Baltimore Banner political notes: Filling GA vacancies; Senate leadership changes; PAC fined

10.26.2023 / By Pamela Wood, Hallie Miller and Emily Sullivan

A new poll shows that Marylanders would prefer special elections instead, potentially boosting a long-running but unsuccessful effort to change the vacancy process.

This article originally appeared in Roll Call on January 10, 2023 and was written by Kate Ackley.  

Below is Common Cause staff’s quote included in the article following the U.S. House of Representatives passage of a resolution that will prevent the OCE from holding members of Congress accountable to voters.  

“House Republicans’ proposal will handcuff the nonpartisan ethics office, making it more difficult to ensure there are consequences for breaking the rules,” said Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, in a news release Monday evening after the House GOP approved its rules package. “As their first legislative act, Congressional Republicans have decided to significantly weaken the independent ethics office. Their actions are a complete failure of leadership.” 

To read the full article, click here. 

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