Citizens United & Amending the Constitution

As congressional appropriators work to fashion a mammoth spending bill to keep the federal government running, Republican leaders are again trying to use the “must pass” spending legislation to advance their guerilla war against sensible campaign finance laws.

Today, Common Cause filed complaints with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging reason to believe that American Media, Inc.’s August 2016 payment of $150,000 to former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal, to buy and bury her story of an affair with Donald J. Trump, was for the purpose of influencing the 2016 election and was coordinated with Donald Trump’s attorney and agent Michael Cohen—making it an illegal corporate in-kind contribution to the 2016 Trump campaign. Additionally, the payment was never reported as an in-kind contribution received, and an expenditure made, by the campaign as required by campaign finance law.

Prodded by Common Cause and other democracy reform advocates, state legislators across the country are rejecting a dangerous scheme to convene a constitutional convention and potentially overhaul the nation’s founding document.

D.C. residents want their government back from special interests and Mayor Bowser should sign the citizen-financed election bill passed unanimously by the City Council. I testified in support of this legislation because I have witnessed firsthand the positive impact citizen-financed elections can bring about after I helped pass Connecticut’s Citizens’ Election Program.

Two news items this morning bring more evidence that President Trump and his family have turned the White House into a personal profit center.

The payday lending industry is gaining new freedom to exploit Americans who have weak credit and need quick cash.