News Clips

Our communities face urgent issues. Across Oregon, we struggle with the disparate impacts of an ongoing pandemic, wildfire displacement, economic hardship, racism and more. We desperately need elected leaders who understand these struggles firsthand – those who come from impacted communities themselves and who share our lived experiences. But who can afford to run for office? And if elected, who can afford to serve in office?

"You're asking your constituents to show up and testify, to take time out of their busy days, and they don't even know what they're testifying about," said Viki Harrison, director of state operations for Common Cause, a government accountability organization. "All that does is make the public think that politicians are not real people and are not looking out for our best interests."

Not all of those honored on this list are registered lobbyists. But they are all key players who the nation’s biggest companies, advocacy groups, labor unions and trade associations turn to when they want their voices heard in the nation’s capital. The ranks of policy experts, influencers and advocates run deep in Washington, but these are the people who stand out for delivering results for their clients in the halls of Congress and the administration. ... GRASSROOTS: Karen Hobert Flynn and Aaron Scherb, Common Cause 

When the capitol is closed, "the public loses touch with our government, we lose confidence in our government," said Sandy Ma, executive director of Common Cause Hawaii. "We really lose a sense that the government is acting for us."

The reason Neil Gorsuch is sitting on the Supreme Court right now is because Senate Republicans carved out Supreme Court nominations from the filibuster rule, says Stephen Spaulding, senior counsel for public policy and government affairs at Common Cause, an advocacy organization focused on promoting democracy. Democrats did the same for President Barack Obama’s nominees were appointed to the D.C. circuit, he says. “It’s not unprecedented at all. It’s now a choice to keep the filibuster in place rather than pass legislation that would project the freedom to vote,” Spaulding says.

NEWMAN: The hope for many residents is that the current political upheaval will lead to reforms. Beth Rotman agrees. She's with the policy group Common Cause. BETH ROTMAN: Often, these scandals lead to more public awareness of how these ties can actually begin on the campaign trail and also in the relationships that form because of the connections between wealth and policy outcomes.