Campaign Finance

Paul S. Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation at left-leaning Common Cause, said it comes down to “basic human decency.” “While it should be easy for supporters of an organization to make recurring donations, people shouldn’t be tricked or bullied into making donations,” Ryan said. “NRCC and Trump solicitations seem to have crossed this line.”

We appreciate that Senator Joe Manchin reaffirmed his commitment to protecting voting rights & strengthening our democracy with big bold reforms today. On behalf of our 1.5 million members and activists, including thousands in West Virginia, we look forward to working with Senator Manchin and the rest of the U.S. Senate to pass the For the People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and other bills that will ensure everyday Americans have a voice in our country and our elected officials are working for us, not wealthy special interests. We believe that the For the People Act must stay robust and comprehensive, with bold solutions to meet the moment as state legislators across the country focus on creating new barriers to our freedom to vote.

American democracy is resilient. Last November's election "was the most secure in American history," according to the Department of Homeland Security. In the face of immense challenges — threats of foreign interference, rampant disinformation, risks posed by the pandemic — election administrators, organizers, attorneys and advocates worked together to protect the vote. Americans voted in record numbers, casting their ballots safely by mail, drop box and in person. But the work to secure our elections is not over. Recent investigations have revealed vulnerabilities from foreign actors to political campaigns themselves. Email accounts and cell phones of congressional and campaign staff, for example, can be hacked by foreign actors, who have now grown in number and expanded well beyond those from Russia. Other threats are detailed in the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee findings of last year, the final report from special counsel Robert Mueller and a 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment.

Despite those warnings, Stephen Spaulding, senior counsel for public policy and government affairs at Common Cause, a government watchdog group, said that Democrats needed to keep every option on the table. “Senate Democrats have the majority and they need to have the ability to govern,” he said. “This idea that it can be costless to filibuster, that you can essentially raise your hands behind closed doors and grind everything to a halt, is unacceptable.”

Trump could use money in his political action committees to pay for the plane upgrades, or other expenses, experts say. "PACs are often used as slush funds," said Paul S. Ryan, an expert on campaign finance and a top lawyer at Common Cause, a good governance non-profit. "Campaign finance law doesn't require PAC money to be used for political purposes, leaving open the possibility that Trump could use PAC funds to pay for private plane repairs."

All Americans deserve to have their voices heard and votes counted, regardless of the size of their wallets or the color of their skin. However, for far too long, special interests, the ultra-wealthy, and corporate lobbyists have had a megaphone, and vote suppressors' continued efforts to silence largely Black and Brown communities have left many Americans feeling voiceless. The For the People Act would knock down barriers that prevent equal participation in our democracy. We commend Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Merkley, Senator Klobuchar, and their colleagues for championing the For the People Act and designating it as S. 1. We look forward to overcoming Senator McConnell’s continued blockade and getting the For the People Act across the finish line to President Biden’s desk.