Media Center

SALEM, OR—The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today declined to halt implementation of a Federal District Court decision, in People Not Politicians Oregon v. Clarno, giving redistricting reform advocates more time to gather signatures with a lower signature threshold to place Initiative Petition 57 (IP 57) on Oregon’s 2020 November ballot.  

Last night, 30+ organizations from the Declaration for American Democracy (DFAD) coalition urged the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules & Administration to include vital funding to bolster state and local elections officials facing unprecedented burdens in holding elections amidst the COVID-19 pandemic amidst massive budget shortfalls. In a letter organized by Common Cause to every member of the Committee yesterday, more than 30 groups emphasized the importance supporting the $3.6 billion in election funding that was included in the House-passed Heroes Act in order to safeguard our elections against multiple threats at home and abroad.

America has lost one of its greatest heroes. Rep. John Lewis spent his life fighting injustice, and this nation owes him an enormous debt of gratitude. Through decades of tireless and selfless work, Rep. Lewis left the United States a far better and more just nation than the one he was born into.

‘Just trust us’ is no longer a viable or safe option for Twitter and other social media companies. Americans expect and deserve safeguards that protect their personal data and ensure companies take meaningful steps to mitigate harms when experiencing data breaches, particularly ones that pose a serious threat to public safety and the integrity of our elections.  The large-scale hack of high profile Twitter accounts reveals how security vulnerabilities on social media platforms can have serious threats  to our society. Yesterday’s Bitcoin scam had many victims, but it also raised the terrifying specter of the damage that might be done by a similar hack aimed at stirring social upheaval, insurrection, or upending the 2020 election. The episode again laid bare the insufficient defenses and oversight of the social media companies that can hold such sway in the public square. It also revealed the startling lack of transparency from the social media giants. No clear explanation of the hack or even its scope has been offered. And many of us who have been hacked have yet to be notified by Twitter.

Today, Common Cause Indiana filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a state law that strips voters of their right to petition state courts to extend polling-place hours. Common Cause Indiana v. Lawson was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Common Cause Indiana is being represented in the case by Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, the law firm of Eimer Stahl LLP and the national Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

With a vote expected today, Common Cause is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the “Washington, DC Admission Act” (HR 51) to give residents of the nation’s capital a full say in the governing of the nation. In a letter to every member of the House yesterday, Common Cause emphasized the legislation is about more than having voting Members of Congress, it is about the more than 700,000 Americans residing in Washington having a voice and being heard.