Democracy 21 Says OMB has No Basis for Interfering with OGE Oversight of Ethics Rules

  Democracy 21 sent a letter today to Mick Mulvaney, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), calling on him to back off from interfering with the efforts of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) to oversee and enforce the Executive Branch ethics rules. On May 17, 2017, Mulvaney sent a letter […]

Supreme Court Affirms Constitutionality of Political Party Soft Money Ban in Order Issued Today

  Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer The Supreme Court this morning summarily affirmed the lower court decision in Republican Party of Louisiana v. FEC.  Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch noted they would have set the case for argument.  In the case, the Louisiana Republican Party challenged the rules in the Bipartisan Campaign […]

Democracy 21 Letter Commends Mueller Appointment

  Urges Deputy AG Rosenstein to Provide Appropriate Resources, Ongoing Independence In a letter sent to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Democracy 21 commended him on his decision to appoint Robert Mueller as an independent Special Counsel to lead the Department’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion between the […]

Democracy 21 Letters to McGahn & Rosenstein Point Out Nixon Said He Should’ve Destroyed Watergate Tapes

   Remind them of Legal Obligation to Preserve Any Trump White House Tapes that Exist In a letter sent to White House Counsel Donald McGahn, Democracy 21 reminded him that he is “obligated under the law to ensure that any White House tape recordings of President Trump’s conversations are preserved as evidence for potential criminal […]

Democracy 21 Urges DOJ Inspector General to Investigate and Take Action Against AG Sessions for Violating DOJ Recusal Regulation

  Democracy 21 today sent to the Justice Department’s Inspector General three complaints that Democracy 21 previously filed against Attorney General Jeff Sessions with the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) on February 27, 2017, March 2, 2017 and May 12, 2017. Democracy 21 requested in its letter to Inspector General Michael Horowitz that […]

Fred Wertheimer Statement on AG Jeff Sessions

The position of Attorney General of the United States is a symbol of the nation’s commitment to the rule of law. Instead, however, we have an Attorney General who is violating the rules of his own Department of Justice. The Justice Department’s recusal regulation requires Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from participating in […]

Democracy 21 Files DOJ Complaint Against AG Sessions for Violating DOJ Recusal Regulation and AG’s Own Recusal

  Democracy 21 filed a complaint today against Attorney General Jeff Sessions with the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR): for violating both his public commitment to recuse himself “from any matters arising from the campaigns for President of the United States,” and for violating a Department of Justice (DOJ) regulation that requires his […]

Govt Accountability Groups Call on Deputy AG to Promptly Appoint an Independent Special Counsel to Handle Russia Investigation

  In a letter sent today to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, twenty-four groups and individuals with expertise in government integrity and accountability expressed deep concern about President Trump’s inappropriate firing of FBI Director James Comey yesterday. The letter called on Rosenstein “to promptly appoint an independent Special Counsel, as authorized by Justice Department regulations, […]

Wertheimer statement: Trump’s Wrongful Firing of FBI Director Requires Outside Counsel

  President Trump’s wrongful firing yesterday of FBI Director James Comey has now eliminated the person who was leading an investigation of the possible involvement of President Trump’s presidential campaign in Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign – an investigation that could possibly reach President Trump himself. Attorney General Sessions’ recommendation to President Trump […]

Nevada Becomes Third State in 2017 to Rescind Previous Call for a Constitutional Convention

  Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer  Nevada yesterday became the third state this year to rescind its previous call for a constitutional convention to adopt a balance budget constitutional amendment. Successful rescission efforts in New Mexico and Maryland earlier this year, along with Nevada’s rescission yesterday, have stopped the momentum of proponents seeking […]