Women in Politics: A Conversation With Mary Hayashi
Women make up a little more than half of the U.S. population yet represent far less than half of all elected representatives in government. For example, women currently make up just 28% of the U.S. House of Representatives — a record number, historically.
Election Worker Protection: Safeguarding Those Who Safeguard Our Democracy
Everyday Americans keep our elections fair — and they take this responsibility seriously. In recent years, however, individuals who have spent their careers safeguarding the electoral process are facing unprecedented levels of harassment and are leaving the profession in droves.
Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause Florida and partners urge Governor DeSantis to veto new Florida ethics bill
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause Florida, and other partner groups and allies — nine total — submitted a letter to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, urging him to veto House Bill 1597/Senate Bill 7014 (or the “Ethics Bill”) due to additional barriers it puts in place for members of the public calling for accountability and transparency from state officials engaged in potential wrongdoing.
The Ethics Bill passed by Florida’s state legislature on March 7 includes an amendment that would only allow ethics complaints to be filed by those with direct knowledge of potential wrongdoing. This is a major shift from past requirements, which allowed anyone to file complaints before the Florida Commission on Ethics — so long as the information they provided was truthful and factual to the best of complainants’ knowledge.
“Floridians deserve to have a hand in their democracy, and they deserve to fight for their right to know that their elected officials are putting the public good over personal gain,” said Kedric Payne, Vice President, General Counsel, and Senior Director of Ethics at Campaign Legal Center. “Ethics enforcement in the state of Florida has traditionally relied on the public being able to come forward and file complaints on potential cases of misconduct by officials. The Florida Ethics Commission is already limited because it cannot start an investigation itself without a complaint. Allowing only people with direct knowledge to file against potential wrongdoers is a major setback to transparency and accountability. Governor DeSantis should do right by his constituents and veto this bill.”
The coalition letter also notes that the standards for filing complaints under the new Ethics Bill are more stringent than basic legal principles that have been traditionally applied statewide, like for civil proceedings. Even if major news articles highlighted unethical behavior by Florida government officials, almost no member of the public would be allowed to call for an investigation by the Commission.
State ethics commissions are essential for maintaining an accountable and transparent democracy. Governor DeSantis should veto the new Ethics Bill so that the public can continue to assist the Florida Commission on Ethics with enforcement of the law, which is critical for building and maintaining public trust of government officials tasked with prioritizing the public interest.
Read the full letter here.
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CLC Senior Vice President Paul Smith on Trump v. Anderson: Ahead of Super Tuesday, Voters Deserved to Know Which Candidates Would Appear on Ballot
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This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court decided unanimously in Trump v. Anderson that the Colorado Supreme Court erred in excluding Donald Trump from its presidential primary ballot under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment. While the Court did not decide whether Trump is qualified for the ballot under Section Three, the Court held that Congress, rather than the states, is responsible for making that decision.
Following the decision, Paul Smith, senior vice president at Campaign Legal Center, released the following statement:
“As we head deeper into a crucial election year, one thing must always remain true: voters deserve the opportunity to make informed decisions. Voters heading to the polls on Super Tuesday and in other upcoming presidential primaries deserved to know which candidates would appear on their ballots — and it is encouraging the Court issued a clear ruling on the subject.”
Background: On January 18, 2024, CLC, alongside the Brennan Center for Justice, Protect Democracy, and the League of Women Voters, filed a friend-of-the-court (amicus) brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Trump v. Anderson urging the Court to reject Donald Trump’s plea to review the Colorado Supreme Court’s interpretation of its own state’s election laws — an issue the Supreme Court did not address in its majority decision today. The amicus brief took no position on whether Donald Trump is ineligible for the Colorado ballot under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment and backs neither party in the case.
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