Disclosure & Transparency

The Wisconsin Legislature’s vote yesterday to call a constitutional convention under Article V leaves the nation in a perilous position, just six states shy of calling a convention that could lead to the rewrite of the U.S. Constitution.

A report issued this morning by Common Cause highlights how Russia’s cyber-campaign to disrupt the 2016 election has laid bare vulnerabilities in American democracy.

Today, Common Cause will release a new report - “Putin, Trump and Democracy’s Slippery Slope Toward Oligarchy”- that examines Russia’s attacks on the 2016 presidential election, the continuing threats to our democracy and solutions to address these threats. It also examines how the campaign and Administration of Donald Trump have harnessed our system’s weaknesses to their political and personal benefit.

Americans have a right to know who is using political advertising to influence their votes and their views. As technology changes and political advertising shifts to online platforms, our transparency laws should keep pace. The recent revelations of Kremlin-connected influence operations on Facebook and Twitter underscore how important it is for Congress to take meaningful action. The bipartisan HONEST Ads Act is a critical step forward in enhancing the transparency of online political advertising. Common Cause commends Senators Klobuchar, Warner and McCain for their strong bipartisan leadership in introducing this important bill to bolster the integrity of our democracy.

A bipartisan trio of senators is set to introduce legislation today that would advance every American’s right to know who is trying to influence our votes.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have required President Trump and other presidential candidates to disclose their income tax returns in advance of the 2020 presidential election.