A strong, 21st century democracy requires that everyone plays by the rules, our laws are enforced, and law breakers are held accountable.
We work to make sure that there is strong enforcement of our laws at the federal, state and local levels and to ensure that those who break the law face real consequences that deter bad behavior. We advocate for strong enforcement agencies and we file complaints when we see political players breaking the law.
Accountability is key, which is why Common Cause supports strengthening the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The agency must be reformed and modeled after effective law enforcement agencies headed by a single administrator. It needs the power to decide cases and impose punishments independently — today it must go to court — and to stop illegal political activities before Election Day, not years later.
In addition to filing complaints with and trying to reform the FEC, we also work to push the Department of Justice and other federal agencies to enforce the law and hold those who break it accountable. Without a cop on the beat, most Americans would be left in the dark when it comes to abusing our campaign finance system.