Media Center

Today, the Federal Communications Commission issued a Hearing Designation Order referring the Sinclair-Tribune merger before an Administrative Law Judge. The Order specifically questions whether Sinclair was the real party of interest in sales of stations to Chicago, Dallas, and Houston. These divestitures among others in Sinclair’s transaction contain sidecar agreements that would allow Sinclair to maintain some form of control over stations it was claiming to divest. The FCC questions whether Sinclair engaged in misrepresentation and a lack of candor in its applications with the Commission.

In the wake of the irresponsible and dangerous conduct of President Donald Trump at the Helsinki Summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Common Cause today called on Congress to take concrete steps to check Russian aggression and safeguard our election systems.

Today, Common Cause urged Congress to hold hearings to investigate new Treasury Department rules that gut disclosure requirements for tax-exempt organizations that have pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into U.S. elections in recent years. The move also comes at a time when serious concerns have been raised about foreign money being illegally funneled into U.S. elections through these groups.

Common Cause, the National Election Defense Coalition and Protect Democracy today filed an Amicus Curiae brief in support of all plaintiffs in the Curling v. Kemp lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  The brief was filed on July 17, 2018.

Today Congressman Mike Coffman announced he is signing the discharge petition to restore the FCC’s net neutrality rules. Congressman Coffman will be the first House republican to sign the discharge petition.

Today, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai issued a statement stating he has serious concerns over the Sinclair-Tribune merger and proposed referring the transaction to an administrative hearing.