Press Release
Government Watchdog Supports New Bill to Ban Members of Congress from Trading Stock
Majority of Americans support a stock trading ban
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.
News Clip
Los Angeles Times Editorial: Los Angeles needs a bigger City Council. Here are three ways to get it
Some groups argue L.A. shouldn’t pick a number, but rather set the ideal level of representation. California Common Cause, a good-government advocacy organization, has urged the city to create 150,000-resident districts — the equivalent of 27 districts based on current population — and allow the number of districts to rise or fall every 10 years with population changes.
A hybrid system has some potential pitfalls, warned Kathay Feng with Common Cause.
“I do think you can have a mixed system if the...
A hybrid system has some potential pitfalls, warned Kathay Feng with Common Cause.
“I do think you can have a mixed system if the...
News Clip
HuffPost: House GOP Wants To Make It Harder To Vote, Easier To Give Dark Money
“There’s a clear contrast here between the two visions for what each party views for going forward with American democracy,” said Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, a nonpartisan nonprofit. “One party wants to make it harder for Americans to vote and wants there to be more big money in politics, and the other party wants to make sure that all eligible Americans can vote and wants to make sure big money does not dominate politics.”
News Clip
CalMatters: What happened to the big changes to California elections?
Officials from Common Cause California, a good government advocacy group that is co-sponsoring AB 1248 and AB 764, said they’re excited to see the “groundswell of support” for independent redistricting this year.
“There are some technical amendments to do to make sure the bills don’t conflict with each other,” said Laurel Brodzinsky, legislative director for the organization. “But definitely on a policy level, it’s really exciting to see.”
“There are some technical amendments to do to make sure the bills don’t conflict with each other,” said Laurel Brodzinsky, legislative director for the organization. “But definitely on a policy level, it’s really exciting to see.”
News Clip
Wisconsin Examiner (Op-Ed): The future of free and fair elections in Wisconsin could hinge on the fate of Meagan Wolfe
Wisconsin voters of all political views and stripes would be best served by Meagan Wolfe continuing in her current role. The integrity of the 2024 election and its adherence to the law and to fairness and democracy just might depend on it.
News Clip
Cape Gazette: Seaford voting bill, bond bill pass house after some maneuvering
Common Cause of Delaware along with the American Civil Liberties Union both oppose the legislation that they say will dilute votes of minority residents.
“We’re horrified and disappointed that this bill passed. Corporations have no place in our elections – full stop,” said Claire Snyder-Hall, executive director of Common Cause Delaware. “In a state with more registered businesses than residents, this bill gives wealthy outsiders the power to override the actual people of Seaford. Hopefully, it will not make it through...
“We’re horrified and disappointed that this bill passed. Corporations have no place in our elections – full stop,” said Claire Snyder-Hall, executive director of Common Cause Delaware. “In a state with more registered businesses than residents, this bill gives wealthy outsiders the power to override the actual people of Seaford. Hopefully, it will not make it through...
News Clip
Associated Press: 6 charged in alleged straw donor scheme to help get Eric Adams elected New York City mayor
Susan Lerner, the executive director of the watchdog group Common Cause New York, said it was too soon to know if Adams had acted improperly. But she said the indictment was evidence that the city’s public financing system was working as intended.
“The campaign finance system we have in New York City deliberately makes it harder for people who want to buy influence,” Lerner said. “The lesson here is do not try to game the system because you will be caught.”
“The campaign finance system we have in New York City deliberately makes it harder for people who want to buy influence,” Lerner said. “The lesson here is do not try to game the system because you will be caught.”
News Clip
Stateline: As states hunt for new voters, Massachusetts adds thousands via Medicaid applications
“We know there are folks engaging with these state agencies who otherwise aren’t registered to vote, so this is a great way to ensure they’re getting on the voter rolls,” said Geoff Foster, the executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, which played a key role in getting the state’s Medicaid AVR system passed.
“AVR was a huge win to address … the disconnect keeping a certain part of our population who are otherwise eligible to vote from getting on the voter rolls. And Medicaid recipients are certainly part...
“AVR was a huge win to address … the disconnect keeping a certain part of our population who are otherwise eligible to vote from getting on the voter rolls. And Medicaid recipients are certainly part...
News Clip
Roll Call: Election rulings temper Supreme Court’s conservative streak
In a Voting Rights Act case, Allen v. Milligan, a 5-4 majority of the court upheld that Alabama lawmakers may be required to draw a second congressional district where Black voters could elect candidates of their choice before the 2024 election. Kathay Feng, vice president of programs at Common Cause, said the case has massive consequences for minority voters nationwide.
“Even though people have been very worried about the Supreme Court upending precedent in high-profile cases, in Allen v. Milligan, where the court said the...
“Even though people have been very worried about the Supreme Court upending precedent in high-profile cases, in Allen v. Milligan, where the court said the...
News Clip
Inside Sources/Tribune New Service/St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Op-Ed): ‘We the People’ must strengthen our democracy
The state of the republic is precarious. But I am hopeful that democracy will prevail because it is resilient.
We the people have faced serious threats in the past, including even the Civil War, and we have overcome them. We must continue to pass laws to strengthen our democracy in many states. In other states, we will not back down from defeating a new generation of Jim Crow laws crafted to keep targeted communities from the polls.
We the people have faced serious threats in the past, including even the Civil War, and we have overcome them. We must continue to pass laws to strengthen our democracy in many states. In other states, we will not back down from defeating a new generation of Jim Crow laws crafted to keep targeted communities from the polls.
News Clip
Omaha World-Herald: Spending on lobbyists climbs past $21 million in Nebraska
The report, released by Common Cause Nebraska, showed that the businesses and organizations that hire lobbyists spent more than $21.4 million on their lobbying efforts during 2022. That’s up 5.5% from the year before and 10.6% from 2019, before the pandemic hit.
“It’s pretty dramatic, I think,” said Jack Gould, the Common Cause issues chair. “This report shows the ever-growing influence of lobbying and why Nebraskans must demand better.”
Gould said the figures are a concern because the groups that can...
“It’s pretty dramatic, I think,” said Jack Gould, the Common Cause issues chair. “This report shows the ever-growing influence of lobbying and why Nebraskans must demand better.”
Gould said the figures are a concern because the groups that can...
News Clip
Public News Service: IN Voter Turnout Shows Disinterest in Elections, Politics
Julia Vaughn, executive director of the nonpartisan political watchdog group Common Cause Indiana, pointed to one indicator of a healthy democracy.
"Voter turnout is one of the ways that we judge whether or not you have a vibrant democracy," said Vaughn. "You know, are people participating? Do they want to come out and make their voices heard through the electoral process?"
Vaughn said it's more proof that concern is growing as the next presidential contest draws near.
"People have had a sense of...
"Voter turnout is one of the ways that we judge whether or not you have a vibrant democracy," said Vaughn. "You know, are people participating? Do they want to come out and make their voices heard through the electoral process?"
Vaughn said it's more proof that concern is growing as the next presidential contest draws near.
"People have had a sense of...
News Clip
Associated Press: Delaware House approves bill allowing business entities to vote in town’s municipal elections
Claire Snyder-Hall, executive director of Common Cause Delaware, criticized the House vote, saying corporations have no place in elections.
“In a state with more registered businesses than residents, this bill gives wealthy outsiders the power to override the actual people of Seaford,” she said in a news release.
“In a state with more registered businesses than residents, this bill gives wealthy outsiders the power to override the actual people of Seaford,” she said in a news release.
