Article
To be truly fair Wisconsin courts must be free from big political money
Wisconsin needs to begin to figure out a better way to elect state Supreme Court justices and judges at all levels and those discussions need to begin in earnest now.
Money in Politics
Citizens United invited huge sums of dark money into our democracy. We're demanding reforms that put ordinary people ahead of billionaire campaign donors.
Americans know that money has too much influence in our political system. That is why we advocate for money in politics solutions that empower small-dollar donors to make an impact in campaigns, require disclosure of all campaign money raised and spent, remove the financial barriers stopping everyday people from running for office, and hold elected officials and wealthy special interests accountable to voters.
Even with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC, states and cities across the country are proving that we can improve our campaign finance system with laws that amplify the voices of everyday Americans.
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Updates
Blog Post
Wisconsin After the Most Significant Election of 2023
The national hype for this contest for ideological control of the State Supreme Court was justified and not over the top. It was by any measure, monumentally significant.
Blog Post
Voters Needed to Save Democracy
There are some elections which prove to be more important than others in the operation of our democracy. One such election is this November. This importance will require voters truly concerned about the health of our nation's democracy to put the current state of hyper-partisanship, and too often single issue voting, aside and do some broader candidate analysis.
Press
Press Release
Common Cause Releases 2022 “Democracy Scorecard” Showing Growing Support in Congress for Democracy Reform
MADISON, WI — As constituents evaluate the performance of their members of Congress, Common Cause released its 2022 “Democracy Scorecard,” a tracking resource with the positions of all members of Congress on campaign finance reform, ethics and transparency, and voting rights legislation. The fourth biennial scorecard is produced to help constituents hold their leaders in the 117th Congress accountable for passing common-sense legislation that preserves and strengthens our democracy.
News Clip
Wisconsin Radio Network: “Analysis finds legislators received $164,000 in 2017 travel and perks”
Heck said 30 years ago, paid junkets were almost unheard of. And he says state ethics rules that prohibit lawmakers from accepting “anything of value” need to be tightened up.
News Clip
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Wisconsin lawmakers got $164,000 in travel and perks last year from outside groups”
"Special interests are paying for it and everybody thinks that has an influence on what legislators are thinking and doing — because you're getting a free trip," said Jay Heck, director of the government watchdog group Common Cause in Wisconsin. "Of course you're going to be affected when you get a free trip ... That's just human nature."
Jay Heck
Executive Director
Common Cause Wisconsin