Media Center

NEW YORK, NY -- This evening, a jury in Manhattan found former President Trump guilty on 34 counts. In response, Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY issued the following statement: "This case was always about hiding key information from voters, and now a jury of the former president's peers have confirmed that he lied to the public by falsifying business records in order to influence the outcome of the 2016 election. This is a felony punishable with jail time or probation, and just like anyone else convicted of the same crime, we expect him to be sentenced accordingly. We thank the jury – whom Mr. Trump and his lawyers helped to select – for doing their civic duty, and trust that the public will accept their decision as well as their right to privacy. Respect for the rule of law is the foundation of our democracy, but so is public trust in the process. That's why Common Cause/NY fought to make the trial transcripts free and accessible, and we invite anyone to review them on the court website. We now hope that the courts will reach a decision in the other trials awaiting Mr. Trump before the 2024 election since voters should have all the information before they cast their ballots."

Common Cause is urging every member of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote “no” when H.R. 192 is expected to be brought to the floor later today. Common Cause plans to key-vote this legislation in its Democracy Scorecard, which is sent to its 1.5 million members and state and national press.   The proposed legislation is the latest effort by Congress to interfere in the lives and self-government of the residents of Washington, DC, who have been denied equal representation in Congress since the city was founded in 1790. The letter sent to every Member of the House, reminds lawmakers that the bill would disrupt the District’s 2024 primary elections by changing election guidelines and eligibility in the middle of an election that is already underway.

Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it will begin a rulemaking to require disclosure for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated content in political advertising on the nation’s airwaves.

A new report from Common Cause examines the impact of the recent redistricting cycle on Native American communities. “Stronger Together: Native Americans’ Fight for Fair Redistricting,” looks at the attempts to undermine the Native American vote through gerrymandering and how a number of them were foiled. The report focuses particularly on Arizona, Alaska, South Dakota, Oregon, Minnesota, and New Mexico - states with some of the highest population share of Native Americans based on the 2020 Census. It highlights the challenges and successes of the redistricting cycle from the perspective of Native community leaders and organizers, points to lessons learned, and offers a set of recommendations for the future.

Today, The Arizona Senate Elections Committee voted to pass HCR2056 with a strike-all amendment designed to dismantle the state’s voting and elections process. The legislation and its amendments passed 4-3 on partisan lines and now heads for a floor vote.