News

The Freedom To Vote Act Now Moves To The Next Stage After Senate Republicans Blocked Even Debating This Essential Legislation

Statement Of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer Today, Senate Republicans used a filibuster to block consideration of Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) compromise voting rights bill, the Freedom to Vote Act. This battle, however, is by no means over. The Act would protect the sacred right to vote for all eligible Americans by overriding the wave […]

Voting Rights Scheduled For Cloture Vote Next Week To Begin Debate

FRED WERTHEIMER’S WEEKLY NOTE | October 14, 2021 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced today that he will file cloture next Monday, October 18, on a motion to proceed on the Freedom to Vote Act. This is the compromise legislation engineered by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), who had opposed an earlier version of the […]

McConnell Over Country

FRED WERTHEIMER’S WEEKLY NOTE | October 7, 2021 Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made his bones in the Senate on political money – both raising influence-buying contributions and blocking efforts to curb the corrupting impact of this money in Washington. McConnell also built power and influence with his Republican colleagues on his unquenchable thirst […]

Democracy 21 Urges Senate To Pass The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act

“Protecting the sacred right to vote for all eligible Americans should be a goal for all Members of Congress.”  Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, introduced in the Senate on Tuesday, is a vitally important step forward in the work to protect the sacred right to vote […]

The “Perils Of Pauline” Rollercoaster Ride Ahead In Congress

  FRED WERTHEIMER’S WEEKLY NOTE | October 1, 2021 “Get ready for a Perils of Pauline rollercoaster ride in Congress in the coming weeks.” Legislation to prevent a government shutdown passed on Wednesday. Legislation to increase or suspend the debt ceiling will pass. Infrastructure legislation will pass. Budget reconciliation legislation will pass. And, legislation to protect […]

Trump’s Big Lie Continues

The former President continues to spread his Big Lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him. According to a recent poll, Trump has managed to convince an astonishing 78 percent of Republicans that President Biden was not legitimately elected, even though there is not a shred of evidence to support Trump’s blatantly false claim. […]

Democracy 21 Urges Support For The Protecting Our Democracy Act

Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer The serial abuses of power by former President Trump continue to cast a pall over our democracy. We cannot ignore how much damage Trump did to our constitutional system of government and we must ensure that it never happens again. The Protecting Our Democracy Act, introduced today by Representative […]

The Washington Post: “If Republicans Can’t Get Behind An Issue As Fundamental As Voting, Democrats Must Push Through Their Bill”

The Freedom to Vote Act, the revised voting rights and anti-corruption legislation introduced in the Senate last week, “is an outstretched hand to Republicans — indeed, to anyone who claims to care about democracy,” The Washington Post editorial board wrote on Sunday. “But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) immediately trashed it. Not a single […]

The New York Times: “Joe Manchin Got The Voting Bill He Wanted. Time To Pass It.”

“Having lost the White House and the Senate last year, Republicans appear intent on rigging the game in their favor before the midterms. Protecting the integrity of America’s electoral system and the voting rights of its citizens should be priority No. 1 — not because it helps Democrats, but because it helps preserve democracy,” The […]

Fact Sheet: The Small Donor Matching Funds System In The Freedom To Vote Act

The Freedom to Vote Act (S. 2747), introduced on September 14, 2021, includes for House candidates a voluntary, small donor matching funds system. The Act is a revised version of S. 1. The small donor system in S. 2747 mirrors the substance of the small donor matching funds system contained in H.R. 1/S. 1 and […]