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“Chairman Chaffetz and others in and outside of Congress who are preventing the IRS from doing its job are pulling another stunt to divert public and press attention from the real IRS scandal: the agency’s failure to set out clear guidance on the limits -- for tax purposes -- of political activity by social welfare organizations.

The Federal Election Commission should revamp its rules governing political fundraising and spending to give voters a fuller picture of who is spending money to influence their votes, Common Cause said in a written submission to the FEC on Tuesday.

“The side-show around Lois Lerner is no longer an excuse for the IRS's failure to provide clear guidance on the limits -- for tax purposes -- of political activity by social welfare organizations. There’s a direct link between the ‘mismanagement, poor judgment and institutional inertia’ identified by the Justice Department today and the IRS’ loophole-ridden regulations on campaign-related political activities by ‘social welfare’ nonprofit organizations. It's long past time to rewrite and reform these rules.

Campaign finance reports filed this week illustrate how a small-dollar donor base can help insurgent candidates for President lay the foundation for a competitive race, a new Common Cause analysis suggests.

The President Americans will elect next year must be committed to guaranteeing every American’s right to participate in our democracy by modernizing the federal Voting Rights Act, Common Cause President Miles Rapoport said today.

Using an impartial standard for measuring partisan fairness, New Virginia Majority and Common Cause have submitted a brief that evaluates the 10 proposed “remedial” plans to adjust the boundaries of Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District.