Democracy Happy Hour – Feb 15, 2023

Democracy Happy Hour, February 15, 2023 - Meeting Recordings & Chat File:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/D6aqT2m_c__3rjTE7iW_9LxjpbBdqhqX_v1XgoZDbWINfEq0Ftehw-nMgFM1qKnstirlKisDU9oYVMeL.Tf-3YBdnZyEE_4up

• Gallery View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/Lj_DxeoMJtxgZ0KD_1P73o8bx_YxS-eaZSqmUxqG5ujQs_2Mg4Gb2kcvq2Mt7eY29jL9gG243uHv674y.Ihhg9-97KzUgXCxv

• Chat File (Link will download a text file to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/p30OKLrF2Sx50J6KqfFDDeIIDutJl-CHBtRfED0Cw3FXCtU3KV4VtqIfInkOnJXGHktB0adF-_qUGFa7.CLtPcaUFw66y7Q3j

Fix Democracy First Links:

• Fix Democracy First – Legislation Page - https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/legislation
  
• Website & past event recordings: fixdemocracyfirst.org
• Donate @ fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

Democracy Happy Hour Upcoming Topics/Schedule:

• Feb 22nd - Alaska for Better Elections: Impact of New Reforms w/ Jason Grenn
• Mar 1st - Conspiracy Theories & Their Impact on Democracy

ACTIONS & EVENTS:

• People Powered Elections Washington - https://www.peoplepoweredelections.org/

• People Powered Elections Washington: Email Sign Up - https://secure.everyaction.com/Kvt4e-0DY0yyLf_1C7y-og2

• Civic learning week - March 6-10, 2023 - https://civiclearningweek.org/

• Citizen Connect - https://citizenconnect.us/

Fighting Political Gridlock Links:

• DAVID J. TOSCANO - https://davidtoscano.com/
• Fighting Political Gridlock: How States Shape Our Nation And Our Lives - https://www.upress.virginia.edu/title/5776/
• Review of the book - https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2022/10/13/dear-voters-pay-attention-state-politics-especially-virginias/
• Bellwether: Virginia’s Political Transformation, 2006–2020 - https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780761873228/Bellwether-Virginia%E2%80%99s-Political-Transformation-2006%E2%80%932020
• Why States Matter Blog - https://davidtoscano.com/category/states-matter

Democracy in the News Links:

Georgia Judge Will Release Parts of Report on Trump Election Inquiry - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/13/us/georgia-judge-orders-some-of-trump-inquiry-report-made-public.html

Jack Smith, Special Counsel for Trump Inquiries, Steps Up the Pace - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/12/us/politics/jack-smith-special-counsel-trump-investigations.html

Pence subpoenaed by special counsel investigating Trump's role in Jan. 6 - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/pence-subpoenaed-special-counsel-leading-trump-investigations-rcna70031

Pence to Oppose Subpoena Seeking Testimony in Jan. 6 Inquiry - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/14/us/politics/mike-pence-subpoena-jan-6.html

Trump campaign paid researchers to prove 2020 fraud but kept findings secret - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/11/trump-campaign-report-electoral-fraud/

Prosecutors Seek Trump Lawyer’s Testimony, Suggesting Evidence of Crime - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/14/us/politics/trump-lawyer-classified-documents-investigation.html

Despite fears agency could be crippled, House fills ethics posts - https://rollcall.com/2023/02/07/despite-fears-agency-could-be-crippled-house-fills-ethics-posts/

Election deniers face a nationwide wave of pushback - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/15/election-deniers-face-pushback/

Lessons from the 2022 General Election: How to Prevent Election Crises, and Emerging Issues for 2023, 2024, and Beyond - https://www.electiontaskforce.org/

Florida lawmakers vote to give GOP-appointed state prosecutor jurisdiction over election and voting matters - https://www.cbsnews.com/tampa/news/florida-lawmakers-vote-to-give-gop-appointed-state-prosecutor-jurisdiction-over-election-and-voting-matters/

Minnesota Democrats Pass Voting Rights Bill in Committee - https://readsludge.com/2023/02/10/minnesota-democrats-pass-voting-rights-bill-in-committee/

GOP election tactics no surprise to Wisconsin’s Black voters - https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-donald-trump-milwaukee-wisconsin-d0e0c0e90c307ed6a5074ad2771b1835

Southern legislatures undermine democracy through rules changes - https://www.facingsouth.org/2023/02/southern-legislatures-undermine-democracy-through-rules-changes

As red states target Black history lessons, blue states embrace them - https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/02/13/black-history-red-states-blue-states-teaching-lessons/

How Voting Districts Could Change Before 2024 - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-voting-districts-could-change-2024

Leaked document shows big changes could be underway at GOP-majority NC Supreme Court - https://www.wral.com/leaked-document-shows-big-changes-could-be-underway-at-gop-majority-nc-supreme-court/20716857/

On North Carolina’s Supreme Court, G.O.P. Justices Move to Reconsider Democratic Rulings - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/us/north-carolina-supreme-court-voting-rights.html

How a major election theory case at the U.S. Supreme Court could get thrown out - https://www.npr.org/2023/02/06/1154761167/moore-v-harper-independent-state-legislature-theory-north-carolina-court

‘Stakes are monstrous’: Wisconsin judicial race is 2023’s key election - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/13/wisconsin-supreme-court-election-gerrymandered-democracy

Supreme Court justices face new pressure to adopt code of conduct - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-justices-face-new-pressure-adopt-code-conduct-rcna68995

Supreme Court justices discussed, but did not agree on, code of conduct - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/09/supreme-court-ethics-code/

Supreme Court Weighs Ethics Code as Critics Push for Change - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/us/supreme-court-ethics-code.html

“Midterm spending spree”: Cost of 2022 federal elections tops $8.9 billion, a new midterm record - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/02/midterms-spending-spree-cost-of-2022-federal-elections-tops-8-9-billion-a-new-midterm-record/

The Congressional Fundraising Treadmill - https://issueone.org/articles/the-congressional-fundraising-treadmill-2022-election/

Black candidates keep losing winnable races — and say the Democratic Party may be why - https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/13/black-candidates-democrat-groups-00082496

Corporations Gave Election Deniers A Last-Minute Surge Of Campaign Cash - https://www.huffpost.com/entry/big-lie-corporate-donations_n_63e69db8e4b022eb3e301098

Koch network to back alternative to Trump after sitting out recent primaries - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/05/koch-trump-2024-gop-presidential-primary/

Tax Docs Link Right-Wing “Parents Group” to Leonard Leo’s Dark Money Network - https://truthout.org/articles/tax-docs-link-right-wing-parents-group-to-leonard-leos-dark-money-network/

Democratic National Committee defeats bid to ban dark money - https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/democratic-national-committee-defeats-bid-to-ban-dark-money/

‘Democracy Vouchers’ Put Free Campaign Cash in the Hands of Voters - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2023/02/07/democracy-vouchers-putting-free-campaign-cash-in-the-hands-of-voters

Campaign Finance Reformers Hope to Convert Their First State to Democracy Vouchers - https://boltsmag.org/democracy-vouchers-new-hampshire/

HB 1755 - Establishing the democracy voucher program for contributions to state legislative candidates. - https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1755&Year=2023

Washington State Senate passes bill ending advisory votes on the ballot - https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/washington-state-senate-passes-bill-ending-advisory-votes-on-the-ballot/article_a26fa460-a8b5-11ed-b194-abb7ce884f74.html

Boot confusing advisory votes from WA ballots - https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/boot-confusing-advisory-votes-from-wa-ballots/

All former WA prisoners can now vote. So far, few have - https://crosscut.com/politics/2023/02/all-former-wa-prisoners-can-now-vote-so-far-few-have

Here's how to DOUBLE voter turnout - https://democracysos.substack.com/p/heres-how-to-double-voter-turnout

Opinion - These radically simple changes helped lawmakers actually get things done - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/02/09/house-modernization-committee-bipartisan-collaboration-lessons/