Congressional Ethics

Say the legislation “is the bold, comprehensive bill we need because the threats to our democracy are deep, systemic, and wide-ranging”

“In my view, it’s the least troubling of the money,” said Paul S. Ryan, the vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause. ‘I am far more concerned seeing people with business before Burr’s committees than I am seeing money from other members of Congress.” ... “There’s heightened concern of fundraising into a legal expense fund by a member of Congress not running for reelection,” Ryan said. “... The threat for corruption or, at a minimum, the appearance of corruption is greater when it comes to $10,000 contributions for a legal expenses fund for an individual who is leaving office in 18 months.”

A letter signed by almost 100 small business and community leaders urging Senator Susan Collins to support the “For the People Act” was released at an event at Portland City Hall. More than four dozen people gathered at a rally sponsored by Common Cause to hear local business leaders explain why the bill needs to become law.

Americans remain united in their condemnation of the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th and still expect those responsible to be held accountable. Today, the Senate fell just 10 votes shy of the two-thirds majority required to convict twice-impeached former President Donald Trump to hold him accountable for orchestrating and inciting the bloody attack on our democracy that left five people dead, and came dangerously close to many more deaths. Too many GOP Senators, fearing continued bullying from Donald Trump and primary challenges from extremists, chose political expediency and their own reelection over the safety of the nation and the well-being of our democracy.

Our democracy was attacked by the President of the United States on Wednesday, January 6th, and we must ensure that it never happens again. The Senate must immediately come back into session and quickly convene a trial and convict President Trump for inciting an insurrection in an effort to overturn the results of a free and fair election in which the American people elected Joe Biden by a wide margin as our next President. President Trump’s continuous lies over the last year about a ‘stolen election’, his baseless failed lawsuits, and his calls urging state elections officials to throw out the votes of predominantly Black and Brown communities laid the groundwork to incite the mob that stormed the Capitol last week. Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to the American people and to our democracy, and that threat will remain until he is removed from office and banned from ever running again. The House is to be commended for again impeaching the President, although it was shocking that only 10 House Republicans stood up for the Constitution and the rule of law. Now the Senate must act, and it must act swiftly, to end Donald Trump’s presidency.   

“Part of democracy is being willing to accept the results of a legitimate election, even when it doesn’t favor you. We’ve just lost sight of that,” said Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, a nonpartisan advocacy group that supports voting rights. “Now what we’re hearing is this rhetoric that is leading people to believe democracy doesn’t work if it doesn’t get me my outcome. ....That rhetoric is absolutely decimating confidence in our democracy.”