Campaign Finance Reform & Small Donor Public Financing

The campaign finance system is dominated today by billionaires, millionaires, lobbyists, bundlers, Super PACs, dark money nonprofits and special interest PACs. Most officeholders are dependent on and obligated to these influence-seeking funders. Political money corruption in Washington cannot and will not be curbed until we provide officeholders with an alternative way to finance their campaigns.

Democracy 21 developed and is fighting to enact a new, alternative way to finance presidential and congressional campaigns, based on matching small contributions with public funds.

The system would match small individual contributions up to $200 with public funds at a ratio of 6 to 1. Thus, a $200 individual contribution would provide $1,400 to a candidate using the system.
The new system would empower ordinary Americans and make their contributions far more valuable to federal candidates. The system would free officeholders from the iron-grip of influence-seeking, big money funders.
The new system is financed not by taxpayers but entirely by corporate lawbreakers and wealthy tax cheats who pay a surcharge to the government on the penalties, fees and settlements they provide o the government for breaking the law.
There is a growing, nationwide citizen demand for elections free of the taint of influence-buying, special interest money. More and more states and municipalities — from Seattle to New York City to Maryland to Connecticut to Maine — have adopted successful small-donor campaign finance systems.
The small-donor, public matching funds system (H.R 1) passed the House in 2019 and has 47 sponsors (S. 949) in the Senate.

Small Donor Revolutionaries

Hear the stories of women from across the country who have used small donor financing systems to run for office and win.

Hear their stories

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

May 1, 2015|Press Releases |Money In Politicsby Diane

Fred Wertheimer op-ed: Bush Super PAC Scheme Would Violate 2002 Campaign Finance Law

April 23, 2015|Op Eds |Money In Politicsby Diane

Fred Wertheimer on On Point with Tom Ashbrook

April 21, 2015|Press Releases |Money In Politicsby Diane

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

April 13, 2015|Press Releases |Money In Politicsby Diane

Campaign Finance Reform & Small Donor Public Financing

Small Donor Revolutionaries

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

Fred Wertheimer op-ed: Bush Super PAC Scheme Would Violate 2002 Campaign Finance Law

Fred Wertheimer on On Point with Tom Ashbrook

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

Reform Groups Call on IRS to Clarify 49 Percent Approach

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

Reform Groups File FEC Complaints Against Presidential Hopefuls

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

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

Fred Wertheimer for American Constitution Society on Citizens United

Fred Wertheimer Statement on Citizens United Decision and Reform Bills Introduced Today

Fred Wertheimer Oped for Reuters “Democracy is Drowning in a sea of dark money”

Fred Wertheimer: “Who Shot John: The Story of How $777,600 Contribution “Limits” Ended up in The Omnibus Bill”

Letter to President Obama from Campaign Finance Reform Groups on Omnibus Appropriations Bill

Reform Groups Urge Congress to Vote No on Omnibus Bill and the Destructive Campaign Finance Provisions