The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 15, 2025

Contributors Donate Over $350M to Fund Trump’s $300M White House Ballroom Project. What Might Those Donors Get in Return?
The Trump administration announced a list of 37 corporate and wealthy donors for the White House ballroom project October 22nd, just days after beginning the East Wing’s demolition. Over $350 million dollars has been raised for the $300 million dollar project according to President Trump, and it raises questions of special interests currying favor with the administration.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - (2024) Colossal Crypto Contributions Change Trump’s Mind, Likely Leading to Friendly Regulation – Or None at All
American Democracy Minute - (April) 61 Individual and Corporate Donors Gave $1M or More to Trump’s Inaugural. Where did the $239M Go? We’ll Likely Never Know.
BitGet - Fed Opens Up Direct Payment Pathway for Cryptocurrency Firms
CBS News - What donors to Trump's White House ballroom stand to gain from the federal government
CNN - White House releases list of donors for Trump’s multi-million-dollar ballroom
The White House - White House Ballroom Continues Proud Presidential Legacy
Open Secrets - Private funds flowing into government spaces threaten transparency and accountability
FactCheck.org - Trump’s White House Ballroom Sparks Questions About Funding and Ethics

Groups Taking Action:

C.R.E.W., Issue One, Open Secrets

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #WhiteHouseEastWing #MoneyinPolitics #PoliticalCorruption #WhiteHouseBallroom #DonaldTrump

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 12, 2025

Younger Voters Showed Up and Made a Difference in 2025’s High Profile Elections, Says Recent Tufts University Study

Turnout of younger voters surged in the recent New York City mayoral race and the New Jersey and Virginia races for governor, according to a recent study by the Tufts University CIRCLE research center.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

CIRCLE - Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement - Young Voters Power Mamdani Victory, Shape Key 2025 Elections
The Civics Center - These charts will change the way you think about youth voter turnout

State Court Report - (2024) The New Battle Over Youth Disenfranchisement
The Civics Center - Youth turnout in 2026 - Here’s what we already know about the youngest voters.Including a comparative view of the youngest voters in NH, VA, and MI.

Groups Taking Action:

VOTE.org, VoteRiders, RocktheVote.org

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 #YouthVote #YoungerVoters #YouthTurnout

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 11, 2025

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Challenge to Coordinated Campaign Finance Limits for Political Parties. It Could Unleash a Torrent of Election Cash.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments December 9th on whether money contributed to a political party for certain campaign expenses can be restricted. If the high court overturns a 2001 case, it could open yet another torrent of special interest influence in federal elections.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

U.S. Supreme Court - (All Briefs) Docket for National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Committee
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE - Main Brief
Federal Election Commission - Coordinated party expenditures
Federal Election Commissionn - Understanding independent expenditures
SCOTUS Blog - Supreme Court difficult to read in case on campaign finance limitations
Brennan Center for Justice - National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission

Groups Taking Action:

Campaign Legal Center, American Promise, Common Cause

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 #MoneyinPolitics #EndCitizensUnited #USSupremeCourt #SCOTUS #EndSuperPACs

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 10, 2025

After the SCOTUS Texas Congressional Gerrymandering Decision, Battles Continue in Missouri, Indiana and Florida
After the U.S. Supreme Court majority’s tacit approval of Texas congressional gerrymandering, efforts are ramping up in Indiana and Florida. In Missouri, though, a federal judge has stopped GOP efforts to derail a citizen ballot initiative to overturn that state’s Trump-requested gerrymandering.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

American Democracy Minute - (Nov. 17) Congressional Gerrymandering Arms Race Updates: Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, California and Florida
Missouri Independent - Federal judge rejects Missouri AG’s push to block referendum on gerrymandered map
NBC News - Group seeking to put Missouri's GOP-drawn congressional map before voters submits signatures
Indiana Capital Chronicle - Indiana House approves redistricting bill, sending issue to state Senate
WLRN - Florida starts redistricting talks in a growing battle for House control in 2026 elections
Florida Phoenix - DeSantis says Florida ‘will be forced’ to redistrict because of pending U.S. Supreme Court decision
Florida Phoenix - Florida Democratic House Leader calls plan to redraw congressional map ‘illegal’

Groups Taking Action:

People Not Politicians MO, AllINforDemocracy, Equal Ground

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#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #Gerrymandering #Missouri #Florida #Indiana #FairMaps #TrumpGerrymandering #2026Midterms

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 9, 2025

How Much Power Does the President Have Over Independent Agencies? Trump vs. Slaughter in the SCOTUS Tests the ‘Unitary Executive” Theory
A case before the U.S. Supreme Court December 8th tests the “unitary executive” theory – how much power the presidency has over agencies Congress designed to be “independent”. The Federal Election Commission is one of those agencies.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Federal Trade Commission - Commissioners
American Democracy Minute - Executive Order Asserting Presidential Authority Over Independent Agencies Could Put Federal Election Oversight Under Partisan Control
Economic Policy Institute - Firing FTC Commissioners
SCOTUS Blog - Trump v. Slaughter: an explainer
Brennan Center for Justice - Historian’s Amicus Brief in Trump v. Slaughter
NPR - Legal scholar discusses SCOTUS case on the firing of a Democratic FTC commissioner

Groups Taking Action:

Campaign Legal Center, Protect Democracy, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

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 #UnitaryExecutive #DonaldTrump #TrumpvSlaughter #SCOTUS #USSupremeCourt #PresidentialPower

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 8, 2025

U.S. Supreme Court Majority Embraces Texas Redistricting, Ignores District Court Panel Racial Gerrymandering Findings
The U.S. Supreme Court handed the State of Texas and the Trump administration a huge win December 4th, overruling a district court panel’s compelling racial gerrymandering findings. The gerrymandered maps likely deliver five more GOP congressional seats in the 2026 midterms.

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 - (Nov. 20) Trump-Requested Texas Congressional District Gerrymandering Blocked by Federal Court Panel
American Democracy Minute - (Nov. 26) The Purcell Principle, Often Used in the SCOTUS Shadow Docket, Will Be Argued in the Texas Gerrymandering Decision. What is it?
U.S. Supreme Court - GREG ABBOTT, ET AL. v. LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS, ET AL. ON APPLICATION FOR STAY (Includes Dissents)
SCOTUS Blog - Supreme Court allows Texas to use redistricting map challenged as racially discriminatory
NPR - Supreme Court lets Texas use gerrymandered map that could give GOP 5 more House seats

Groups Taking Action:

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), NAACP, MALDEF

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 #TexasGerrymandering #RacialGerrymandering #USSupremeCourt #SCOTUS

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 5, 2025

Another Politician Accused of Public Corruption, Congressman Henry Cuellar, is Pardoned by President Donald Trump

U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar faced years in prison, accused of taking $600,000 in bribes from two foreign companies. President Donald Trump just pardoned the Democrat December 3rd, after which Cuellar filed for reelection.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Texas Tribune - (2022) FBI raid portends political and legal challenges for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar
American Democracy Minute - (2024) Shades of Corruption: Menendez & Cuellar Prosecuted for Accepting Cash & Cars; Trump Reportedly Promises Climate Rollbacks for $1B in Campaign Contributions from Big Oil with Repercussions Unlikely
Biden U.S. Department of Justice - (2024) U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar Charged with Bribery and Acting as a Foreign Agent
Texas Tribune - Donald Trump to pardon Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar
Politico - Henry Cuellar will seek reelection as a Democrat after Trump pardon


President Donald Trump on Truth Social - Announcement of Pardon for Congressman Henry Cuellar
Pew Research - Majorities of Latinos Disapprove of Trump and His Policies on Immigration, Economy

Groups Taking Action:

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)

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 #HenryCuellar #Corruption #TrumpPardon #Bribery #RepCuellar

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Dec. 4, 2025

Part of Georgia’s Infamous SB 202 Voter Suppression Law Will Get Another Day in Court, Says Federal Court Panel
Georgia was one of the first states to pass sweeping voter suppression laws after the 2020 election. Among many major changes, Senate Bill 202 made it harder to vote by mail and banned giving food and water to voters in line. It survived court challenges, but December 1st, an 11th Circuit federal court panel said free speech issues needed to be considered.

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Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:

Brennan Center for Justice - Impacts of Restrictive Voting Legislation Since the 2020 Election
M.V. (Trey) Hood III, Univ. of Georgia & Seth C. McKee, Oklahoma State Univ. - Gauging the Effects of SB 202 on Voting in Georgia
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit - Plaintiffs in re: Georgia Senate Bill 202
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit - Opinion in GEORGIA SENATE BILL 202.
Georgia Recorder - Georgia ban on ‘line warming’ at the polls revived after new ruling

Groups Taking Action:

ACLU GA, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, League of Women Voters GA

Register or Check Your Voter Registration:

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

Please follow us on Facebook and Bluesky Social, and SHARE!

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Are you a radio station? Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network's Audioport and PRX

#News #Democracy #DemocracyNews #Georgia #LineWarming #SoulstothePolls #VoterSuppression #SB202