Lobbying

“Money has too much influence on our political system,” said Rey Lopez-Calderon, the executive director of California Common Cause. “Every year we see the lobbying spending increase is a year we risk disenfranchising more voters and silencing the voices of ordinary citizens.”

The nation’s capital is teeming with lobbyists and influencers, but when the stakes are at their highest, these are the players at the top of their game, known for their ability to successfully navigate the byzantine and competitive world of federal policymaking. ... Karen Hobert Flynn and Aaron Scherb, Common Cause

“The Trump administration’s complete disregard for ethical norms shows we need big, bold solutions to try to close many of these loopholes that the administration employs and former officials are exploiting," Aaron Scherb, director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, told Salon.

Yesterday, Common Cause joined The Greenlining Institute, Center for Media Justice, Color of Change, 18 Million Rising, Media Alliance, and Media Mobilizing Project in filing an amicus brief urging the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to vacate the Federal Communications Commission’s unlawful repeal of net neutrality. The groups argued that the FCC’s net neutrality rules are critical for civic engagement, civil rights, and democracy, particularly for communities of color.

“Paul Manafort is one of the most egregious actors in the system and the fact that he was so closely connected to President Trump and the Trump campaign is indicative of how poorly this administration views ethics and ethical issues," said Aaron Scherb, director of legislative affairs for the nonpartisan advocacy group Common Cause,

“Despite the state’s ethics laws, McGuireWoods’ wealthy clients will be able to buy a lot of access and influence through Mr. Howell — access and influence not available to the average Virginian,” said Paul S. Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause.