The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Jan. 7, 2026

The Transcript of Former Jan. 6th Prosecutor Jack Smith’s Deposition to the House Judiciary Committee is Released. It’s an Interesting Read.
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee released the transcript of former Special Prosecutor Jack Smith’s December 17th deposition defending his January 6th insurrection and Mar-a-Lago classified documents cases. The 255-page transcript released New Year’s eve shows Smith was convinced that President Donald Trump was responsible for the insurrection.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links. To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - Assault on America’s Democratic Process: The January 6th, 2021 Insurrection by the Numbers
U.S. House Judiciary Committee via PBS - Transcript of Testimony by Former Special Prosecutor Jack Smith
Report of Special Prosecutor - Final Report of the Special Counsel Under 28 C.F.R. § 600.8

Congressional Research Service - The Mar-a-Lago Search Warrant: A Legal Introduction
NPR - NPR's Visual Archive of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot
American Oversight - A Timeline of the Government’s Response on Jan. 6, 2021
ABC News - Timeline: Special counsel's probe into Trump's efforts to overturn 2020 election
Associated Press - A timeline of events leading to Donald Trump’s indictment in the classified documents case

Groups Taking Action:

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, C.R.E.W., Protect Democracy

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #ProtectElections #January6th #StoptheSteal #TrumpCriminalTrials #DonaldTrump #JackSmith

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Jan. 6, 2026

While Texas Trumpets Finding Noncitizens on Its Voter Registration Rolls, the Reality is Less Clear, and Some May Even Be the State’s Fault
Comparing its registered voter list to the federal SAVE database, the State of Texas announced in October it found over 2,700 purported noncitizens on its voter rolls. An oversight by state officials may have accidentally inflated that number.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links. To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice - Homeland Security’s “SAVE” Program Exacerbates Risks to Voters
American Democracy Minute - Class Action Suit by Voters Claims Personal Data Shared to the Trump Administration’s SAVE Database Violates the Privacy Act of 1974
Texas Secretary of State's Office - Texas Completes Citizenship Verifications in the SAVE Database
Texas Tribune - Texas counties are looking into “potential noncitizens” on voter rolls. Here’s what they’re finding.
Votebeat Texas - (2025) Hundreds of Texas voters flagged as potential noncitizens may have already proven their citizenship
Texas Tribune - (2025)Texas secretary of state refers 33 potential noncitizen voters for criminal investigation
NPR - (2019) Some Noncitizens Do Wind Up Registered To Vote, But Usually Not On Purpose

Groups Taking Action:

League of Women Voters TX

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #Texas #NoncitizenVoting #SAVEDatabase #ICE

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Jan. 5, 2026

Ohio Election Oversight Becomes More Partisan on Jan. 1; Utah Judge Allows Legislature to Appeal Replacement Fair Congressional Map
We have state updates today, both with significant implications for voters. Ohio replaced its independent election commission with an “election integrity” commission under the control of the Secretary of State. A Utah judge will allow the legislature to appeal the state’s court-mandated congressional district map, which replaced the legislature’s unconstitutional map last year.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links. To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Ohio Capital Journal - New Ohio Election Integrity Commission begins to take shape
American Democracy Minute - (2024) Polling Shows Ohio Voters Lean Toward Passing Citizen-Led Redistricting Commission Ballot Measure, Despite Disinformation from State Officials
American Democracy Minute - Utah Judge Rejects Legislature’s Gerrymandered Congressional Map, Choosing a Map Which Follows the State Constitution Instead
Utah News Dispatch - Utah redistricting: Judge allows Legislature to appeal one of her rulings to Utah Supreme Court

Groups Taking Action:

Common Cause OH, League of Women Voters UT, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Campaign Legal Center

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #Ohio #Utah #FrankLaRose #FairMaps #Gerrymandering #OHSecretaryofState

American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Jan. 2, 2026

Brian is gone today, but we've posted a still-timely report from September 2025. Happy New Year!

American Bar Association Report Recommends Major Democracy Reforms to Boost Confidence in Elections & Reduce Partisan Polarization
The American Bar Association has issued a final report and recommendations from its ABA Task Force for American Democracy. The report calls for major reforms to elections, civics education and the role of lawyers in defending constitutional governance.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Bar Association - American Bar Association releases final report of the ABA Task Force for American Democracy
American Bar Association - Full Report of the ABA Task Force for American Democracy
Task Force for American Democracy - Website, Task Force Members, Listening Sessions
Task Force for American Democracy - Papers & Resources

Groups Taking Action:

American Bar Association

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #ABA #DemocracyReform #AmericanDemocracy #CivicsEducation

American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Jan. 1, 2026

American Democracy in 2025: Expansion of Presidential Powers has Already Eroded the Independence of Federal Agencies. It May Get Worse.

We’ve been reviewing our most important stories of 2025, and their implications for 2026. Expanded presidential powers, enabled by recent Supreme Court decisions, have eroded independent federal oversight of elections, voter data and campaign finance. It may get worse.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links. To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

NPR - How Trump's firings could upend a 90-year-old Supreme Court ruling limiting his power
The White House - PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS
Brennan Center for Justice - Supreme Court Shadow Docket Tracker — Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
American Democracy Minute -
American Democracy Minute - Like the FEC, the FCC Could Get Taken Over by Partisan Actors Under Executive Order 14215, Potentially Tilting the Election Playing Field
Partnership for Public Service - President Trump’s firing of inspectors general threatens government accountability and efficiency
Campaign Legal Center - Protecting America’s Independent Agencies from Presidential Overreach (Trump v. Slaughter)
American Democracy Minute - How Much Power Does the President Have Over Independent Agencies? Trump vs. Slaughter in the SCOTUS Tests the ‘Unitary Executive” Theory
SCOTUS Blog - Court seems likely to side with Trump on president’s power to fire FTC commissioner

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #2025inReview #UnitaryExecutiveTheory #PresidentialPower #SCOTUS

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 31, 2025

American Democracy in 2025: To Prove Racial Gerrymandering, Minority Voters Must Now Show SCOTUS ‘Intent’ to Discriminate, Not Just ‘Effect’
By any rational measure, the Texas legislature racially gerrymandered its congressional map in 2025 to add five more GOP seats at the request of President Donald Trump. But the U.S. Supreme Court majority allowed it anyway, claiming plaintiffs hadn’t proven their case.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links. To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - (2024) Analysis of the U.S. Supreme Court’s South Carolina Gerrymandering Decision Finds Disturbing Guidance for Lower Courts
American Democracy Minute - (Sept) Trump-Requested Texas Congressional District Gerrymandering Blocked by Federal Court Panel
American Democracy Minute - (December) U.S. Supreme Court Majority Embraces Texas Redistricting, Ignores District Court Panel Racial Gerrymandering Findings
Louisiana Illuminator - Supreme Court lets Texas keep new congressional map while legal battle continues
Brennan Center for Justice - The Supreme Court Messes with Texas’s Voting Map

Groups Taking Action:

LULAC, MALDEF, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Center for American Progress

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #RacialGerrymandering #VotingRightsAct #Texas #FairMaps #USSupremeCourt

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 30, 2025

American Democracy in 2025: The SCOTUS Case Which May End 60 Years of Protection for Minority Voters
We’re looking back at our most important stories of 2025, and what changes to expect for American democracy in 2026. If you’re a voter, it’s been a tough year. If you’re a minority voter, it’s been a really BAD year.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links. To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - (October) In a Big Week for Voting Rights, U.S Supreme Court Hears More Arguments in Louisiana vs. Callais. VRA Protections for Minority Voters are at Stake.
American Democracy Minute - (March) US Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments March 24th in Louisiana v. Callais with Protections for Minority Voters Hanging in the Balance
SCOTUS Blog - Louisiana v. Callais
Ballotpedia - Majority-minority districts
NAACP Legal Defense Fund - What's at Stake in Louisiana v. Callais
Brennan Center for Justice - Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act at the Supreme Court

Groups Taking Action:

Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, ACLU, Legal Defense Fund, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #MajorityMinority #VRASection2 #VotingRights #RacialGerrymandering #VRA

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 29, 2025

Ohio Joins Kansas in Eliminating Grace Periods for Mail-In Ballots; A 2026 Mississippi SCOTUS Case Could Eliminate Them Nationwide
Ohio has joined Kansas in eliminating a grace period for mail-in ballots arriving after election day. A U.S. Supreme Court case from Mississippi could potentially eliminate mail ballot grace periods nationwide, disenfranchising tens of thousands.

Some podcasting platforms strip out our links. To read our resources and see the whole script of today’s report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

The White House - PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS
Kansas Legislature - Senate Bill 4
Kansas Reflector - Kansas Legislature overrides governor’s veto of bill to limit advance voting
BOLTS Magazine - Trump Wants Mail Votes to Arrive By Election Day. Red States Are Rushing to Toe the Line.
Ohio Capital Journal - Gov. DeWine weighing whether to eliminate Ohio’s absentee ballot grace period
Ohio Capital Journal - Ohio Gov. DeWine signs property tax bills, ‘reluctantly’ approves new voting restrictions

Brennan Center for Justice - (2024) Mail Voting Accuracy

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU Ohio, National Vote at Home Institute, Ohio Voice

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #VotebyMail #MailBallotGracePeriod #Ohio #Kansas