Press Release
Common Cause Pennsylvania: Election Night is Not Results Night
As voters head to the polls, Common Cause Pennsylvania is reminding voters that it may take days for election officials to finalize results.
Press
Media Contacts
Katie Scally
Director of communications
kscally@commoncause.org
(408) 205-1257
News Clip
Sons of top two Pa. Senate leaders are registered lobbyists for same firm
Given Ward’s and Costa’s direct relationships to the top Republican and Democrat in the Senate, respectively, the sons’ clients could get special treatment across the Legislature and a leg-up in getting their legislative priorities across the finish line, said Khalif Ali, the executive director of good-government nonprofit Common Cause PA.
News Clip
Frank Dermody lost state House election but lands $145,000/year gambling board job
“We know that nationally, about two-thirds of Americans believe that politicians ‘don’t care about people like me.’ This kind of revolving door employment reinforces that cynicism. A cooling-off period for former state legislators, before they take other state jobs, would reassure voters that public employees are working in the public’s interests,” Ali said.
Press Release
Common Cause Pennsylvania Calls For Representative Scott Perry to Resign
Rep. Perry has been on a months-long collision course to undermine the will of not only the people of his own state, but the will of Georgia voters as well. He has stoked conspiracy theories, called for the decertification of Pennsylvania’s votes following an unprecedented insurrection on the Nation’s Capitol, and now has been found having a direct hand in Donald Trump’s attempt to weaponize the Department of Justice for his own personal gain. For these reasons, he must resign.
Press Release
Common Cause Pennsylvania Renews Opposition to Judicial Districts Amendment
During today’s meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, Common Cause Pennsylvania Executive Director Khalif Ali submitted testimony strongly opposing House Bill 38, the Judicial Districts Amendment. This unprecedented bill would take voters’ power over our courts away and eviscerate judicial independence. It is opposed by many former Pennsylvania judges, both Democratic and Republican as well as news media editorial boards around the state.
Press Release
Federal Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan Affirms Re-election of Sen. Jim Brewster
Common Cause calls on our elected officials to demonstrate the type of leadership that will reinstill confidence in our democracy. Pennsylvanians deserve nothing less. Jim Brewster was chosen by his constituents to represent them. Common Cause Pennsylvania urges the Senate to immediately seat him.
News Clip
New Pa. GOP leader pushes transparency reforms despite party’s past reluctance, obstruction
Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, said it is up to good government groups — and citizens — to remind elected officials of their promises.
“You get accustomed to doing things in a certain way with a low or middle level of accountability,” he said of elected officials. “The higher the accountability, the closer the scrutiny, and that makes people uncomfortable.”
“You get accustomed to doing things in a certain way with a low or middle level of accountability,” he said of elected officials. “The higher the accountability, the closer the scrutiny, and that makes people uncomfortable.”
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Pa. Senate to swear in Jim Brewster to fill western Pa. seat
“It is time to move past the 2020 election and work together to deal with challenges that lie ahead,” said Common Cause Pennsylvania executive director Khalif Ali. “We’re facing a continuing COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustice, an increasing budget deficit and people are struggling to make ends meet. Pennsylvanians are suffering. Let’s move forward -- with a government that is ‘of the people, by the people’ and ‘for the people.’ Common Cause calls on our elected officials to demonstrate the type of leadership that will...
Press Release
Common Cause Pennsylvania Calls for Resignation of State Senator Doug Mastriano
In the wake of yesterday’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Common Cause Pennsylvania is calling for Sen. Doug Mastriano to immediately resign, due to his actions to undermine the outcome of the November 3rd election and his participation in yesterday’s events at the US Capitol.
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Facing pressure from Trump and constituents, Pa. GOP aims to limit expanded voting
Khalif Ali, the executive director of the nonpartisan good-government group Common Cause PA, said he’s already preparing for some fraught months as lawmakers hash out their differences.
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Satellite offices gave Pa. voters more options to cast early ballots in person. Were they worth it?
“It was a great celebration and people responded as a result,” said Khalif Ali, executive director at Common Cause Pennsylvania, a watchdog and voting rights group. Ali attended one of the events next to a Pittsburgh satellite office in October.
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OPINION: Pennsylvania’s democracy is strong despite schemes to reject election results
Here in the commonwealth, we pick our leaders. Our leaders do not pick and choose which voices to listen to and which ones to silence. We have spoken. We’ve elected our next president.
Press Release
Common Cause Pennsylvania Condemns GOP State Legislators’ Attempt to Undermine Pennsylvania Popular Vote
In America, voters pick our leaders -- our leaders do not pick and choose which voices to heed and which to silence. Common Cause Pennsylvania strongly condemns this blatant and undemocratic attempt by partisan operatives to undermine the will of the voters in Pennsylvania.