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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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Washington Post: Ohio’s GOP supermajority tests limits of democracy before abortion vote

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Washington Post: Ohio’s GOP supermajority tests limits of democracy before abortion vote

“This was about playing games with an election, not about playing around with the language that goes directly into the Ohio Constitution,” said Catherine Turcer, the executive director of Common Cause Ohio and a member of the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition’s steering committee.

The Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com: National Democrats ask Ohio Supreme Court to block new legislative redistricting maps

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The Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com: National Democrats ask Ohio Supreme Court to block new legislative redistricting maps

One group that has decided against litigation over this year’s redistricting process is Common Cause Ohio, a left-leaning good-government group. Catherine Turcer, Common Cause Ohio’s executive director, said last week that her organization was considering filing a lawsuit against the Ohio Redistricting Commission, primarily to assert that the closed-door negotiations held by commission members violated state open-meetings law.

But on Wednesday, Turcer said Common Cause Ohio decided that it would be better for them to spend...

Boston Globe: Trump uses presidential run to attack the institutions he says are after him

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Boston Globe: Trump uses presidential run to attack the institutions he says are after him

“He used his words to hammer at democratic institutions in ways that undermine trust and confidence, and it’s dangerous,” said Stephen Spaulding, vice president of policy at Common Cause, a nonpartisan good government group. “That is part of his playbook, which is to soften the ground to then attack the legitimate outcome of an election.”

Ohio Capital Journal: Even before office move is complete, Ohio Sec. of State LaRose appears to blur ethical lines

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Ohio Capital Journal: Even before office move is complete, Ohio Sec. of State LaRose appears to blur ethical lines

LaRose hasn’t responded to repeated questions from the Capital Journal about the move. But it would be improper for him to engage in campaign activities in the downtown Columbus building, said Mia Lewis of Common Cause Ohio, because it’s vital to keep the work of running a fair election walled off from that of trying to win one.

“You have to keep the campaign and the government work separate,” she said. “Once those things start to blur, it becomes harder and harder for voters to trust their elected officials.”

The Guardian: Rightwing group behind regressive US state laws to face protest at DC gala

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The Guardian: Rightwing group behind regressive US state laws to face protest at DC gala

“The model bills sound like they are protecting our country but are actually designed to protect corporate interests. We have to shine a light on this,” said Viki Harrison from Common Cause, a group which for years has pushed corporations to break ties with Alec over the racist impact of its legislation.

Tallahassee Democrat/USA Today Florida Network: Judges to decide whether DeSantis intentionally hurt Black voters with North Florida map

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Tallahassee Democrat/USA Today Florida Network: Judges to decide whether DeSantis intentionally hurt Black voters with North Florida map

"It is blatantly about race from Day 1," said Gregory Diskant, attorney for plaintiffs including the NAACP, Common Cause, Fair Districts Now and individual voters who want the congressional boundaries thrown out by the court.

They charge that DeSantis violated the U.S. Constitution's equal protection and voting rights protections with the Republican-heavy map that has left no Black member of Congress from North Florida for the first time in 30 years.

"Why did he care about this so much?" Diskant said, answering by...

Denver Post: Colorado lawmakers often win seats with dozens of votes. Would a different process to fill vacancies be fairer?

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Denver Post: Colorado lawmakers often win seats with dozens of votes. Would a different process to fill vacancies be fairer?

“We have every confidence that lawmakers who enter the legislature this way are able to earn the trust of their district and represent the interests of the voters in their district,” said Aly Belknap, the executive director of Colorado Common Cause, an election-advocacy group.
“Even so,” she added, “we know that this process doesn’t meet the standards of an inclusive and representative democracy because vacancy committees entrust this (decision) to a fraction of district voters.”

Newsweek: Ron DeSantis Poised for Huge Blow if Florida Election Map Redrawn

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Newsweek: Ron DeSantis Poised for Huge Blow if Florida Election Map Redrawn

Common Cause Florida, the Florida branch of the NAACP and Fair Districts Now are suing to have the map which saw a North Florida district held by Rep. Al Lawson, a Black congressman, eliminated.

On the first day of trial, attorney Greg Baker, who is representing the plaintiff, accused DeSantis of having "pushed and pushed" to endorse the disputed congressional map which helped the Florida GOP pick up four House seats at last year's midterms elections.

"He pressed his argument by sound bite bullying," Baker...

The Messenger: Elon Musk’s X Cuts Half of Election Integrity Team

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The Messenger: Elon Musk’s X Cuts Half of Election Integrity Team

Ishan Mehta, director for media and democracy at Common Cause, another watchdog organization, said X has largely severed communications with groups like his and that the layoffs were "dangerous and irresponsible for a platform that has many millions of users."

MSN/Public News Service: Progressives call push to change Constitution ‘risky’

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MSN/Public News Service: Progressives call push to change Constitution ‘risky’

Jonathan Mehta Stein, executive director of California Common Cause, said the risk of a runaway convention is too great, because there are very few rules in place.

"We would have no idea who's seeking to influence the members of the constitutional Convention," Stein pointed out. "What lobbying would be happening behind the scenes? Would there be public-records requirements? Would there be transparency requirements? We just have no idea."

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