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Government Accountability Groups Urge House to Strengthen the Office of Congressional Ethics and Make It Permanent

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Government Accountability Groups Urge House to Strengthen the Office of Congressional Ethics and Make It Permanent

Today, Common Cause and other government accountability groups urged every member of the U.S. House of Representatives to strengthen the independent Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) and make the office permanent. Even if Congress does not codify the OCE into law at this time, the groups stress the importance of maintaining the office’s continued existence and the importance of not weakening it in the 119th Congress. The letter emphasizes overwhelming public support for increased ethics and accountability measures and touts the success of...

Media Contacts

David Vance

National Media Strategist
dvance@commoncause.org
240-605-8600

Katie Scally

Communications Director
kscally@commoncause.org
202-736-5713

Ariana Marmolejo

Regional Communications Strategist (West)
amarmolejo@commoncause.org

Jennifer Garcia

Regional Communications Strategist (South)
jgarcia@commoncause.org

Kenny Colston

Regional Communications Strategist (Midwest)
kcolston@commoncause.org

Common Cause’s network of national and state democracy reform experts are frequent media commentators. To talk with one of our experts, please reach out to any member of the press team above.

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Axios: Lawmaker says free bus rides on Election Day are “not fair”

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Axios: Lawmaker says free bus rides on Election Day are “not fair”

Julia Vaughn, Common Cause Indiana executive director, doesn't think the legislation would have a significant impact on elections or voter turnout, but said it sends a bad message in a state that already struggles with low voter turnout.

"We need to make voting more accessible and convenient to people," she said.

Star-Ledger/NY.Com (Op-Ed): It’s time for Newark to include young people in school board elections

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Star-Ledger/NY.Com (Op-Ed): It’s time for Newark to include young people in school board elections

With just over 3% participation, Newark’s school board elections could use an infusion of fresh, young energy. Give these students the chance to be heard, and you might be surprised by how much they can do.

We encourage the Newark City Council to favorably pass their ordinance to lower the voting age for school board elections, and we can’t wait to see what these students accomplish when they’re given the chance.

KQED/NPR – Political Breakdown (Audio): Can Election Law Keep Up With AI and Deep Fakes?

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KQED/NPR – Political Breakdown (Audio): Can Election Law Keep Up With AI and Deep Fakes?

The 2024 election will be the first where artificial intelligence, or AI, could play a big role — and not necessarily a good one. Today in Sacramento, the head of California Common Cause announced proposals to address the potential problems from things like deepfakes intended to confuse voters. Scott Shafer is joined by Jonathan Mehta Stein, head of Common Cause, to discuss threats posed by technology for this election.

Raw Story: Revealed: Donors foot the bill for Marjorie Taylor Greene’s election law violation

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Raw Story: Revealed: Donors foot the bill for Marjorie Taylor Greene’s election law violation

“If I was one of her donors, I wouldn’t want my donations to be paying fines for when she did something wrong,” said Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs for Common Cause, a nonprofit watchdog organization that filed an initial FEC complaint against Greene. “There’s a little bit of an optics issue.”

The Oregonian: Former OLCC board chair lands pot job

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The Oregonian: Former OLCC board chair lands pot job

Kate Titus, executive director of Common Cause Oregon, a grassroots, nonpartisan organization that works to strengthen and advance democracy, said Révoal's leap into the industry that he up until recently regulated raises questions.

"Democracies die when we erode ethics norms," she said. "It's not just a matter of following the letter of the law. It's about keeping clear, bright lines between working for the public interest and working for one's own private interest."

Omaha World Herald: Nebraska Legislature examines new rules to limit filibusters

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Omaha World Herald: Nebraska Legislature examines new rules to limit filibusters

Gavin Geis, executive director for Common Cause Nebraska, said the current rules serve as a safeguard that ensures a balanced approach to redistricting, a process that has received heavy scrutiny across the country for over-politicization.

"The removal of party registration as a factor in selecting committee members may lead to a lack of diversity in thought and perspective, resulting in skewed representation that doesn't accurately (represent) the political landscape of our state," Geis said.

Los Angeles Times: DWP board members held private contract talks with vendor, prompting ethics questions

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Los Angeles Times: DWP board members held private contract talks with vendor, prompting ethics questions

Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager at California Common Cause, questioned why staff, rather than the commissioners, didn’t talk to Ardent.

“If the meeting was to hash out the contract and tell the company that they’re going to vote for them, and what the contract would look like — that sort of thing shouldn’t be happening in a private forum,” he said.

“Even if it’s legal, it doesn’t seem appropriate,” McMorris added.

The Daily Beast: Marjorie Taylor Greene Hit With Federal Fine for Illegal Fundraising

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The Daily Beast: Marjorie Taylor Greene Hit With Federal Fine for Illegal Fundraising

Common Cause, a D.C. watchdog group that, according to its website, works to “ensure that every vote counts, that every eligible voter has an equal say, that our elections represent the will of the people, and that our government is of, by, and for the people,” filed a complaint in May 2021, alleging that Greene violated the “soft money” ban in the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971 for “soliciting unlimited contributions.”

The group declared that under federal campaign finance law, federal candidates and...

Orlando Sentinel/Sun Sentinel (Editorial): The Legislature’s con-con con job

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Orlando Sentinel/Sun Sentinel (Editorial): The Legislature’s con-con con job

The citizens’ lobby Common Cause calls the nationwide movement for a convention “the most serious threat to our democracy, flying almost completely under the radar.”

What can you do? Sign Common Cause’s online petition opposing an Article V convention. Track how your legislator votes on these bad bills. Then vote against anybody who thinks this is a good idea.

Boston Globe: As session begins, R.I. House requests no more than 15 bills per legislator

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Boston Globe: As session begins, R.I. House requests no more than 15 bills per legislator

John M. Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, said the bill limit might amount to "inside baseball" for the legislature. "But it's incredibly important inside baseball because it affects how representatives are able to represent their constituents," he said.

"When you watch 'School House Rock,' no one says, 'That poor bill sitting on Capitol Hill can only have 14 friends,' " Marion said, referring to a series of educational cartoons that ran on Saturday morning TV in the 1970s and '80s, including "I'm Just A...

Yahoo! News/ Las Cruces Sun-News: Old restrictions on NM Legislature no longer work

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Yahoo! News/ Las Cruces Sun-News: Old restrictions on NM Legislature no longer work

“The time has come to enact some commonsense reforms… and enter the modern era,” said Mario Jimenez, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico. “The public is behind it, and the reforms are long overdue.”

The organization’s survey showed that 64% of respondents supported legislator salaries, and 70% supported longer sessions. Support cut across party and regional lines.

Yahoo! News/Kansas City Star: Do you trust far-right politicians working to remake the Kansas and US Constitutions?

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Yahoo! News/Kansas City Star: Do you trust far-right politicians working to remake the Kansas and US Constitutions?

“The delegates could write amendments that revoke any of our most cherished rights — like our right to peaceful protest, our freedom of religion, or our right to privacy,” the progressive watchdog group Common Cause warns. Hyperbole? Maybe. The point is we simply don’t know.

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