, now 0 for 5 on voter roll cases, as court rejects Rhode Island lawsuit - https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-doj-loses-again-now-0-for-5-on-voter-roll-cases-as-court-rejects-rhode-island-lawsuit/

April 18

• A Breakdown of Five Days of Secret Supreme Court Memos - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/us/politics/supreme-court-shadow-docket-papers-excerpts.html
• ‘A trend that can’t be ignored’: Dems have made up ground in nearly every election since Trump took office - https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/18/democrats-special-election-results-analysis-00879021
• Missouri initiative to deter overturning of statewide votes reaches milestone - https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article315449594.html
• The birth of the Supreme Court’s shadow docket has long been a mystery. The Inside Story of Five Days That Remade the Supreme Court - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/us/politics/supreme-court-shadow-docket.html

April 19

• A major US court case could help fix the ills of Citizens United - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/19/citizens-united-super-pacs
• Businesses race to apply for tariff refunds - https://www.npr.org/2026/04/19/nx-s1-5786635/tariff-refunds-customs-ace-portal
• Trump Administration Demand for Ballot Info Rebuffed by Michigan - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/19/us/michigan-trump-ballots-election.html

April 20

• Justices to Hear Case on Catholic Preschools That Reject Children of Gay Parents - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/20/us/politics/supreme-court-catholic-preschools.html
• Trump Administration Takes Steps to Refund $166 Billion in Tariffs - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/20/us/politics/trump-administration-tariff-refunds.html

April 21

• 5th Circuit allows Texas to require Ten Commandments in classrooms - https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/04/21/texas-ten-commandments-5th-circuit-classrooms
• Justice Dept. Charges Prominent Civil Rights Group With Financial Crimes - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/us/politics/southern-poverty-law-center-doj-investigation.html
• Reeling From Major Lawsuit Losses, Big Tech Injects Huge Sums Into Influence Operations - https://issueone.org/articles/reeling-from-major-lawsuit-losses-big-tech-injects-huge-sums-into-influence-operations/
• Southern Poverty Law Center charged with defrauding donors with payments to extremist informants - https://apnews.com/article/southern-poverty-law-center-criminal-investigation-db7fdcf9baa0d1b24b8f1e1f2cebc0be
• Trump Extends Cease-Fire With Iran - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/21/world/iran-us-war-trump-news
• Trump fought to keep the ballroom fundraising contract secret. Here’s what’s in it. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/21/trump-ballroom-donor-deal
• Virginia voters approve redistricting plan that could boost Democrats’ seats in Congress - https://apnews.com/article/virginia-redistricting-election-congress-trump-78e0e68100119011b1b439634f6b6fa1
• Voting rights groups sue over US demand for state voter rolls - https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/voting-rights-groups-sue-over-us-demand-state-voter-rolls-2026-04-21/

April 22

• Federal appeals court blocks California law requiring federal agents to wear identification - https://apnews.com/article/immigration-agents-identification-california-appeals-court-2b60941111adb2c82a929570e594f56d
• Six takeaways from Virginia’s vote to boost Democrats in national redistricting war - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/22/redistricting-virginia-house-trump-democrats
• Iran War Live Updates: Iranian Forces Claim to Seize 2 Ships After Trump Extends Truce - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/22/world/iran-war-trump-ceasefire-talks

Good News Websites

• • ABC Good News - https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/good-news
  • Daily Good - https://www.dailygood.org/
  • Democracy's Good News - https://www.democracygroup.org/topics/democracys-good-news
  • Good News Network - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
  • Politics & Government Good News - https://www.goodgoodgood.co/impact/democracy
  • Sunny Skyz - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news
  • The Happy News - https://thehappynewspaper.com/

‍

‍

‍