News Clips

“Democracy is not supposed to be the sport of kings and billionaires,” said Stephen Spaulding, chief of strategy and external affairs for Common Cause. “Notwithstanding the Koch-Trump feud, the Koch network continues to exert enormous influence over public policy and the Republican Party at the federal and state levels.”

“Judge Drain’s decision makes clear that the Michigan legislature intentionally discriminated against African Americans for partisan political purposes,” said Common Cause president, Karen Hobert Flynn.

Kathay Feng, national redistricting director for Common Cause, which supports the ballot proposal, said, “This all-volunteer effort started so citizens could end a corrupt system in which self-interested politicians manipulate districts for political advantage behind closed doors. Now Michigan voters will have the opportunity to make their voices heard.”

Karen Hobert Flynn, the president of Common Cause, which joined in the lawsuit along with some black voters, called it a "big win for Michigan voters. The evidence in this case and Judge Drain's decision makes clear that the Michigan legislature intentionally discriminated against African Americans for partisan political purposes."

“Legislatures have become much more brazen in trying to undo what the constituents put in place,” said Elena Nunez, director of state operations and ballot measure strategies at Common Cause, a nonprofit watchdog group. “It has become a more heightened attack. That’s a troubling trend.”

“Clearly, the purpose of the event was to prepare people to get comfortable with the wholesale rewrite of the Constitution via a constitutional convention,” said Stephen Spaulding, head of strategy and external affairs for progressive nonpartisan watchdog group Common Cause.