Press Release
House State Gov. Committee Passes Amended AI Disclosure Bill
"Pennsylvanians deserve transparency around AI-generated political communications."
Press
Media Contacts
Katie Scally
Director of communications
kscally@commoncause.org
(408) 205-1257
Press Release
Common Cause Pennsylvania Statement on Georgia Shootings
Our elected officials must listen to the shared experience of this community. Truly listen. We support Senator Nikil Saval, the first Asian American in the Pennsylvania Senate, who spoke yesterday to address the attacks and provide important context about the damning history of anti-Asian hate and violence in our country.
Press Release
Redistricting Kicks Off in Pennsylvania
News Clip
‘A direct response’: How Trump’s 2020 loss is dictating the future of elections in battleground states
"Our understanding is there is a significant amount of animosity toward the appellate courts by the Republicans, and it came about in legislation," said Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause in Pennsylvania.
"It's a direct response to the results of the November election," Ali said. "There's an idea going out that if democracy doesn't give you what you want, it must be broken."
"It's a direct response to the results of the November election," Ali said. "There's an idea going out that if democracy doesn't give you what you want, it must be broken."
News Clip
Voting rights and restrictions
Meanwhile, there are battles in many statehouses over voting with GOP bills limiting ballot access and bills written by Democrats expanding access.
News Clip
FEATURED Senate confirmations could be contentious for Wolf cabinet appointees
With former Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar’s abrupt departure and the election tensions still high, the confirmation process for Boockvar’s successor may be the most contentious, said Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause in Pennsylvania.
"That's going to be the spiciest," he said.
"That's going to be the spiciest," he said.
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.”
News Clip
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...