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
Politico: Top New York City Hall aide worked quietly with state super PAC
“I don’t think that any New York City resident would question whether the real estate interests were giving this money out of the goodness of their heart, or if they felt they were going to get access in return,” said Susan Lerner, head of Common Cause New York, a good government group.
“This is just an end run around the limits,” Lerner said. “And it’s wrong.”
With City Council elections coming up this year and state races again on the horizon in 2024, Lerner, the good government watchdog, argued...
“This is just an end run around the limits,” Lerner said. “And it’s wrong.”
With City Council elections coming up this year and state races again on the horizon in 2024, Lerner, the good government watchdog, argued...
News Clip
New York Times: Texas Republicans Push New Voting Restrictions Aimed at Houston
“It’s definitely one of the most damaging,” said Katya Ehresman, the voting rights program manager at the advocacy group Common Cause Texas, because by limiting voters’ options it could decrease turnout. The bill, like others that have made it through the Senate, must still pass the more moderate, Republican-controlled State House.
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Charlotte Observer: NC abortion bill didn’t need to move at ‘light speed,’ transparency advocates say
Common Cause NC, an open government advocacy group, has pushed for legislation to require 24 hours between the time a bill has been introduced and the time it goes to committee and at least 24 hours before a bill goes to a floor vote.
“We didn’t even have 12 hours with this bill — and it was a 40-page-long bill,” Jane Pinsky, a program director with Common Cause, said. “It’s impossible to expect a legislator to do their job if they have 10 minutes to read a 40-page bill.”
Pinsky said that people,...
“We didn’t even have 12 hours with this bill — and it was a 40-page-long bill,” Jane Pinsky, a program director with Common Cause, said. “It’s impossible to expect a legislator to do their job if they have 10 minutes to read a 40-page bill.”
Pinsky said that people,...
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Associated Press: New Twitter rules expose election offices to spoof accounts
“Because Twitter is dropping the ball on verification, the burden will fall on voters to double check that the information they are consuming and sharing is legitimate,” said Jill Greene, voting and elections manager for Common Cause Pennsylvania.
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Dallas Morning News/PolitiFact: Yes, a Texas bill would give GOP power to call election do-overs in Harris County
“As written, the bill does not clearly define ‘good cause’ and that is a serious problem that could easily throw our elections into chaos,” said Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas, a group aiming to keep elections free, fair and accessible.
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The Nation: North Carolina Republicans Just Took Gerrymandering to a Whole New Level
“It’s a radical departure…a 180-degree change in how we have considered our system of government and the role of courts,” said Hilary Harris Klein, senior counsel for voting rights for a coalition of Southern-based groups, including Common Cause.
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PolitiFact: Successful program finds voters who moved or died. Why are states leaving it before 2024 elections?
The key to having any interstate program function properly is having as many states participate as possible, said Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of Common Cause Texas, a nonpartisan group dedicated to upholding American democracy.
"If Texas is going to lead the charge to have a bunch of red states create their own system, it’s hard to see how that can possibly be successful with such limited participation," he said.
"If Texas is going to lead the charge to have a bunch of red states create their own system, it’s hard to see how that can possibly be successful with such limited participation," he said.
News Clip
Ohio Capital Journal: GOP plan to advance 60% amendment in August looking wobbly after second hearing cancelled
Speaking after lawmakers canceled Wednesday’s hearing Mia Lewis from Common Cause dismissed the August election measure as “shenanigans.”
“Ohioans will not accept this going onto an August special election. It’s not acceptable,” Lewis insisted. “It’s $20 million for no reason. Or for a very bad reason! Which is to try to subvert democracy, and people will not stand for it. I think they’re starting to read the writing on the wall.”
Lewis acknowledged they might not muster quite as many...
“Ohioans will not accept this going onto an August special election. It’s not acceptable,” Lewis insisted. “It’s $20 million for no reason. Or for a very bad reason! Which is to try to subvert democracy, and people will not stand for it. I think they’re starting to read the writing on the wall.”
Lewis acknowledged they might not muster quite as many...
News Clip
Bloomberg: Why Redistricting Is Still Happening in 2023 — And Where
Lawsuits challenging the state’s legislative and congressional district lines “will most definitely” be filed, Wisconsin Common Cause Executive Director Jay Heck said after progressives won majority control of the state Supreme Court in an election last month. Justice-elect Janet Protasiewicz, who was backed by Democratic groups, will take her seat on the court Aug. 1.
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RawStory+: As First Republic Bank faltered, five members of Congress dumped their personal stock investments
While there’s no evidence that the lawmakers used information they obtained through their public service to inform their First Republic stock trades, such stock sales “can erode the public’s faith and confidence in Congress,” said Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs for Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog organization.
“The perception of corruption can be just as damaging as actual corruption in many cases,” said Scherb, noting that a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers have introduced...
“The perception of corruption can be just as damaging as actual corruption in many cases,” said Scherb, noting that a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers have introduced...
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Texas Tribune: Texas House advances bill to eliminate Harris County election chief position
“This takes away all of that local power and that democracy involved in the process, and it’s just a takeover of one specific county that would not actually do anything for solutions for election administration,” said Katya Ehresman, voting rights program director for Common Cause Texas.
“A lot of those solutions are done through investment of resources, of staff, not abolishing an office and potentially causing staff to leave or have their positions removed,” Ehresman said. “With 30 days left in session, we...
“A lot of those solutions are done through investment of resources, of staff, not abolishing an office and potentially causing staff to leave or have their positions removed,” Ehresman said. “With 30 days left in session, we...
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Salon: Florida GOP send “egregious” voter suppression bill to Ron DeSantis
"This is the third year in a row Florida's lawmakers have changed our voting rules, attacked community-based groups who support voters, and implemented unnecessary and confusing barriers for Floridians looking to participate in our democracy, while making no investment in voter education at all," Common Cause Florida program director Amy Keith said in a statement.
"This makes clear their real aim: to suppress our voting rights and silence the voices of eligible Florida voters who want a more inclusive future for our state,"...
"This makes clear their real aim: to suppress our voting rights and silence the voices of eligible Florida voters who want a more inclusive future for our state,"...
