The voters of Missouri prevailed today in their fight to reform the legislature, including the improving the redistricting process and limiting gifts from lobbyists. The Court of Appeals reversed the trial court and ruled that Amendment 1, the Clean Missouri-supported constitutional amendment to make government more responsive to the people, could appear on the November ballot. Common Cause filed an amicus brief in this case arguing that Amendment 1 contains commonsense and nonpartisan good government reforms that the people of Missouri should...

Today, Common Cause urged that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to release a report that was requested by Congress regarding the Commission’s role in enforcing prohibitions on foreign campaign contributions and expenditures. The report was due to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees yesterday in accordance with explanatory statements accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018.

KANSAS CITY, MO, September 18, 2018:  As a crucial part of Common Cause’s fight against partisan gerrymandering, Common Cause weighed in on Missouri’s fight to reform the legislature, including the redistricting process and limiting gifts from lobbyists. Common Cause and three Republican current and former state senators filed an amicus brief in the Western District Court of Appeals of Missouri in support of Amendment 1, the Clean Missouri-supported constitutional amendment to make government more responsive to the people. The brief...

Today, Common Cause called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to delay its scheduled vote on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court in light of new allegations of sexual assault by the nominee. In a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Common Cause urged the committee to require Kavanaugh to testify under oath about the accusations.

A three-judge federal district court panel in North Carolina today issued its stay order in the partisan gerrymandering case Common Cause v. Rucho, ordering attorneys for the North Carolina Legislators who drew the maps to comply with the conditions requested by the Common Cause plaintiffs. Those conditions require the defendants to file their Jurisdictional Statement with the Supreme Court by October 1, 2018, and to seek no requests for extension of time while their appeal is pending before the Supreme Court.

Today, Common Cause called on Congress to uphold its oversight responsibilities and immediately investigate the alarming accounts of President Trump’s “reckless” and “erratic behavior” since taking office that were made by a “senior official in the Trump administration” in an op-ed published anonymously in The New York Times last week. In a letter to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Common Cause urged immediate hearings on the disturbing...

Yesterday, Common Cause joined The Greenlining Institute, Center for Media Justice, Color of Change, 18 Million Rising, Media Alliance, and Media Mobilizing Project in filing an amicus brief urging the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to vacate the Federal Communications Commission’s unlawful repeal of net neutrality. The groups argued that the FCC’s net neutrality rules are critical for civic engagement, civil rights, and democracy, particularly for communities of color.

Yesterday, Common Cause joined Consumer’s Union, New America’s Open Technology Institute, Public Knowledge, and Writer’s Guild of America West, Inc. in filing a petition with the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to deny the proposed $26 billion merger of T-Mobile US Inc. and Sprint Corporation. If approved, the number of national wireless carriers would be reduced from four to three, leading to less competition and higher prices for consumers. Low-income and marginalized communities who disproportionately rely on...

A three-judge federal district court panel in North Carolina again ruled in Common Cause v. Rucho that the North Carolina General Assembly violated the U.S. Constitution in 2016 when legislators manipulated congressional districts for partisan advantage. The panel reached the same conclusion in January, but the Supreme Court of the United States vacated and remanded the decision this June following its decision in Gill v. Whitford. The Justices asked the trial court panel to reexamine whether plaintiffs had standing to sue. The panel confirmed...

Americans deserve to know the truth about the Russian attacks on the 2016 presidential race. The statements of Chairman Grassley and Senator Graham that they expect to help President Trump confirm a replacement for Attorney General Jeff Sessions after the elections are irresponsible at this time. President Trump should not receive any cover for corruptly replacing the attorney general to appoint a loyalist who will undermine Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation.