Fourth Circuit Overturns Decision That Struck Down Century-Old Law Banning Corporate Contributions to Federal Candidates & Parties

|, |by

Fourth Circuit Overturns Decision That Struck Down Century-Old Law Banning Corporate Contributions to Federal Candidates & Parties Today, in U.S. v Danielczyk, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed a district court decision which had ignored U.S. Supreme Court precedent in order to strike down the century-old federal ban on corporate contributions […]

Read more

Wertheimer op-ed: Senator McConnell “Pounds the Table” in Opposing Campaign Finance Disclosure Long Upheld by Supreme Court

|, |by

Senator McConnell “Pounds the Table” in Opposing Campaign Finance Disclosure Long Upheld by Supreme Court By Fred Wertheimer, Democracy 21 President There is an old saying in the legal profession that goes like this: “If you don’t have the law pound the facts, if you don’t have the facts pound the law, if you don’t […]

Read more

Statement by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer on Supreme Court’s Decision to Leave Citizens United Standing

|, |by

Statement by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer The Supreme Court today has left standing the disastrous Citizens United decision and the enormous damage it is doing to our democracy and political system. Nevertheless, the battle in Congress, the states and the courts for effective campaign finance laws to prevent the corruption of our officeholders and […]

Read more

Mother Jones: “Follow the Dark Money”

|, |by

Mother Jones Follow the Dark Money The down and dirty history of secret spending, PACs gone wild, and the epic four-decade fight over the only kind of political capital that matters. By Andy Kroll July/August 2012 “There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money and I can’t remember what the […]

Read more

Center for Public Integrity: “Nonprofits outspent super PACs in 2010, trend may continue”

|, |by

The Center for Public Integrity Nonprofits outspent super PACs in 2010, trend may continue Micheal Beckel June 18, 2012 While super PACs were cast as the big, bad wolves during the last election, the groups were outspent by “social welfare” organizations by a 3-2 margin, a trend that may continue amid reports that major donors […]

Read more

Endorses Bill Introduced Today by Senator Mark Udall to Repair the Presidential Public Financing System

|, |by

Democracy 21 Endorses Bill Introduced Today by Senator Mark Udall to Repair the Presidential Public Financing System Statement by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer June 19, 2012 Democracy 21 strongly endorses the legislation introduced today by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) to repair and modernize the presidential public financing system. Companion legislation has been introduced in […]

Read more

Statement by Democracy 21 Pres. Fred Wertheimer Urging Senators to Support Sen. Mark Udall’s Bill to Reform Presidential Public Financing

|, |by

Statement_by_Democracy_21_President_Fred_Wertheimer_Endorsing_Bill_Introduced_by_Senator_Mark_Udall_to_Repair_Presidential_Public_Financing_System.pdf

Read more

Reform Groups Urge Senators to Support Sen. Mark Udall’s Bill to Reform the Presidential Public Financing System

|, |by

In a letter sent today to all Senators, reform groups expressed strong support for legislation introduced today by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) to repair the presidential public financing system. The groups include Americans for Campaign Reform, Brennan Center for Justice, Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters, People […]

Read more

“A GOP bait-and-switch on disclosure,” an op-ed by Washington Post Editorial Page Editor Fred Hiatt

|, |by

The Washington Post A GOP bait-and-switch on disclosure By Fred Hiatt June 17, 2012 First, a confession: Though a longtime member of the Church of Campaign Finance Reform, I have from time to time been tempted by the sect of Unlimited Donations, Unlimited Disclosure. Republicans always dangled this apple in the most alluring way. Political money […]

Read more

NPR story: Sen. McConnell: Political Donations Are Free Speech

|, |by

NPR Sen. McConnell: Political Donations Are Free Speech By Peter Overby June 18, 2012 NPR introduction to Overby piece: Sunday was the 40th anniversary of the Watergate break-in — the opening act in a wide-ranging, White House scandal that was fueled by secret campaign money. Last week, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said it’s time […]

Read more