Campaign Legal Center (CLC) has been sounding the alarm since before President Trump’s second administration even began that the president’s blatant disregard for ethics laws and norms could pave the way for corruption, the misuse of taxpayer funds, and personal enrichment over the public good.  

Now, it appears that members of his administration...

When donors give candidates money to support their candidacy, they expect such funds only to be used for campaign-related purposes or expenses related to a sitting officeholder’s official duties.  

Under federal law, campaign contributions may not be used to pay for personal expenses. 

When public officials violate this important law and use donor...

Elections should be determined by voters, not politicians who manipulate voting maps. Gerrymandering — the manipulation of the map-drawing process for political gain — makes it easier for politicians and political parties to consolidate power and win elections at the expense of voters and our democracy.  

Gerrymandering directly affects how...

Wealthy special interests have increasingly dominated the financing of our elections, threatening to drown out the voices of everyday Americans. Running an electoral campaign for public office can come with an exorbitant cost, which helps explain why megadonors — or the outside groups they bankroll — routinely end up footing the bill and, in the...

In America, every voice should be heard, and every vote should count equally. The Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 is an important federal law which protects that important ideal by banning racial discrimination in voting.  

The VRA was passed to keep the promise of the 15th Amendment, which states that the right to vote cannot be denied based on...

Voters have a right to know who is trying to influence their vote and who is working to influence our government.  

Transparency about the sources of funding for our elections and candidates, and how that money is spent, is central to the free and fair functioning of our democracy.  

That’s why we’re leading the charge to defend the Johnson Amendment...

All voters should be able to make their voices heard in elections and every vote should count equally.

In opposition to this basic American principle, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ), in coordination with Texas Governor Greg Abbott, is pushing the Texas State Legislature to draw new voting maps in Texas that intentionally...

After years of struggle and devoted advocacy by civil rights leaders, the Voting Rights Act (VRA) was finally signed into law on August 6, 1965. This landmark legislation transformed American democracy and ended an era of rampant discrimination against Black Americans and other voters of color in our elections.  

But, over the last decade, the...

All voters should be able to invoke the protections of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), an important federal law that bans racial discrimination in voting.  

These protections should extend to all Americans, regardless of the state they live in — and thanks to efforts by Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and our partners, on behalf of our clients, the U.S...

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) has presented its proposed factual findings and legal conclusions in a case that has the potential to set an important new precedent for campaign finance transparency in our elections.

In this rare Federal Election Campaign Action Act (FECA) citizen suit, CLC has uncovered a wide array of evidence that proves the “major”...

Nonpartisan civic engagement groups that help voters engage in the political process are essential to our democracy. These groups ensure that all voters are able to register to vote and make their voices heard.

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) has been instrumental in upholding this time-honored democratic tradition, most recently by defeating a Kansas...

In a win for transparency, a federal district court in Washington, D.C., has ruled that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) violated federal law by failing to sufficiently explain its reasons for dismissing Campaign Legal Center (CLC)’s complaint alleging that a super PAC called “Last Best Place (LBP) PAC” violated federal campaign finance...

As Congress debated the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” two little-known and dangerous provisions quietly emerged as serious threats to our core democratic safeguards. Thankfully, both have now been resoundingly defeated.

Because of Campaign Legal Center’s efforts, alongside the tireless work of many of our partners, both threats were...

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision at the end of its 2024-2025 term that will drastically alter the ability for courts to check presidential power.  

With its decision in Trump v. CASA, a case nominally about the Constitution’s guarantee of birthright citizenship, the Supreme Court sets the stage for a drastic expansion of presidential power...

Update:

On June 27, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in this case drastically expanding presidential power. The Supreme Court has kicked the can down the road in deciding whether the President's attempt to end birthright citizenship is constitutional, but in doing so threw up new road blocks to immediately halting unconstitutional executive actions...

Transparency about who is spending money to influence our government is critical to the functioning of our democracy. But legislators in North Carolina are now seeking to undo critical transparency requirements in an effort to shroud political spending — particularly the funding of electoral litigation expenses — in secrecy.

Lawmakers should reject...

In the summer of 2025, President Donald Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” became law. It originated in the U.S. House of Representatives, was modified and passed by the U.S. Senate, and signed by the president on July 4.

This massive legislation — totaling near 1,000 pages — used a complicated congressional procedure known as “budget...

Black and Latino voters in Galveston County, Texas — the birthplace of Juneteenth — have long been denied a voice in county government, an unjust reality that perpetuates centuries of discrimination.

June 19, also known as Juneteenth, commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States. Designated a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth serves as...

After launching a full-scale attack on our system of checks and balances and threatening the ability of our government agencies to function in service to the American people, unelected billionaire Elon Musk is leaving public office.  

Accountability for our public officials does not end when they leave government — the public deserves to know if...

Campaign Legal Center welcomes eight new members to our team for the summer: our 2025 class of summer legal interns. The summer interns are current law students who will work with CLC's full time staff to help advance our work in the areas of voting rights, redistricting, campaign finance and government ethics.

Welcome, team!

Meet the Interns

Macallan...

The exorbitant price of inaugurations — and the fact that inaugural committees can accept unlimited donations, as well as corporate money — make them an ideal means for wealthy special interests to buy political access and influence, ultimately drowning out the voices of everyday Americans.

For example, according to new disclosures, the...