Press Releases Archive

Reform Groups Urge Senators to Support Federal Election Administration Act to Replace the FEC

  In a letter sent today, reform groups urged Senators to cosponsor the Federal Election Administration Act being introduced today by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM). The Act provides a framework and the basis for developing a new legislative approach for properly enforcing and interpreting the campaign finance laws and creates a new independent agency to […]

Watchdog Groups file FEC Complaints Against Shell Companies Hiding Super PAC Donors

  Democracy 21 joined the Campaign Legal Center today in filing two complaints with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), calling on the agency to investigate campaign donors who are skirting disclosure laws by hiding behind corporations to anonymously fund elections. The first complaint asks the FEC to investigate whether DE First Holdings, which came into […]

Democracy 21 Condemns DNC’s Decision to Abandon Ban on Lobbyist Contributions

  Statement by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer According to a Washington Post article today, the DNC has abandoned the ban on lobbyist contributions that was established for the party by President Obama. This move by the DNC is a major step in the wrong direction and is in direct conflict with the American people’s deep concerns about the […]

IRS Decision to Grant on “Social Welfare” Status of Crossroads GPS is Complete Abdication of Agency’s Duty

 Statement by Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer The reported decision by the IRS to grant “social welfare” status to Crossroads GPS is a complete abdication of the agency’s duty to enforce the tax laws. The decision was revealed today by the Center for Responsive Politics. By no stretch of the imagination can Crossroads GPS be considered […]

Tenth Circuit Rejects Challenge to Colorado Disclosure Provisions for Electioneering Communications

Today, in Independence Institute v. Williams, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit dismissed a challenge to the “electioneering communications” disclosure provisions enshrined in Colorado’s state constitution, affirming a federal district court decision upholding the law. Democracy 21 joined the Campaign Legal Center and Public Citizen in filing an amici brief with the […]

Reform Groups Strongly Oppose Constitutional Convention; Would Put Constitutional Rights at Risk

Statement by the Brennan Center, Center for Media and Democracy, Common Cause, CREW, Democracy 21 and People For the American Way Efforts are being undertaken in state legislatures to pass resolutions calling for a constitutional convention to send various constitutional amendments to the states for ratification. If these efforts are successful, it would result in […]

Reform Groups File FEC Complaint Against Senator Ted Cruz and His 2012 Senate Campaign

Today, Democracy 21 joined the Campaign Legal Center in filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) urging the FEC to investigate apparent violations of campaign finance laws by Senator Ted Cruz and the 2012 Cruz for Senate Campaign relating to loans he obtained from Goldman Sachs and Citibank for use in his 2012 […]

Wertheimer: Maine Sun Journal article shows candidate & party limits being undermined by Hillary Victory Fund

According to Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer: The Supreme Court in the McCutcheon decision struck down the aggregate limit on the total amount an individual donor could give to all party committees. By doing so, the Supreme Court made it possible for candidates and officeholders to solicit and for donors to give very large checks […]

Riders on Party Spending Limits & Public Financing Left Out of Omnibus But Other Damaging Campaign Finance Riders Included

Statement of Democracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer Democracy 21 thanks and commends President Obama, House Democratic Leader Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Reid, and other Democratic members of Congress who worked on this, for their successful efforts to keep three very damaging campaign finance riders out of the final Omnibus spending bill. We also join […]

Reform Groups Urge Democratic Leaders to Oppose Any Efforts to Kill Presidential Tax Checkoff System in Omnibus

  Reforms groups sent a letter today enclosed below to President Barack Obama, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid urging them to block any last minute efforts to kill the presidential tax check off system in the Omnibus spending bill. The reform groups include Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, CREW, […]