Democracy Happy Hour – July 13, 2022

Democracy Happy Hour, July 13, 2022 - Meeting Recordings & Chat File:

• Speaker View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/NTWx6vOm4d8QcHLlc9C4qzxTYueHqrEG58fsm70nICX7V0ct6FJ0Nnp4hR6VCsTpu4YwDzIom7ojbRbr.rLyfOmVlpkStUa3k
• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/H4N7f2okD5detxKzTHR1UXM8YYQl6r1wTv9HN3NR3RsjlYuPulgUZuy9OEt2I3ZAkidb8LC8x1Ozx2pR.HWSZMrDv-7OMU95n
• Chat (Link will download a text file to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/bDWlsq6X00E7T2LnOvLCzz2eMBbHIMRTh3-EjHHptkXD6KT0ROhztEugLXkHNenRANYHlDIH-lNFEB-Q.DppULDjCSkD9CrXq

Actions, Events & Misc. Links:

Fix Democracy First links:

• DONATE to Fix Democracy First or Fix Democracy First Education Fund @ https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate
• YO VOTE! (Youth Organizers for Voter Outreach, Teaching & Engagement) - https://www.yo-vote.org
• WON (Women in Office Now) – https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/won

Upcoming Topics in July:

• July 20 - Jan 6 Hearings Review
• July 27 - Open Discussion - What would you like to talk about?
• Aug 3 - Primary Election Updates

EVENTS:

• Final Jan 6 Hearing: Nation-Wide Virtual Watch Event - https://www.mobilize.us/jan6hearings/event/468945/

ACTIONS:

• Seattle – Council will consider putting Ranked-Choice Voting on the ballot in Nov
• Seattle City Council Meeting on July 14^th @ 2 pm – Sign up to testify or submit comments @ https://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/public-comment
• Meeting agenda – http://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx
• FairVote WA - Seattle Ranked-Choice Voting Office Hours –https://www.mobilize.us/fairvotewa/event/478382/
• Seattle Supports Democracy Events:
• Preserve Democracy and Write Letters to AZ Voters with Seattle Supports Democracy and Vote Forward – July 16^th @ 11 am - https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/475570/
• Seattle Supports Democracy - Action Hour – July 20^th @ 7 pm https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pduGsqz4uEtOhIJKbs-Q2hWkoBfehw56w

DISCLOSE ACT:

• Call Your Senator to Support the DISCLOSE Act - https://act.newmode.net/action/declaration-american-democracy-coalition/call-your-senator-support-disclose-act
• Write a Letter about the DISCLOSE Act! - https://act.newmode.net/action/declaration-american-democracy-coalition/write-letter-about-disclose-act
• Protect Our Democracy TAKE ACTION page - https://www.rightwinginsurrection.org/action-center/take-action-activists
  
• Electoral Count Act - Congressional Support Talking Points - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GN8MZDm5iySAyIqajchl6x76qdPWVLXKicmWbULwo7I/edit?usp=sharing

Dark Money in Elections Links:

What Is Dark Money? - https://campaignlegal.org/update/what-dark-money

Dark Money - https://www.brennancenter.org/issues/reform-money-politics/influence-big-money/dark-money

Dark Money Basics - https://www.opensecrets.org/dark-money/basics

Inside the ever-growing power of dark money in U.S. politics - https://www.marketplace.org/2022/03/04/inside-the-ever-growing-power-of-dark-money-in-u-s-politics/

Donors, key findings, and profiles of the top 15 dark money groups - https://issueone.org/donors-key-findings-and-profiles-of-the-top-15-dark-money-groups/

501(c)(4)s and “Dark Money”: Evolution of (c)(4)s - https://capitalresearch.org/article/501c4s-and-dark-money-part-1/

Citizens United v. FEC - https://www.fec.gov/legal-resources/court-cases/citizens-united-v-fec/

Citizens United Explained - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citizens-united-explained

How Citizen's United Will Affect the 2022 Midterms - https://www.lwv.org/blog/how-citizens-united-will-affect-2022-midterms

How Does the Citizens United Decision Still Affect Us in 2022? - https://campaignlegal.org/update/how-does-citizens-united-decision-still-affect-us-2022

Speechnow.org v. FEC - https://www.fec.gov/legal-resources/court-cases/speechnoworg-v-fec/

SpeechNow.org v. FEC - https://campaignlegal.org/cases-actions/speechnoworg-v-fec

SpeechNow v. FEC – The Case that Created Super PACs, and Our Challenge - https://freespeechforpeople.org/speechnow-v-fec-case-created-super-pacs-challenge/

SpeechNow.org and the Birth of Super PACs - https://ij.org/ll/speechnoworg-and-the-birth-of-super-pacs/

Speechnow.Org Outside Spending - https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=C00488783&cycle=2022

Sunlight Foundation - https://sunlightfoundation.com/

Open Secrets – https://www.opensecrets.org/

Follow the Money –  https://www.followthemoney.org/

WA Public Disclosure Commission – https://www.pdc.wa.gov/

Seattle Ethics & Elections – https://www.seattle.gov/ethics

Democracy in the News Links:

5 takeaways from the Jan. 6 hearing on extremism and Trump - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/12/january-6-hearing-extremism-trump/

Trump Sought to Conceal Plans for March to Capitol, Panel Says - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/12/us/jan-6-panel-trump.html

Tears, Screaming and Insults: Inside an ‘Unhinged’ Meeting to Keep Trump in Power - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/12/us/politics/jan-6-trump-meeting-screaming.html

Jan. 6 panel shows evidence of coordination between far-right groups and Trump allies - https://www.npr.org/2022/07/12/1111132464/jan-6-hearing-recap-oath-keepers-proud-boys

Cipollone corroborated virtually everything from Hutchinson, Jan. 6 panel member says - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/cipollone-corroborated-virtually-everything-hutchinson-jan-6-panel-mem-rcna37742

Ex-Oath Keeper outlines dark worldview behind U.S. Capitol attack - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/07/12/jason-van-tatenhove-oath-keepers-jan-6/

Jan. 6 panel escalates showdown with Trump over influencing witnesses - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/07/12/trump-witness-tampering-jan-6/

Bannon, Facing Jail and Fines, Agrees to Testify to Jan. 6 Panel - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/12/us/politics/bannon-jan-6-trump.html

Judge shreds Bannon defenses ahead of contempt trial - https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/11/judge-shreds-bannon-defenses-ahead-of-contempt-trial-00045191

Where Jan. 6 prosecutions stand, 18 months after the attack - https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/07/jan-6-prosecutions-months-later-00044354

Strongest Evidence of Guilt: Chart Tracking Trump’s Knowledge and Intent in Efforts to Overturn the Election - https://www.justsecurity.org/82247/strongest-evidence-of-guilt-chart-tracking-trumps-knowledge-and-intent-in-efforts-to-overturn-the-election/

Georgia DA’s Trump investigation is making history - https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/08/opinion/georgia-das-trump-investigation-is-making-history/

Georgia DA won’t rule out subpoena for Trump in election interference investigation, says more allies will be called - https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/06/georgia-da-wont-rule-out-subpoena-for-trump-in-election-investigation.html

Trump Calls On Wis. GOP To Nullify Elector Votes, Make Him Victor After Ballot Box Ruling - https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-toss-wisconsin-election-results-victor-ballot-boxes_n_62c9f69ee4b0d74019844775

Trump Lawyer Says He Will Be Reinstated as President if GOP Win Midterms - https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-lawyer-christina-bobb-rsbn-midterms-republicans-election-2020-1723145

These candidates lost badly, but now are claiming fraud - https://www.npr.org/2022/07/02/1109442956/these-candidates-lost-badly-but-now-are-claiming-fraud

Election officials fear copycat attacks as ‘insider threats’ loom - https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/13/election-fraud-local-states-00045444?nname=

Elections expert launches ‘Safeguarding Democracy’ project - https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/07/ucla-elections-project-hasen-00044266

Coalition of democracy groups pushing to expand voting access in Arizona - https://www.kvoa.com/news/local/coalition-of-democracy-groups-pushing-to-expand-voting-access-in-arizona/article_401a59ce-011f-11ed-832a-47e8bd856132.html

Massachusetts high court rejects GOP effort to block voting rights reforms - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/massachusetts-high-court-rejects-gop-effort-block-voting-rights-reform-rcna37695

Petition aimed at protecting Michigan voting rights surpasses required signatures - https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/politics/michigan-politics/petition-protecting-michigan-voting-rights-signatures/69-a1b037e0-d3d7-4a6f-9dba-69f3e0958f27

Inside Missouri's new voter ID law - https://www.kcur.org/podcast/kansas-city-today/2022-07-11/071122

Ballot drop boxes not allowed in Wisconsin, state Supreme Court rules - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/08/wisconsin-ballot-drop-boxes/

Wisconsin Supreme Court Bans Drop Boxes, Suggests Biden’s 2020 Victory Was “Illegitimate” - https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/07/wisconsin-supreme-court-ballot-drop-boxes-voting-biden.html

Vote-by-mail states outperform others in primary turnout this year - https://thefulcrum.us/Elections/Voting/voting-by-mail-2378552

The State of State Election Law – 2022 Mid-Year Report by Voting Rights Lab - https://votingrightslab.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/VotingRightsLab_TheStateOfStateElectionLaw-2022Mid-YearReview.pdf

How Redistricting Gives Republicans New Political Power - https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-redistricting-gives-republicans-new-political-power-11657359001

What It Would Mean For Elections If The Supreme Court Embraces An Extreme Legal Theory - https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-the-supreme-court-could-turbocharge-gerrymandering-just-in-time-for-2024/

The Case That Could Blow Up American Election Law - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/07/how-supreme-court-could-upend-integrity-our-elections/670472/

A Supreme Court decision could radically reshape presidential elections - https://www.npr.org/2022/07/10/1110778838/a-supreme-court-decision-could-radically-reshape-presidential-elections

How Congress Can Preempt the Most Dangerous Possible Ruling of the Next Supreme Court Term - https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/07/congress-independent-legislature-theory-supreme-court-danger.html

‘Operation Higher Court’: Inside the religious right’s efforts to wine and dine Supreme Court justices - https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/08/religious-right-supreme-court-00044739

The Far-Right Christian Quest for Power: ‘We Are Seeing Them Emboldened’- https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/08/us/christian-nationalism-politicians.html

Supreme Court Conservatives Want More Robust ‘Shadow Docket’ - https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/supreme-courts-conservatives-want-more-robust-shadow-docket

The Supreme Court’s Role in the Degradation of U.S. Democracy - https://campaignlegal.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/CLC%202022%20SCOTUS%20Report_final.pdf

Majority of Public Disapproves of Supreme Court’s Decision To Overturn Roe v. Wade - https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/07/06/majority-of-public-disapproves-of-supreme-courts-decision-to-overturn-roe-v-wade/

Under Pressure, Biden Issues Executive Order on Abortion - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/08/us/politics/biden-abortion-executive-order.html

Biden’s abortion response curbed by fears of another Supreme Court showdown - https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/11/biden-abortion-supreme-court-00045113

Hospitals must provide abortions when needed post-Roe, HHS says - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/hospitals-must-provide-abortions-when-needed-post-roe-hhs-says/

Justice Dept. announces task force to fight overreach on abortion bans - https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/07/12/justice-abortion-task-force-gupta/

Democratic cities in Republican states seek ways around abortion bans - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/07/13/abortion-bans-blocked-cities/

Abortion rights groups consistently spent more on lobbying and political contributions than their counterparts. So what happened? - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/07/abortion-rights-groups-consistently-spent-more-on-lobbying-and-political-contributions-than-their-counterparts-so-what-happened

States With Abortion Bans Risk Losing Their Economic Edge - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/11/us/politics/abortion-ban-states-businesses.html

Supreme Court threw a ‘punch to the gut,’ PNW Native leaders say - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/punch-to-the-gut-native-leaders-lawyers-say-supreme-court-ruling-undermines-tribal-sovereignty/

The Supreme Court's EPA ruling was the beginning of something bigger - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/06/supreme-court-epa-ruling-was-beginning-something-bigger/

Virtually no federal regulation is safe from the Supreme Court’s new ‘major legal questions’ doctrine - https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Virtually-no-federal-regulation-is-safe-from-the-17290582.php

The Unnoticed Influence of Special Interests on Climate Change and Pollution Legislation - https://campaignlegal.org/update/unnoticed-influence-special-interests-climate-change-and-pollution-legislation

Billionaires are exerting ever-greater influence on elections as Biden contemplates taxing America's most wealthy: report - https://www.businessinsider.com/billionaires-elections-politics-donations-joe-biden-midterm-vote-2022-7

Billionaires Buying Elections - https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22084293-atf-billionaires-buying-elections-report

THE UBER FILES - https://www.icij.org/investigations/uber-files/

Takeaways from the Uber Files investigation - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/07/10/uber-files-explained/

Uber paid for studies that backed its business model, and is fighting disclosure of current lobbying efforts - https://www.marketwatch.com/story/uber-paid-for-studies-that-backed-its-business-model-and-is-fighting-disclosure-of-current-lobbying-efforts-11657669949

Cause of homelessness? It’s not drugs or mental illness, researchers say - https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/cause-of-homelessness-its-not-drugs-or-mental-illness-researchers-say/

Washington ranked No. 1 for regulating campaign cash - https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2022/07/06/washington-ranked-1-regulating-campaign-cash

Seattle councilmember proposes adding ranked-choice voting decision to November ballot - https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/seattle-councilmember-proposes-adding-ranked-choice-voting-decision-november-ballot/CE7U4AZUCZD6NE7HBQMTDTGTXE/

RCV and approval voting go head-to-head in Seattle - https://thefulcrum.us/approval-voting-vs-ranked-choice