The nation needs a new sheriff for federal elections. Without enforcement stronger than the Federal Election Commission is currently structured or inclined to provide, hard-won campaign-finance reform, including the key ban on soft money, will be meaningless. The nation’s campaign-finance watchdog should be independent of political parties to ensure that it works in the interest […]
The HillDeParle’s industry ties a non-issue By Jeffrey Young March 5, 2009 White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle’s professional ties to healthcare companies may have prompted questions from the media, but government ethics watchdogs say they don’t see a problem. DeParle brings stellar credentials to her new job, having served in several high-level […]
The Washington PostFEC Nomination Impasse Stalls Disclosure of Bundling DataAgency Cannot Set New Rules for Fundraising by LobbyistsBy Paul KaneApril 4, 2008 The stalemate over the Federal Election Commission’s nominating process, which already has crippled the agency’s ability to uphold existing campaign laws, is indefinitely delaying the implementation of a new rule designed to shine […]
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 […]
Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer The three Republican Commissioners of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) once again have failed to discharge their duty to faithfully administer the campaign finance laws. By voting in the EMILY’s List case to block the recommendation of the FEC General Counsel to appeal the decision by a three-judge […]
By Susan Crabtree House Republican leaders won’t say whether they will scrap an ethics office if they regain the majority this fall.The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), established by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in 2008, has attracted criticism from Republicans and Democrats during the last couple of years. Most GOP lawmakers voted against the creation […]
Associated PressU.S. Meetings With Lobbyists Go UnreportedBy Rita BeamishAugust 31, 2009 President Obama ordered federal officials to disclose their contacts with lobbyists trying to influence how the government doles out money to jump-start the economy. Yet few such communications have been reported even though lobbyists say they are busier than ever with the multibillion-dollar stimulus. […]
The New York TimesInterest Groups Step Up Efforts in a Tight RaceBy Jim Rutenberg and Michael LuoSeptember 16, 2008 After largely staying on the sidelines, the types of independent groups that so affected the 2004 presidential campaign are flooding back as players in the final sprint to the election this fall, financing provocative messages on […]
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 […]
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 […]
Sign up for Democracy 21’s email list(s) to receive “Wertheimer’s Political Report” our weekly newsletter released every Thursday and/or our regular news releases. (And, we won’t share your email.)
