2128 Search Results Containing ":"
Yahoo! News/NorthJersey.com: Dark money disclosures in NJ elections are a 'work in progress.' Will they work?
It's unclear why these groups — the very ones that have come to dominate campaigns in recent years — were exempted from pre-Election Day disclosures. But to some campaign finance watchdogs, like Philip Hensley-Robin, a former analyst for the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, the loophole — when coupled with other key shortcomings of the bill — belied its much-ballyhooed “transparency” title. “Overall, I think you could pick out, you know, a clause here or there that was good, but overall, it's a net negative for transparency,” said Hensley-Robin, who is now executive director of Common Cause in Pennsylvania.
Found in: Common Cause
Washington Post: A renewed push to change how vacancies are filled in Md. legislature
Nearly half of the state lawmakers from Maryland’s largest county and about 1 in 4 statewide were not originally elected to their seats. Instead, they were appointed, sent to Annapolis by a handful of local party officials, according to a recent analysis from Common Cause Maryland, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for fair elections. “The General Assembly can’t continue to allow a handful of individuals to speak on behalf of thousands of voters,” Joanne Antoine, executive director of Common Cause Maryland, said of the process. Common Cause Maryland and Maryland PIRG say there should be special elections called to fill legislative vacancies, which is what happens in Maryland if there is an unexpected vacancy in the office of the comptroller, the attorney general or the U.S. Senate.
Found in: Common Cause
Daily Beast: The Secret Megadonor Behind the MAGA Movement’s ‘Nerve Center’
Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs at Common Cause, a watchdog group with decades of experience and a longstanding national operation, told The Daily Beast that Rydin was not on his organization’s radar. Scherb even inquired with Common Cause’s state-level team in Rydin’s home of Texas. “They said that oddly they had never heard this guy’s name before,” Scherb said. “After the awful Citizens United decision, more than 13 years ago now, the ultra-wealthy and elites have had a golden megaphone that drowns out the voices of everyday Americans,” said Scherb, of Common Cause. “This is example number one-thousand for why we need reforms like the Freedom to Vote Act and the Disclose Act, to help restore balance and inform more Americans about the money that influences our politics.”
Found in: Common Cause
Yahoo! News/Erie Times-News: Erie federal judge's ruling on mail-in ballots could shape outcome of 2024 election
"This is a tremendous victory for mail-in voters in Pennsylvania," Philip Hensley-Robin, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement. "We are relieved that minor clerical errors will no longer prevent Pennsylvanians from having their votes counted. We look forward to seeing the impact that this ruling will have on future elections, particularly for communities of color and elderly Pennsylvanians."
Found in: Common Cause
Green Bay Press-Gazette: As election maps undergo questioning before Supreme Court, rally in Green Bay demands redraw
"Every single vote that is put forward is counted but they aren't counted the same — they don't have the same value," said Penny Bernard Schaber, co-chair of Common Cause Wisconsin in Appleton and former Assembly member, at the rally.
Found in: Common Cause
North Carolina Public Radio/WUNC: Let the litigation begin: A federal lawsuit seeks to block new North Carolina Senate district map
"The two ends of that district have nothing in common," Ann Webb, policy director at Common Cause North Carolina, argued at the time, referring specifically to Senate District 2. "They are far from one another; they have different communities, and they should not be gerrymandered into a district together."
Found in: Common Cause
Seattle Times (Op-Ed): Restore net neutrality, crucial to democracy
The battle for network neutrality (aka the open internet) is back. The chair of the Federal Communications Commission, with a new majority finally in place after almost three years of a deadlocked 2-2 commission caused by a dawdling Senate, has started the ball rolling toward a vote, which hopefully will happen early in the new year. It’s something that should have been instituted years ago.
Found in: Common Cause
The Guardian: Ohio voted to protect abortion rights. Republicans are scheming to undo it
“There is a disconnect between what voters want and what the legislature wants,” said Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio. “It just highlights how gerrymandered the state legislature is.”
Found in: Common Cause
Delaware News Journal (Editorial): Hall-Long's campaign audit reveals a stark reality: Delaware deserves greater transparency
We join Delaware Common Cause and the Delaware Coalition for Open Government in calling on Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long to release an audit of her campaign finances — even though she is not required to do so by Delaware Law. Claire Snyder-Hall, Common Cause Delaware’s executive Director, joined Flaherty in asking Hall-Long’s campaign to disclose the audit. “The audit confirms the campaign’s claim there is no wrongdoing, so sharing that would go a long way to rebuilding public trust,” Snyder-Hall said. Snyder-Hall also pointed to a need for Delaware to amplify its regulation of campaign finance, calling for harsher penalties and more frequent reporting — priorities we continue to share.
Found in: Common Cause
The Economist: An FBI investigation raises questions about Eric Adams
New York City has strong campaign-finance laws. "They work because otherwise we would not know about these contributions," says Susan Lerner of Common Cause, a watchdog.