News Clips

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 

Anthony Gutierrez, the executive director of Common Cause Texas, told reporters last week that absent congressional action, his state may continue to pass maps that dilute the power of minority communities even as the state continues to grow more diverse. “This pattern, where groups like ours have to keep going to court every 10 years over maps that violate minority voting rights is just going to keep happening unless we get that action from Congress,” Gutierrez said.

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."

“I think it’s really easy to think, ‘We’ve had this experience. This means this doesn’t work,’” said Catherine Turcer, who works for the good government group Common Cause. But “it could be that the courts step in”. Or “it could be the reform works well in stopping bad actors who act badly”.

Jay Young, executive director of Common Cause Illinois, said the maps the Legislature will vote on Tuesday “will not be crafted of public input, but of pure politics.” “At each opportunity in this redistricting process, it’s as if lawmakers went out of their way to ensure the creation of these maps had as little public input as possible,” Young said.

“We should have representation that reflects the composition of the state,” said Aunna Dennis, executive director for the government accountability organization Common Cause Georgia. “That could mean districts that look more red, more purple or more blue. That should be a reflection of the ideology of the community.”