Democracy Happy Hour – March 23, 2022

* Democracy Happy Hour, March 23, 2022 - Meeting Recordings & Chat File:

• Speaker View Recording: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/D-Kkej_88quXhi9QpjfilWzpQH5kupxSwGiq_UTifr7idHJ8hRiqFjnLxU4JoWCGji4itd3DYZeumCUa.pgBHWBKYKZQ5-9BL
• Gallery View Recording:  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/aOV9kGu3NtI6ji2AvNiGmxo6XqjeH9RbbQKinmc8_DmsO3HM0F-xbmizWdNbm_Co6VSMk9Ye7PqyXVKg.8h3tilJA8ga6uZoU
• Chat (Link will download a text file to your computer):  https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/sdownload/skfo3M1qkuTV68jokXkLA-i68CURwkaCMrN2UtA_NDgxpMpzmm37xU60-Ikz1cFmOqwPqN6YqGM5WISC.KJZ2ifcqVdB5HNRr

Actions, Events & Misc. Links:

DONATE to Fix Democracy First or Fix Democracy First Education Fund @ https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/donate

Upcoming topics:

• Mar 30th - Social Media Management to Support Democracy w/ Jeremy Chase
• Apr 6th – School Board Elections

YO VOTE! (Youth Organizers for Voter Outreach, Teaching & Engagement) - https://www.yo-vote.org/donate

WON (Women in Office Now) – https://www.fixdemocracyfirst.org/won

Sign Petition - Boeing, Support Our Fundamental Democratic Values - asking Boeing withdraw funding to Jan 6th seditionist Members of Congress - https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/boeing-support-our-fundamental-democratic-values/

Free the Vote! Celebrating Voting Rights Restoration in WA – April 7th @ 6 pm - https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcucuCvrDsvGtXZGHqjR_08lpOT1s2YZJ-w

U.S. Supreme Court: Impact of Recent & Upcoming Decisions Links:

Supreme Court of the United States - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States

Supreme Court Procedures - https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/supreme-1

About the Court - https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/justices.aspx

Ketanji Brown Jackson - Supreme Court Confirmation Hearing Highlights - https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/22/us/ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court-us

Ketanji Brown Jackson gets widespread support even as partisan division grows - https://thefulcrum.us/Government/Judicial/ketanji-brown-jackson

GOP Dark Money Criticisms in Supreme Court Fight Mirror Democrats - https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/gop-dark-money-criticisms-in-supreme-court-fight-mirror-democrats-1

SCOTUS Blog - https://www.scotusblog.com/

Contentious Fringe Legal Theory Could Reshape State Election Laws - https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/03/18/contentious-fringe-legal-theory-could-reshape-state-election-laws

Supreme Court Sides With Republicans in Case on Wisconsin Redistricting - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/23/us/politics/supreme-court-wisconsin-redistricting.html

US Supreme Court hears arguments in NC voter ID case - https://www.wral.com/us-supreme-court-hears-arguments-in-nc-voter-id-case/20197825/

Supreme Court conservatives say religious groups should be free to hire only like-minded believers - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-conservatives-say-religious-groups-free-hire-only-minded-rcna20663

Important Supreme Court Cases of 2021-2022 - https://www.legalscoops.com/important-supreme-court-cases-of-2021-2022/

Notable Supreme Court decisions passed in 2021 - https://stacker.com/stories/15212/notable-supreme-court-decisions-passed-2021

Opinions from 2021 - https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/year/2021.html

2021-2022 Term - https://www.oyez.org/cases/2021

Supreme Court Case Quick Updates - 2021 Term (Oct. 2021 - Sept. 2022) - https://www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_justice/resources/case_updates/

Most Americans Don’t Think Supreme Court Acts In A ‘Serious And Constitutional Manner’ And Want Reforms, Poll Finds - https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/03/15/most-americans-dont-think-supreme-court-acts-in-a-serious-and-constitutional-manner-and-want-reforms-poll-finds/

Democracy in the News Links:

Madeleine Albright, First Woman to Serve as Secretary of State, Dies at 84 - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/23/us/madeleine-albright-dead.html

Witness Claims Trump’s Chief of Staff Was on Phone Call Planning Jan. 6 March on Capitol - https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/jan6-trump-mark-meadows-capitol-attack-republicans-1324218/

Under Trump, DHS directed to probe bogus claims about voter fraud - https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/18/trump-dhs-bogus-claims-voter-fraud-00018365

Mark Meadows now under investigation for alleged voter fraud in North Carolina - https://www.salon.com/2022/03/21/mark-meadows-now-under-investigation-for-alleged-fraud-in-north-carolina/

Republicans Push Crackdown on Crime Wave That Doesn’t Exist: Voter Fraud - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/17/us/politics/republican-voter-fraud.html

Some GOP states seek new police units for election probes - https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/gop-states-seek-police-units-election-probes-83508317

House Democrats call on Justice Department to address 'insider threats' posed by candidates who believe false election fraud claims - https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/16/politics/justice-department-insider-threats-election-claim/index.html

Decline in federal grant funding for local elections criticized by advocates - https://idahocapitalsun.com/2022/03/17/decline-in-federal-grant-funding-for-local-elections-criticized-by-advocates/

The real – and far scarier – reason Republicans think Biden is illegitimate - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/21/republicans-biden-trump-election-democracy

Polarization in Congress hits half-century peak - https://www.axios.com/polarization-congress-democrats-republicans-house-senate-data-79e3fc6e-fd7d-4729-98c2-e168926ca581.html

Pro-Trump group sent armed members door-to-door in Colorado to “intimidate” voters: Lawsuit - https://www.salon.com/2022/03/21/pro-group-sent-armed-members-door-to-door-in-colorado-to-intimidate-voters/

Voter fraud probes underway in several Florida counties - https://www.politico.com/newsletters/florida-playbook/2022/03/22/voter-fraud-probes-underway-in-several-florida-counties-00019113

Texas prevails in three separate challenges to its election code before the Fifth Circuit - https://www.courthousenews.com/texas-prevails-in-three-separate-challenges-to-its-election-code-before-the-fifth-circuit/

Mail Ballot Rejections Surge in Texas, With Signs of a Race Gap - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/18/us/politics/texas-primary-ballot-rejections.html

Georgia House passes sweeping bill with new election policing powers - https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/15/politics/georgia-house-election-fraud-bill/index.html

Arizona GOP files lawsuit, wants state supreme court to rule early voting unconstitutional - https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-gop-files-lawsuit-wants-state-supreme-court-to-rule-early-voting-unconstitutional

Arizona Senate GOP revives controversial election bill - https://www.knau.org/knau-and-arizona-news/2022-03-22/arizona-senate-gop-revives-controversial-election-bill

Every voter’s name, address and ballot would be published online after every election under GOP proposal - https://www.azmirror.com/blog/every-voters-name-address-and-ballot-would-be-published-online-after-every-election-under-gop-proposal/

GOP push for new voting restrictions in Michigan ramps up ahead of June 1 deadline - https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/17/politics/michigan-republican-voting-restrictions-petition-whitmer-veto/index.html

Colorado Democrats look to crack down on insider election threats and misinformation - https://www.npr.org/2022/03/22/1087377071/colorado-democrats-look-to-crack-down-on-insider-election-threats-and-misinforma

Judge dismisses claim that Mark Zuckerberg-linked Michigan election donations were illegal - https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2022/03/judge-dismisses-claim-that-mark-zuckerberg-linked-michigan-election-donations-were-illegal.html

Indiana governor signs election security bill into law - https://www.wdrb.com/news/indiana-governor-signs-election-security-bill-into-law/article_aa8aa52a-a562-11ec-ac03-8353998bd8cd.html

The race to change voting rules is on - https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/22/politics/voting-rule-changes-ctzn/index.html

Comprehensive Bill Search - https://tracker.votingrightslab.org/pending/search
Did Alaska’s redistricting board gerrymander state Senate districts to favor Republicans? The state Supreme Court hears the case. - https://www.adn.com/politics/2022/03/18/did-alaskas-redistricting-board-gerrymander-state-senate-districts-to-favor-republicans-the-state-supreme-court-hears-the-case/#

Alaska Supreme Court considers greater scrutiny on redistricting - https://midnightsunak.com/2022/03/22/alaska-supreme-court-considers-greater-scrutiny-on-redistricting/

Florida Governor DeSantis wants to eliminate 2 proposed Black voting districts - https://www.npr.org/2022/03/20/1087766111/florida-governor-desantis-wants-to-eliminate-2-proposed-black-voting-districts

Florida’s Redistricting Process Headed for a ‘Train Wreck’ as Veto, Lawsuits Loom - https://www.chronline.com/stories/floridas-redistricting-process-headed-for-a-train-wreck-as-veto-lawsuits-loom,286173

Maryland’s high court set to hear gerrymandering case that delayed state’s elections - https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/03/23/maryland-gerrymandering-legislative-maps-trial/

Gov. Sununu promises veto for NH Republicans’ redrawn congressional map - https://www.wmur.com/article/chris-sununu-veto-redistricting-map/39464608#

Ohio Supreme Court rejects GOP-drawn Statehouse district maps for the third time - https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2022/03/17/ohio-supreme-court-rejects-gop-drawn-statehouse-district-maps-for-the-third-time/

Ohio Republicans discussing impeachment of Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor after map ruling - https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2022/03/18/ohio-republicans-want-impeach-maureen-oconnor-over-redistricting/7088996001/

With 6 weeks until Ohio's primary, many voting districts still haven't been decided - https://www.npr.org/2022/03/23/1088095613/with-6-weeks-until-ohios-primary-many-voting-districts-still-havent-been-decided

Gov. Mike DeWine’s suggestion to break Ohio’s redistricting impasse: have mapmakers collaborate on bipartisan plan - https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/03/gov-mike-dewines-suggestion-to-break-ohios-redistricting-impasse-have-mapmakers-collaborate-on-bipartisan-plan.html

Pa. Supreme Court rejects legal challenges to state’s new legislative maps - https://www.spotlightpa.org/news/2022/03/pennsylvania-legislative-maps-constitutional-supreme-court-challenges/

Latino organization to argue to TX Supreme Court over redistricting - https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/latino-organization-to-argue-to-tx-supreme-court-over-redistricting/

Lawsuit claims unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering in Utah - https://thefulcrum.us/utah-redistricting

Washington redistricting plan challenged anew - https://washingtonstatewire.com/washington-redistricting-plan-challenged-anew/

WA redistricting panel withheld text messages, possibly breaking the law - https://crosscut.com/politics/2022/03/wa-redistricting-panel-withheld-text-messages-possibly-breaking-law

How This Redistricting Cycle Failed To Increase Representation For People Of Color — And Could Even Set It Back - https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-this-redistricting-cycle-failed-to-increase-representation-for-people-of-color-and-could-even-set-it-back/

Redistricting could make it harder for tribes to protect the environment - https://grist.org/indigenous/redistricting-could-make-it-harder-for-tribes-to-protect-the-environment/

Very Few Voters Understand What’s Happening With Redistricting - https://morningconsult.com/2022/03/21/redistricting-racial-partisan-county-gerrymandering-survey/
U.S. judiciary approves automating release of judges' financial disclosure reports - https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-judiciary-approves-automating-release-judges-financial-disclosure-reports-2022-03-15/

The Federal Election Commission slapped Marathon Petroleum Corporation with a $85,000 fine after it illegally contributed $1 million to 2 Republican PACs - https://www.businessinsider.com/fec-marathon-oil-85000-fine-campaign-finance-violation-2022-3

Sarah Bloom Raskin Withdraws Her Nomination to the Federal Reserve Board - https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/sarah-bloom-raskin-withdraws-her-nomination-to-the-federal-reserve-board

Why Joe Manchin Sank Sarah Bloom Raskin’s Nomination - https://newrepublic.com/article/165746/joe-manchin-sank-sarah-bloom-raskins-nomination

Georgia attorney general takes campaign cash from drug lobby while negotiating opioid agreement - https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-attorney-general-takes-campaign-cash-from-drug-lobby-while-negotiating-opioid-agreement/CAGL456PARGIBIFM6DLHCOZQRA/

Oregon Supreme Court declines to review Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s decision to kill campaign contribution limit proposals - https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/03/oregon-supreme-court-declines-to-review-secretary-of-state-shemia-fagans-decision-to-kill-campaign-contribution-limit-proposals.html

Stacey Abrams sues to lift Georgia limits on candidate fundraising - https://www.courthousenews.com/stacey-abrams-sues-to-lift-georgia-limits-on-candidate-fundraising/

How Ted Cruz gets around a key campaign finance rule - https://www.salon.com/2022/03/22/how-ted-cruz-gets-around-a-key-campaign-finance-rule_partner/

Analysis: Trump is a fundraising giant but his miserly spending raises questions - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-is-fundraising-giant-his-miserly-spending-raises-questions-2022-03-22/

Historian Nancy MacLean on the Snowballing Emergency of American Democracy - https://capitalandmain.com/historian-nancy-maclean-on-the-snowballing-emergency-of-american-democracy

U.S. SEC proposes companies disclose range of climate risks, emissions data - https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-sec-set-unveil-landmark-climate-change-disclosure-rule-2022-03-21/

More than $690,000 in political contributions traced to associates of a foreign national facing charges related to ‘straw donor’ scheme - https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2022/03/more-than-690000-in-political-contributions-traced-to-associates-of-a-foreign-national-facing-charges-related-to-straw-donor-scheme/

As Koch Industries continues business in Russia, Koch-backed groups oppose sanctions - https://popular.info/p/as-koch-industries-continues-business?s=r

Groups opposed to gay rights rake in millions as states debate anti-LGBTQ bills - https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/groups-opposed-gay-rights-rake-millions-states-debate-anti-lgbtq-bills-rcna21016

Disney Employees Walk Out Amid Furor Over Florida Legislation - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/22/business/media/disney-florida-employee-protests.html

Women’s Rights and Democracy Are Inextricably Linked - https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/womens-rights-and-democracy-are-inextricably-linked

Washington state prohibits Texas-style abortion lawsuits - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/inslee-signs-into-law-washington-prohibition-on-texas-style-abortion-lawsuits/

Nearly two dozen WA lawmakers decide not to seek re-election to their seats - https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/politics-government/article259545259.html?ac_cid=DM623278&ac_bid=-684591205

Maine House advances bill to allow ranked-choice voting in communities statewide - https://www.centralmaine.com/2022/03/22/maine-house-advances-bill-to-allow-ranked-choice-voting-in-communities/