As 2018 congressional races heat up, Common Cause is once again tracking the positions of every Member of Congress on issues vital to the health of our democracy. Members of the House and Senate have received letters asking them to co-sponsor and support more than a dozen democracy reform bills and informing them that their co-sponsorship record will be published to our 1.1 million members during the lead-up to Election Day in Common Cause’s “Democracy Scorecard.”

Commissioner Clyburn’s announcement is sad news for us all. She gave eloquent and effective voice to many millions who have for so long lacked a voice at the FCC, and her work to make communications policy work for everyone makes her a champion to them and to me. She’s been a can-do and trailblazing commissioner, and I know she will continue to work valiantly for the common good wherever she goes. Thank you, Mignon. You’re a hero to me.

Today, Common Cause filed complaints with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging reason to believe that President Trump, his 2016 presidential campaign and American Media, Inc. (AMI) violated campaign contribution limits and reporting requirements through a December 2015 payment of $30,000 to a former doorman at a Trump property to squelch rumors of then-candidate Trump having fathered an illegitimate child with an employee at Trump World Tower in New York. The DOJ this week raided the office and residences of Trump attorney Michael Cohen in its investigation of similar violations alleged by Common Cause in earlier complaints to the agency.

Pennsylvanians should be choosing their elected representatives, not the other way around. The courts made that abundantly clear when they threw out the hideously biased map drawn by the legislature. But yesterday Pennsylvania House State Government Chair Daryl Metcalfe revealed that he missed the message and that he and, certain lawmakers remain unwilling to show due deference to the citizens, the constitution or the welfare of our state.

No American is above the law, not even the President. But President Trump is making no bones about the fact that he believes he is above the law and members of his administration continue to float disturbing trial balloons to gauge what the public reaction would be if Trump fired Special Counsel Robert Mueller. In light of these deeply troubling actions, the Senate must move quickly to pass its bipartisan legislation to protect the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election by the Special Counsel.

The Facebook/Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal is another example in a long list where companies have failed to protect the online privacy of their users. Americans have a fundamental right to privacy, and our democracy functions best when we have control over our personal information online. But the existing legal framework we have is inadequate to properly protect online privacy. Now is the time for Congress to pass comprehensive privacy legislation that gives consumers opt-in choice, not just for Facebook, but across-the-board, for those who hold our personal data.