Lobbying

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 afford to hire lobbyists gain more clout in the legislative process than the average Nebraskan. Among other things, lobbyists are able to build relationships with senators and become key sources of information for them.

Aaron Scherb Common Cause Senior Director, Legislative Affairs Scherb was critical of the House GOP’s changes to the Office of Congressional Ethics, saying the revisions on hiring would handcuff its ability to function. He’s a leading voice in the media on areas of corruption and potential ethical troubles on Capitol Hill. Hometown: South Bend, Indiana. Education: Haverford College; Johns Hopkins. First job: “Delivering newspapers for the South Bend Tribune.”

Common Cause is pleased to announce that two Common Cause veterans have stepped into the role of vice president at the government watchdog. Longtime Common Cause leader Kathay Feng will step into the role of Vice President for Programs and Stephen Spaulding is returning to Common Cause from his role as Policy Director of the U.S. Senate Rules Committee and will serve as Vice President for Policy & External Affairs. Together the two will help lead Common Cause’s national efforts to reduce barriers to a more representative democracy. They will also support efforts for the organization’s 30 state operations working to create a 21st Century democracy that works for everyone.

“This trial is not just about what the former speaker of the House did, it’s also about the terrible system we have,” said Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, which advocates for more transparency in government.

“Senate treatment of this nomination has been, from beginning to end, sad, shoddy, and shameful, and its treatment of Ms. Sohn a despicable dereliction of duty and honor," said Mike Copps, special adviser to Common Cause and a former FCC chairman. "A win for big-spending special interests, to be sure, but a tragic loss for the common good."

"It's clear the industry sees no problems with the status quo," said Getachew. "In a Senate where the Democratic majority is not high, they only need a couple of Democrats to tilt the balance in their favor." Lobbying campaigns against Sohn, Getachew noted, have included those from the Fraternal Order of Police, which has opposed Sohn on the grounds that she personally supports end-to-end encrypted messaging (over which the FCC has no jurisdiction). The FOP argues it can delay police efforts to access cell phone records. Everyone involved understands that "law enforcement access issues are not in the purview of the FCC," said Getachew. The FOP's opposition to Sohn, he suggested, is "driven by a larger industry."