Campaign Finance

Paul Seamus Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation for Common Cause, noted that the Supreme Court has repeatedly pointed to the government's interest in disclosure of political donors in past cases. And Ryan noted that Roberts did not embrace the much higher standard governments would have had to meet to impose disclosure requirements that some of the groups had sought.

It’s fitting to talk about this piece of legislation as we near the 245th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence because the For the People Act is, at its core, about freedom. It’s about our freedom to vote and choose the future we want to see for our families and communities; freedom from wealthy special interests corrupting our politics and setting the agenda; freedom from partisan politicians rigging the rules and gerrymandering maps to benefit themselves; freedom to hold those we put in elected office accountable with ironclad ethics laws. To protect these freedoms, the Senate should follow the House’s lead in passing the For the People Act, as well as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Today’s Supreme Court rulings on voting rights and nonprofit financial disclosure make clear that there is no alternative but to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect our democracy. The high court struck another blow against voting rights today and also made it more difficult for states to monitor fundraising by “dark money” nonprofits. Now it falls to Congress to protect the freedom of every American to vote without being subject to intimidation or discrimination regardless of the color of their skin, their background, or their zip code.

“Trump masterminded this whole thing, and so far he’s walked. Everyone who carried out his dirty work here, Cohen and AMI, paid penalties and did prison time. It’s good news that the Federal Election Commission is holding the tabloid company AMI accountable for its illegal actions in the 2016 election,” Paul S. Ryan, Common Cause vice president for policy and litigation said in a statement following the FEC’s decision. “But it’s head-scratching that the mastermind of this criminal enterprise, Donald Trump, has still not been held accountable,” he added.

“The rules really have been stacked against working people running for office or people who might have been caregivers or those in between employment,” said Stephen Spaulding, senior counsel for public policy and government affairs at Common Cause. “If you were unemployed, a care-taker and your income was zero, you’re not entitled to a salary.”

Tonight, there were no surprises in the opening act of the push to pass the For the People Act in the United States Senate. But grassroots momentum continues to build in a fight that will go on all summer as we continue to make the case to the American people and their representatives in Washington that this legislation must be passed to expand the freedom to vote, break the grip of big money in politics, end gerrymandering, and crack down on corruption.