Common Cause Urges Bipartisan Action to Control Big Money in Elections

A reform agenda that overhauls our campaign finance system to rein in the power of big money should be “Job One” for the President and both political parties in the next Congress, Common Cause said today.

“We’ve been working for years to persuade anyone who’ll listen that Citizens United and other court decisions have left our elections and our government ripe for takeover by corporations and the super-rich,” said Common Cause President Bob Edgar.

“The outpouring of seven- and even eight-figure investments in this election, many from secret donors, is transforming this issue into a major concern for voters,” Edgar added. “So of course we welcome today’s commitment by House Democrats to support tougher disclosure requirements, a constitutional amendment to control corporate political spending, and a public financing system that would refocus political fundraising on small gifts from individual donors.

“We hope and expect a good number of Republicans ultimately will join in working on behalf of such reforms and we plan to be in the middle of efforts to forge bi-partisan legislation to accomplish them.”