Press Release

The escalating abuse of presidential powers and continued stonewalling by the White House have necessitated the launch of a formal impeachment inquiry by the House of Representatives and Common Cause continues to support such an investigation. Americans deserve to know the truth whether President Trump has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, as well as abuses of power. And as Americans we deserve the system of co-equal branches of government enshrined in the United States Constitution. A formal impeachment investigation is required to safeguard the coequal status of the branches of our government and ensure that Congress is able to conduct its oversight responsibilities.

Today, Common Cause filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that President Donald Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani illegally solicited a political contribution from a foreign national—by repeatedly urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Hunter Biden and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden. The allegations were first published in The Wall Street Journal, and subsequently President Trump admitted that during a July 25th phone call he pressured President Zelensky to pursue the investigation of his political rival and his son.

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a decision vacating and remanding the FCC’s decisions to roll back several of its media ownership rules. The rules prohibited a single entity from owning too many newspaper, radio, and television stations within a local market. In vacating and remanding the FCC’s decisions, the Third Circuit specifically found that the FCC did not adequately consider the effect rolling back media ownership rules would have on broadcast ownership by women and people of color.

While the $250 million in election security spending approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today is a step in the right direction, that amount still falls far short of the funding and assistance required by state and local election officials facing ongoing attacks from hostile foreign powers. The amendment that Sen. McConnell voiced support for is virtually identical to one he and nearly all Senate Republicans voted against a year ago. In that time, millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Common Cause supporters have contacted Senate Republican offices encouraging them to support additional election security funding. The House-passed $600 million in election security funding is much closer to what states need to update their voting machines and replace outdated equipment vulnerable to hacking. As the appropriations process proceeds, we encourage Congress to advance solutions that fully address the magnitude of threats our democracy faces.

Today, the Federal Communications Commission approved the proposed merger of Nexstar Media Group and Tribune Media Company. The approval gives Nexstar control of 144 stations in 115 markets, creating the largest broadcast conglomerate in the nation. Common Cause filed a petition to deny formally opposing the merger.

Today, as the House Judiciary Committee prepares to vote on an impeachment inquiry, Common Cause continued its call for Members to support the investigation in response to White House non-cooperation and stonewalling of any attempts to investigate past and current potential criminal conduct or wrongdoing by President Trump or members of his administration. Common Cause mobilized its 1.2 million members over the congressional recess to gain additional Member support for the impeachment inquiry in the U.S. House of Representatives.