Analysis: Problems with Presidential Public Financing System and Solutions in New Legislation Introduced In Congress

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Analysis: Problems with the Presidential Public Financing Systemand Solutions in New Legislation Introduced by Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI)and Representatives Marty Meehan (D-MA) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) The presidential public financing system was established in 1974 in the wake of the Watergate scandals to provide candidates with the financial resources necessary to compete effectively for the […]

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New York Times Editorial Rejects House Ethics Committee Pre-Approval of Privately-Funded Trips for Members

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An editorial appeared today in The New York Times entitled, ”Razzle-Dazzle ‘Em Ethics Reform.” The editorial challenges and rejects as ”cosmetic” the system currently being considered, under which the House Ethics Committee would pre-approve privately-funded trips for members of Congress. The New York TimesRazzle-Dazzle ‘Em Ethics Reform June 21, 2006 The House ethics committee, ever […]

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Reform Groups Urge Senators to Oppose McConnell Bill to Repeal Presidential Funding System and Turn Presidency Over to Big Money

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Americans for Campaign Reform – Brennan Center for JusticeCampaign Legal Center – Common Cause – Democracy 21League of Women Voters – People For the American WayPublic Campaign – Public Citizen – U.S. PIRG In a letter sent to the Senate today, reform organizations strongly urged Senators to "oppose S. 194, legislation introduced by Senate Republican […]

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PRESS BRIEFING TOMORROW: New Proposal Seeks to Boost the Power of Small Donors After Citizens United

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MEDIA ADVISORY for Wednesday, August 21, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. EST Contact: Kathryn Beard, 202-355-9600, kbeard@democracy21.org, Jeanine Plant-Chirlin, 646.292.8322, Jeanine.plant-chirlin@nyu.edu PRESS BRIEFING: New Proposal Seeks to Boost the Power of Small Donors After Citizens United New Plan Could Alter the Way We Finance Campaigns WASHINGTON, DC —On WEDNESDAY AUGUST 22, the Brennan Center for Justice and Democracy […]

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Dragging Big Business to Disclosure

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Yesterday an editorial appeared in The New York Times entitled, ”Dragging Big Business to Disclosure.” The editorial deals with the requirements of the new lobbying disclosure law and also addresses the stalemate in confirming Commissioners to serve on the Federal Election Commission, which has resulted in the agency being inoperative since January 1, 2008. The New […]

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Statement by Reform Groups on the Internet Regulation Adopted Today by the FEC

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Statement of Reform Groups on the InternetRegulation Adopted Today by the FEC The following statement is being issued by the Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG: Throughout this process, our organizations have supported both protecting the free speech rights of bloggers and other individual Internet […]

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Editorials From The New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer Support Disclosure

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The New York Times Where Are the Good-Government Republicans? March 28, 2012 Senator John McCain recently denounced the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision as “naïve and politically ignorant,” telling Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, that “the consequences are manifesting themselves every day in what will someday be, sooner rather than later, a huge scandal.” […]

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Washington Post: Justices Split on Campaign Finance

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The Washington PostJustices Split on Campaign Finance Court Will Debate Case This Fall Charles LaneSeptember 9, 2003 With the first caucuses and primaries of campaign 2004 bearing down on them, the justices of the Supreme Court convened yesterday for an unusual late-summer oral argument on campaign finance law, and when it was over, the four-hour […]

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Washington Post: FEC Drops ‘Soft Money’ Action; GOP, Democratic Groups Warned About Future Fundraising

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The Washington PostFEC Drops ‘Soft Money’ Action; GOP, Democratic Groups Warned About Future FundraisingThomas B. EdsallApril 29, 2003 The Federal Election Commission dismissed complaints against two inactive “soft money” committees yesterday but warned that tougher steps could be taken once active fundraising begins. The decisions announced yesterday were the first test of the regulatory enforcement […]

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Another Moment of Truth for the FEC

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Another Moment of Truth for the FEC– A Report from Washington by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer – This week, on May 13, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) is scheduled to consider a proposal by two of its Commissioners that would put the brakes on "527 political organizations" that are circumventing the federal campaign finance […]

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