News Clips

“Nobody’s free until everyone is free,” civil rights hero Fannie Lou Hamer said. She is right. That’s why on this Fourth of July, it’s time that we, as Americans, hold ourselves up to the values we claim in our founding documents: that all people are created equal and that “We the People” are responsible for building a more perfect union, based on justice, tranquility and liberty. It’s time we build an inclusive democracy, where everyone has a voice, can exercise their freedom to vote, and is able to participate in our democracy.

Paul Seamus Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation for Common Cause, noted that the Supreme Court has repeatedly pointed to the government's interest in disclosure of political donors in past cases. And Ryan noted that Roberts did not embrace the much higher standard governments would have had to meet to impose disclosure requirements that some of the groups had sought.

It’s fitting to talk about this piece of legislation as we near the 245th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence because the For the People Act is, at its core, about freedom. It’s about our freedom to vote and choose the future we want to see for our families and communities; freedom from wealthy special interests corrupting our politics and setting the agenda; freedom from partisan politicians rigging the rules and gerrymandering maps to benefit themselves; freedom to hold those we put in elected office accountable with ironclad ethics laws. To protect these freedoms, the Senate should follow the House’s lead in passing the For the People Act, as well as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

“Trump masterminded this whole thing, and so far he’s walked. Everyone who carried out his dirty work here, Cohen and AMI, paid penalties and did prison time. It’s good news that the Federal Election Commission is holding the tabloid company AMI accountable for its illegal actions in the 2016 election,” Paul S. Ryan, Common Cause vice president for policy and litigation said in a statement following the FEC’s decision. “But it’s head-scratching that the mastermind of this criminal enterprise, Donald Trump, has still not been held accountable,” he added.

“The rules really have been stacked against working people running for office or people who might have been caregivers or those in between employment,” said Stephen Spaulding, senior counsel for public policy and government affairs at Common Cause. “If you were unemployed, a care-taker and your income was zero, you’re not entitled to a salary.”

“Our summer of mobilization and grassroots actions to pass this bill will continue. Democracy will prevail. Failure is not an option,” Karen Hobert Flynn, president of government watchdog Common Cause, said in a statement.