This article originally ran in The Fulcrum, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization exclusively focused on efforts to reverse the dysfunctions plaguing American democracy.
President Trump ended negotiations with Speaker Nancy Pelosi over a new Covid-19 economic aid package. Then he urged Congress to immediately pass some spending bills, but excluded...
A federal judge blocked the Trump campaign's efforts to overturn election provisions allowing election officials to begin canvassing vote-by-mail ballots 10 days before Election Day and allowing ballots without a postmark to be counted if received within 48-hours of the election.
This decision will help preserve the ability to vote safely during...
The answer to the question of what happens if a president dies in office, resigns, is removed from office, or becomes too ill to serve is well-established. A presidential line of succession is dictated by the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Presidential Succession Act that was passed and is occasionally updated by Congress.
But President Trump’s...
From the beginning of the Trump administration, President Trump’s refusal to divest from his businesses has raised ethics flags: holding a global hospitality empire was bound to cause conflicts of interest, and it did.
Now, The New York Times reporting on Trump’s tax returns reveals why the highest office in the country was not enough incentive...
Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) filed a lawsuit against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for issuing a proclamation that would dramatically limit options for Texas voters seeking to hand-deliver their completed absentee ballots for this fall’s election.
In an order that is set to take effect on Oct. 2...
On Sept. 30, 2020, a federal court denied an attempt by the Trump campaign to suppress mail voting in Montana. The court upheld Montana Gov. Steve Bullock’s directive allowing the state’s counties to proceed with conducting vote-by-mail elections this November – which 46 of Montana’s 56 counties have chosen to do.
The order rebuked the Trump...
States should offer and expand early voting options, especially during a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing voters into some difficult choices. By spreading out in-person voting across many days – rather than a single day – we can space out voters and alleviate long lines and crowded polling locations.
Like other Native communities in...
This blog was written John Gardner, a senior consultant for Campaign Legal Center (CLC). Gardner served on the Postal Service Board of Governors.
This year, more and more Americans are planning to take advantage of a variety of ways to exercise their franchise both on Election Day and up to several weeks in advance. Voting-by-mail has attracted a...
By Sophia Gonsalves-Brown and Campaign Legal Center's Federal Reform and Ethics teams
“Drain the swamp” has now become a generic campaign slogan, but President Trump first used it in reference to a five-point plan that he claimed would “make our government honest again” and halt the revolving door in Washington, D.C. Now, as his first term comes...
President Trump has nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to be the next Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Judge Barrett has a limited record on democracy issues. The Senate needs ample time to explore her record, which is why this process cannot be rushed.
The U.S. Supreme Court plays a key role in helping to make sure that voters have...
In memory of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) asked some of its staff to share their reflections on Justice Ginsburg: what she meant to them, how she fought for democracy, and what she did to advance equal rights for all.
Justice Ginsburg understood that democracy works best when the voices of all Americans are protected...
This blog post has been adapted from a white paper produced by the National Task Force on Election Crises.
As the November general election draws closer, Americans are asking questions about how our election systems work. Campaign Legal Center (CLC) has staffers serving on the National Task Force on Election Crises and are prepared to respond to...
In an interview with CNN, Trevor Potter, the president of Campaign Legal Center (CLC), urged people to have faith that the November general election would be legitimate by highlighting the systems in place to ensure that every eligible voter’s ballot counts.
Between the COVID-19 pandemic and President Trump’s repeated attacks on the election...
Alaskans have the opportunity to vote “Yes” on Ballot Measure 2 this fall, which would shine a light on secret spending in the state’s elections. The “Bad Ass Grandmas,” who successfully fought for a similar ballot initiative in North Dakota in 2018, wrote an op-ed in the Juneau Empire urging Alaskans to vote “Yes on 2” for greater transparency and...
Campaign Legal Center (CLC) recently joined its voting rights partners in celebrating National Voter Registration Day by continuing our work to ensure that every eligible voter can register to vote and cast a ballot.
Our democracy works best when every American can vote without barriers. However, for the 18 million Americans with past felony...
Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is saddened by the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an inspirational figure who rose to the top of the legal profession with strong convictions and unwavering determination. Ginsburg’s enduring legacy is that she was a trailblazer who stood up for equality in all its forms. She upheld our democracy and its ideals...
Political ad spending is expected to reach an unprecedented $10 billion in the 2020 elections – including a projected record-breaking $2.8 billion in digital advertising. And despite the self-regulatory efforts by online platforms after Russian interference in the 2016 elections, the public remains in the dark about the content of many political...
Campaign Legal Center (CLC) recently filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his former company XPO Logistics for alleged straw donations that continued through 2018.
The straw donor scheme appears to have been carried out through donations made in the names of DeJoy’s employees...
Updated: Oct. 13, 2020
Many states rely on signature matching as part of ballot counting and verification procedures. Indeed, at least 31 states will use signature matching to verify all mail ballots in the upcoming November 2020 election.
Signature matching laws require election officials to compare the signatures voters provide on their ballots...
Campaign Legal Center (CLC) represented Arkansas Voters First, a volunteer-led grassroots organization that launched a citizen movement resulting in 150,000 signatures for a ballot initiative that – if approved in November – would prevent special interests from dominating the redistricting process.
The fact that the COVID-19 pandemic severely...
In response to a lawsuit brought by Campaign Legal Center (CLC) challenging the state’s election procedures, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar issued guidance to establish uniform processes across counties for counting mail-in ballots.
This resolves the case. The plaintiffs have filed a notice of dismissal this afternoon, ending the...