North Carolina Press Release
Press
Media Contacts
Katie Scally
Communications Director
kscally@commoncause.org
202-736-5713
Ariana Marmolejo
Communications Strategist
amarmolejo@commoncause.org
Kenny Colston
Regional Communications Strategist (Midwest)
kcolston@commoncause.org
Maya Majikas
Communications Strategist
mmajikas@commoncause.org
Common Cause’s network of national and state democracy reform experts are frequent media commentators. To talk with one of our experts, please reach out to any member of the press team above.
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Mercury News: The campaign to replace U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo is California’s most expensive House race. Here’s where the money is flowing.
Sean McMorris, the transparency, ethics and accountability program manager for good government group California Common Cause, said it becomes an accountability issue because some self-funded candidates don’t engage with voters as much because they don’t need to solicit as many donations.
“Money should not dictate who should run for office or who gets elected,” he said.
At the congressional level, money plays a large role in the election, and while McMorris said it’s not the “determining factor,”...
“Money should not dictate who should run for office or who gets elected,” he said.
At the congressional level, money plays a large role in the election, and while McMorris said it’s not the “determining factor,”...
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Colorado Politics: Colorado lawmakers seek to penalize ‘fake electors’ under perjury laws
"There must be consequences for overturning the will of the voters, both to prevent these schemes from being attempted in the future and to ensure accountability to those responsible for future attempts," added Aly Belknap of Colorado Common Cause.
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Colorado Politics: ‘Deepfakes’ and AI content: Colorado lawmakers dive into new tech ahead of November elections
Aly Belknap with Colorado Common Cause echoed Holman’s concerns, highlighting the pervasiveness of deepfakes and other avenues for spreading “disinformation,” such as fake social media profiles. These issues, she said, combined with declining trust in the media among Americans, pose a threat to the future of fair elections.
“The availability of generative AI tools makes it easier than ever to spread false information and propaganda with little resources and at a large scale, leaving voters confused and further...
“The availability of generative AI tools makes it easier than ever to spread false information and propaganda with little resources and at a large scale, leaving voters confused and further...
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San Francisco Chronicle/CalMatters: Why Does California Elect Local Judges?
That's concerning to Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of Common Cause California, an advocacy group that focuses on fair elections and representation: "Our judges are supposed to be above the fray of politics and totally unbiased in their decision-making," he wrote in an email. "Whether or not that's actually true, it certainly does not help public perception of the judiciary to force our judges to raise special interest dollars, make campaign promises, and so forth."
He added that even very engaged voters struggle to...
He added that even very engaged voters struggle to...
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Oregon Public Broadcasting: Campaign finance limits crafted by major donors will now go before Oregon lawmakers
“We would love to see the legislature accomplish this critical issue for our democracy,” Common Cause Oregon, one of the ballot measure’s backers, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the current proposal does not serve the goals we support.”
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San Francisco Chronicle/San Jose Spotlight: Special Interests Spend Big In Silicon Valley Congressional Race
Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager for California Common Cause, said super PACs are likely spending more in this race because it's an open seat. McMorris added that even if there's no coordination between candidates and the super PACs, these groups support candidates who they think would best protect the groups' interests.
"It sends a strong message," McMorris told San Jose Spotlight. "They're hoping in one way or another that the candidate feels some type of obligation toward them once...
"It sends a strong message," McMorris told San Jose Spotlight. "They're hoping in one way or another that the candidate feels some type of obligation toward them once...
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CBS Austin (VIDEO): Most Texas voters say political violence “likely” over 2024 election, poll finds
"Both parties have an obligation to be pushing back against that distrust, that lie, and that misinformation about our elections, and calling for calm and easy elections, where everyone can cast their ballot freely from intimidation," Katya Ehresman, voting rights program manager with Common Cause Texas, said.
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Spectrum News (VIDEO): Four Republican committee chairs, including Wisconsin’s Mike Gallagher, are leaving Congress
“This is money that was contributed to a campaign for a purpose of getting them elected or re-elected to a specific office,” said Jay Heck, the executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin. “And once a member of Congress has decided they’re no longer going to run for that office, it seems to me that any leftover money ought to be liquidated, that the money should either be donated to a charity, maybe given back to the U.S. taxpayers in the form of a contribution to the debt.”
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Spectrum News (VIDEO): Common Cause New York director on state’s ongoing redistricting process
Viewers of a certain age may remember the movie the "Never Ending Story."
Well, all New Yorkers are familiar with the state's own never-ending story — redistricting. For reaction to the latest addition to this saga, Capital Tonight was joined Tuesday by Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York.
Well, all New Yorkers are familiar with the state's own never-ending story — redistricting. For reaction to the latest addition to this saga, Capital Tonight was joined Tuesday by Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York.
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Democracy Docket: Wisconsin Governor Signs Fair Legislative Maps in Historic and Long-Awaited Victory for Voters
Common Cause Wisconsin hailed the signing of the maps, writing in a statement that “the citizens and voters of Wisconsin have prevailed.”
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Bloomberg: Ballots & Boundaries – ‘Veto His Own Maps?’
“Democrats were champing at the bit to have these maps six months ago, now they wish they had a chance to get a better court-approved map,” said Jay Heck, executive director or Common Cause in Wisconsin and a backer of the legislation. “C’mon. What’s he going to do, veto his own maps?”
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USA Today/Gannett: Hawaii has a voter enthusiasm problem, could publicly funded campaigns help?
Common Cause Hawaii’s program manager, Camron Hurt, emphasized the need for more comprehensive changes to make Hawaii’s elections free from outside influence, more competitive and more popular.
“I think those (other reforms) are all tools to fix the same wheel. Right. So I think we fixed parts of the wheel, but the wheel still isn’t moving as efficiently as it can,” Hunt said.
“I think those (other reforms) are all tools to fix the same wheel. Right. So I think we fixed parts of the wheel, but the wheel still isn’t moving as efficiently as it can,” Hunt said.
