Press Releases Archive

Treasury Department Inspector General’s Report Suggests IRS is Headed to Denying Crossroads GPS Status as 501(c)(4) Tax-Exempt Organization

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According to articles in the BNA Money & Politics Report and Bloomberg News, a report released on April 30, 2015 by the Treasury Department’s Inspector General suggests that the IRS is headed towards denying Crossroads GPS status as a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt “social welfare” organization. Crossroads GPS has used its claim of eligibility for 501(c)(4) tax-status […]

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Democracy 21 Praises Supreme Court Decision Upholding Ban on Judges Soliciting Contributions

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Democracy 21 praises the Supreme Court’s decision in Williams-Yulee v. The Florida Bar today that will help to protect the integrity of elected judiciaries throughout the country. The Supreme Court’s 5 to 4 decision vote upheld the Florida Bar’s ban on judges soliciting campaign contributions for their judicial elections. Chief Justice Roberts in his opinion recognized Florida’s […]

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Fred Wertheimer on On Point with Tom Ashbrook

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The segment is entitled “Money In Politics: The Gyrocopter’s Complaint” and focuses on the role of money in politics on the road to the 2016 election. According to On Point, “[Money in politics] is a big issue already in the 2016 campaign. This hour On Point: the mailman’s complaint. Big money, dark money, in American […]

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FEC Complaint Filed Against Pras Michel and Super PAC Black Men Vote for Apparent “Straw Donor” Contributions of $875,000

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Democracy 21 joined with the Campaign Legal Center in urging the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate possible violations of campaign finance laws by rap artist Pras Michel, his company SPM Holdings LLC, the Super PAC Black Men Vote and its Treasurer, William Kirk Jr. relating to “straw donor” contributions […]

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Reform Groups Strongly Oppose Efforts in the States to Call a Constitutional Convention

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Statement Issued by the Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, Democracy 21, Issue One, People For the American Way, Public Citizen and USAction Our reform organizations strongly oppose the efforts to pass resolutions in the states calling for a constitutional convention. The organizations include the Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, Democracy 21, Issue One, […]

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Reform Groups Call on IRS to Clarify 49 Percent Approach

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In a letter sent today to the Internal Revenue Service, Democracy 21, the Campaign Legal Center and Public Citizen called on IRS Commissioner John Koskinen to clarify his remarks that Congress created a framework that allows 501(c)(4) groups to spend up to 49 percent of their expenditures on campaign activities. According to a report in […]

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Wertheimer: “Role of Super PACs in Menendez Corruption Charges”

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The indictment of Senator Robert Menendez illustrates in stark terms the corrupting role that Super PACs now play in our political system. The Menendez indictment alleges that a donor gave $600,000 in corporate funds to Senate Majority PAC, a Super PAC, and earmarked the money for the Senator’s reelection campaign. The Super PAC used as […]

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Reform Groups Call on Justice Dept to Enforce Campaign Finance Laws in 2016 Election

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In a letter sent today to the Justice Department, Democracy 21, joined by the Campaign Legal Center, applauded the Justice Department’s recent action to enforce the coordination standard in the campaign finance laws and emphasized how important it is for the Department to play an active role in enforcing the campaign finance laws in the […]

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Reform Groups Urge Representatives to Oppose Latest Attempt to Repeal Presidential Public Financing System and EAC

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In a letter sent today to the House Administration Committee, reform groups urged Committee   members to oppose H.R. 412, legislation introduced by Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) to repeal the presidential public financing system. The groups also urged Committee members to oppose H.R. 195, legislation introduced by Representative Gregg Harper (R-MS) to terminate the Election Assistance […]

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Fred Wertheimer Statement on Groundbreaking Criminal Prosecution for Illegal Coordination Announced Today by Justice Department

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The Justice Department today issued a release announcing a criminal conviction for violating the federal rules prohibiting coordination between federal candidates and their campaigns, and Super PACs and other outside spending groups. According to Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer: This is an extremely important development and sends a warning signal to all federal candidates in […]

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