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Groups Urge Census Changes to Accurately Count Prison Populations For Redistricting

Press Release

Groups Urge Census Changes to Accurately Count Prison Populations For Redistricting

Today, Common Cause and the Prison Policy Initiative urged the U.S. Census Bureau to change how it counts prison populations each decade. The Bureau’s use of differential privacy, the intentional infusion of inaccurate information into population data, creates unnecessary miscounts in data used by state and local officials for redistricting. In a letter to Director Robert L. Santos and other senior officials, the groups emphasized that the populations of correctional facilities are already publicly available and that differential privacy is...

Media Contacts

David Vance

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

Katie Scally

Communications Director
kscally@commoncause.org
408-205-1257

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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CNN: Is the Supreme Court ready to upend the power of state courts in disputes over federal elections?

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CNN: Is the Supreme Court ready to upend the power of state courts in disputes over federal elections?

"The elimination of state autonomy is inconsistent with the historical practice and the intent of the Election Clause and invites the risk that federal courts will wrongly interpret state law -- a significant risk given the difficulty federal courts have in mastering 50 different States' laws," Allison Riggs, a lawyer for Common Cause, argued in court papers. She said to accept the Republicans' argument "that partisan gerrymandering claims are immune from state constitutional scrutiny by state courts would require this Court to overrule a...

Santa Fe New Mexican: Sen. Ivey-Soto faces inquiry on harassment claim

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Santa Fe New Mexican: Sen. Ivey-Soto faces inquiry on harassment claim

"The current process right now will not even inform the public that anything is happening one way or the other," Heather Ferguson, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico.

She said the process is "completely behind closed doors and out of public view. That does not instill trust in the public in the process itself."

Nor will it encourage others who may have similar complaints against lawmakers to come forward, Ferguson added.

Daily Beast: How the Hell Is Trump 43-0 vs. Campaign Finance Watchdogs?

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Daily Beast: How the Hell Is Trump 43-0 vs. Campaign Finance Watchdogs?

Paul S. Ryan, vice president of litigation at good government group Common Cause, was on the receiving end of a number of those decisions, and did not mince words.

“Trump is a walking playbook for how to violate campaign finance laws and get away with it,” Ryan told The Daily Beast, noting that several cases hit close to home, including the Daniels payment, “complaints related to his soft money group America First Policies, his involvement with now-disgraced Cambridge Analytica, his solicitation of foreign campaign...

State of the Union – Response of Common Cause

Press Release

State of the Union – Response of Common Cause

"All Americans should come together now to support the fight for democracy abroad and renew our commitment to a democracy that strengthens the people’s voice at home."

TIME: Texas Primary Unfolds as Advocates Sound the Alarm About Mail Ballot Rejections

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TIME: Texas Primary Unfolds as Advocates Sound the Alarm About Mail Ballot Rejections

Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections at Common Cause, describes provisions like the Texas one and accompanying voting restrictions as “death by a thousand cuts.” “When you put so many restrictions on the election that a certain percentage of people can’t vote or don’t have votes counted then the election is no longer a reflection of the will of the people,” Albert says.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Unlike Texas, new voter ID rules in Georgia didn’t cause surge in rejections

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Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Unlike Texas, new voter ID rules in Georgia didn’t cause surge in rejections

Voters should prepare in advance if they want to cast an absentee ballot this year, said Aunna Dennis, executive director for Common Cause Georgia, a government accountability organization.

“Start the process early to be as prepared as possible so you don’t have to face hurdles that may come,” Dennis said. “We don’t know just yet what the impact is going to be until we actually have the primary.”

Associated Press: NC Republicans ask US Supreme Court to block Congress map

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Associated Press: NC Republicans ask US Supreme Court to block Congress map

Allison Riggs, a lawyer representing Common Cause in the litigation, said GOP legislators were now “outrageously” attempting to insert the U.S. Supreme Court into state laws less than three years after the justices ruled state courts could use their own laws to curb partisan gerrymandering.

“We are confident this specious attempt to undermine our judiciary will be rejected,” Riggs said in a news release. The U.S. Supreme Court told Common Cause and other litigants to respond to the stay request by Wednesday.

President Biden Nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

Press Release

President Biden Nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court

The confirmation of any Supreme Court justice is one of the most important moments for our democracy and constitutional system. The U.S. Senate owes it to the American people to ensure Judge Jackson receives a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote.

Gannett/Providence Journal: Are campaign donations to MA sheriffs too suggestive of pay-to-play? CT may have solution

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Gannett/Providence Journal: Are campaign donations to MA sheriffs too suggestive of pay-to-play? CT may have solution

“This is not just about bribery. It’s also about public faith in government,” said Beth Rotman, a Common Cause national director and the person who led the implementation of Connecticut’s democracy reform program. “People don’t always know what’s going to influence them and what isn’t going to influence them, but certainly if you’re taking all of your money from an industry that wants something very valuable from you, it looks horrible and casts a tremendous shadow over any decision you make.”

Ms. Magazine (Op-Ed): Our Democracy Has Problems. Women Have Solutions.

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Ms. Magazine (Op-Ed): Our Democracy Has Problems. Women Have Solutions.

My dream is to live in an inclusive democracy that lives up to its promise. Where everyone has a say in the future for their family and community; where anyone can run for public office; where everyone plays by the same fair rules; and where our government reflects who we are because people vote in high numbers. We must not yield to a cynicism that says we can never improve.

Making the dream real means ensuring those who represent us are reflective and responsive to the people—not the wealthy who dominate campaign and lobbyist...

Reuters: Thousands of Texas ballots rejected as new voter ID law causes confusion

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Reuters: Thousands of Texas ballots rejected as new voter ID law causes confusion

"Anytime you add a step to the process ... you lose voters who are making a good-faith effort to cast their ballot," said Katya Ehresman, the grassroots organizer for Common Cause Texas, a nonpartisan group that advocates for government reform.

Kansas City Star: Kris Kobach, running for Kansas AG, still working for scandal-tainted border wall group

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Kansas City Star: Kris Kobach, running for Kansas AG, still working for scandal-tainted border wall group

Washington-based Common Cause in 2019 filed a complaint with the Department of Justice, asking for an investigation. Campaign finance experts at the time pointed to the lack of a “paid for” disclosure in the message and said if Kobach didn’t pay a fair market price for access to the email list, it could be a violation of campaign finance law. “Any time a candidate for public office is associated with an outside political organization, it warrants scrutiny to make sure the candidate is not getting an unfair or even illegal boost from...

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