News
The Washington Post McCutcheon case could give Citizens United a run for its money in Supreme Court By T.W. Farnam– McCutcheon could be the new Citizens United.The Supreme Court’s decision Tuesday to hear a campaign finance case, McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, in its next term gives the justices a chance to continue their dismantling […]
Says President Must Act; Proposes Ideas for Reform As the U.S. Supreme Court readies to hear another case that could result in further undermining of the campaign finance laws, a new American Constitution Society Issue Brief written by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer and its Counsel Don Simon argue that the federal agency tasked with […]
Statement by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new campaign finance case with enormous consequences for the country. McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission involves the limit on total contributions from an individual to all federal candidates, party committees and PACs in a two-year election cycle. The aggregate contribution limit […]
Washington, D.C.– Reform groups sent a letter today to the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) urging the agency to avoid the procedural minefield of rules changes proposed recently by several private attorneys. The reform groups include the Campaign Legal Center, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Common Cause, Democracy 21, League of Women […]
Today, Democracy 21 joined the Campaign Legal Center in filing an amici brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in the latest of a long line of challenges to federal disclosure laws. Free Speech v. FEC is a challenge to the “subpart (b)” definition of “expressly advocating” (11 C.F.R. § 100.22(b)), […]
By: Fred Wertheimer The Supreme Court is scheduled next week to decide whether to review two lower federal court decisions in which the constitutionality of key campaign contribution limits are being challenged. At its conference on Friday, February 15, 2013, the Court is expected to act on a petition for certiorari in a case that […]
At the beginning of his first term, President Obama issued a sweeping executive order to establish unprecedented new ethics rules for his Administration. His second term is beginning in the polar opposite way. Through his political agents, the President has created a section 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organization, Organizing for Action, that will raise and spend money […]
The Washington Post For top donors, inauguration means access, influence and angling for next big job By Marc Fisher and Tom Hamburger January 20, 2013 The voters have spoken, but even after a $2 billion presidential campaign, the quest for dollars in Washington continues. This weekend, the high rollers are paying for inauguration parties that […]
President Obama Opts for “The Ends Justify the Means,” Where “Means” Creates Potential for Government Corruption Statement by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer President Obama has set out on a dangerous and unprecedented path as he begins his second term in office. The President and his political allies are creating a section 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organization, […]
The Washington Post Did tax-exempt groups mislead the IRS on political spending? By Editorial Board January 18, 2013 OF ALL THE groups that pumped hidden money into politics in recent years, the most notable and peculiar included those that claim a “social welfare” purpose and have applied to the Internal Revenue Service for designation as nonprofit […]
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