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.
Coalition of Groups Urges White House, Senate to Restore FEC Quorum
|Press Releases |Money In Politicsby DianeFormer Vice President Biden Yesterday Announced A Far-Reaching Campaign Finance and Ethics Reform Plan
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeSenator Elizabeth Warren Proposes Sweeping Campaign Finance Reform Plan
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeFEC Regresses From Dysfunctional To Nonfunctional
|Press Releases |Money In Politicsby DianeIt’s Called Influence-Buying
|Fred Wertheimer’s Weekly Note |Money In Politicsby DianeDon’t give up on HR 1. The battle lies ahead. – Wertheimer op-ed in The Fulcrum
|Op Eds |Congress Ethics & Accountability Money In Politicsby DianeLoopholes Allow Foreign Adversaries to Legally Interfere in U.S. Elections – Wertheimer op-ed in Just Security
|Op Eds |Money In Politicsby DianeD21 Urges FEC to Oppose Proposed Creation of New Campaign Spending Category Not Authorized by Law and Funded by Massive Contributions
|Press Releases |Money In Politicsby DianeRebuttal of Attacks on Dark Money Disclosure Requirements in H.R. 1
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms H.R. 1 Money In Politicsby DianeThe Case for Ending Individual-Candidate Super PACs – Wertheimer opinion piece
|Op Eds |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeThe Case for a New Small Donor, Public Matching Funds System – Wertheimer piece
|Op Eds |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeDemocracy 21 President Fred Wertheimer Testifies in Support of H.R. 1 at the House Administration Committee
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms H.R. 1 Money In Politicsby DianeMeet a Younger Mitch McConnell as Bold Campaign Finance Reformer
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms Money In Politicsby DianeSpurious Arguments Being Made Against H.R. 1 to Defend Secret “Dark Money” Contributions Spent to Influence Federal Elections
|Press Releases |Democracy Reforms H.R. 1 Money In Politicsby DianeThe Attacks On HR1 Begin
|Fred Wertheimer’s Weekly Note |Democracy Reforms H.R. 1 Money In Politicsby Diane