In the face of Congressional inaction on the critical issue of online political ad transparency, states have picked up the slack, and are passing effective digital ad disclosure policies. These are the most important features of those laws.

Public financing is a promising way to amplify the voices of all citizens in a democracy of, by, and for the people. A well-designed program can create an incentive for candidates to fundraise and connect with the people they seek to represent.

On December 6, 2019, the Court of Appeals issued an opinion affirming the decision below, which granted in part the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction.

32 states require online political ads to either to include disclaimers directly or make disclaimer information available via link.

On November 25, 2019, the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan Southern Division issued an order denying a preliminary injunction. 

Voters Not Politicians' motion to intervene was granted in the Daunt v. Benson case by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

CLC sent its original FEC complaint, its supplemental FEC complaint, and a separate cover letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Available evidence suggests not only that Donald J. Trump, the Trump campaign, and the Trump Foundation committed civil violations of campaign finance law, over which the FEC has jurisdiction, but also that those respondents may have committed criminal violations of campaign finance law by knowingly and willfully violating the Federal Election Campaign Act’s soft money restrictions. DOJ has the authority to prosecute knowing and willful violations of federal campaign finance law.

CLC filed a supplemental complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) outlining additional facts, including a New York state court decision and settlement agreement, that came to light after CLC filed its original complaint against Donald J. Trump, the Trump campaign, and the now-dissolved Trump Foundation.

On November 21, 2019, CLC also flagged this matter for DOJ.

CLC filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Donald Trump, his 2016 campaign committee, and the Donald J. Trump Foundation violated federal campaign finance law by soliciting and spending “soft money” funds in connection with his 2016 run for president. The complaint provides evidence and analysis in addition to the New York State Attorney General’s FEC referral on June 14.

Federal law prohibits candidates and their agents from soliciting and spending funds in connection with an election that don’t comply with federal contribution limits and reporting requirements.

On November 21, 2019, CLC filed a supplemental complaint with the FEC outlining additional facts. CLC also flagged this matter for DOJ. 

A nationwide survey of likely 2020 general election voters commissioned by Campaign Legal Center finds that voters overwhelmingly support that contributions to organizations that spend money on elections be publicly disclosed.

CLC signed a coalition letter to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), urging the agency to create a legal expense fund regulation that is transparent, open and accessible to the public.

CLC and the Center for Responsive Politics formally request that the Federal Election Commission require full, transparent financial reporting of the millions of dollars that pass through national political parties’ special-purpose bank accounts.

See CLC and CRP's comments on this petition here.

CLC and the Center for Responsive Politics filed comments with the FEC on our joint rulemaking petition asking the FEC to clarify reporting requirements for the national party committees’ special-purpose “Cromnibus” accounts.

See the original petition here.

CLC filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Ros-Lehtinen for Congress/South Florida First PAC violated the prohibition on converting campaign funds to personal use

CLC filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that President Trump’s “approved” super PAC, America First Action, illegally coordinated up to $6.6 million in expenditures with three federal campaigns in 2018. 

CLC filed this comment in response to disturbing evidence that the U.S. Census Bureau might provide less transparency about the accuracy and fairness of the 2020 Census than it did for past censuses. In recent decades, the Bureau has used data from its post-enumeration survey to calculate and publish estimated undercounts and overcounts for the U.S., for each state, and for large cities and counties within states. But according to documents disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act, the Bureau might not publish these coverage estimates for counties and cities after the 2020 Census.

These sub-state coverage estimates are critically important. When different parts of the same state are undercounted at different rates, the disproportionately undercounted communities lose their fair share of state funding and representation in statewide politics. Without sub-state coverage estimates, these communities may not know that they have suffered these injuries, and therefore will have less opportunity to advocate for policies that level the playing field. Suppressing sub-state coverage estimates also limits the ability of census advocates to engage in get-out-the-count efforts targeting historically undercounted areas. The Census Bureau therefore should publish sub-state coverage estimates, and should make sure it collects sufficient data to do so.

In a letter sent to U.S. Congressmen today, 36 organizations, including Campaign Legal Center urged all U.S. House Members to support H.R. 4617, the SHIELD Act, introduced by House Administration Chair Zoe Lofgren and Rep. John Sarbanes to “strengthen the laws to protect U.S. elections against foreign intervention.” The organizations also strongly urged members to vote against “any amendments to weaken or undermine the legislation.” The SHIELD Act was reported out of the House Administration Committee on October 21, 2019.

CLC filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) about a top donor to a pro-Trump super PAC after discovering evidence that a Russian-speaking Ukrainian businessman named Igor Fruman and a Russian-born businessman named Lev Parnas may have created Global Energy Producers, LLC as a shell corporation for the purpose of anonymously funneling six figures to the super PAC.

On June 20, 2019, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a supplement to its original FEC complaint after additional facts came to light. 

On October 9, 2019, Fruman and Parnas were arrested on criminal campaign finance charges, and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York filed an indictment that stemmed from CLC's complaint. 

Two Soviet-born donors to a pro-Trump fundraising committee who helped Rudy Giuliani’s efforts to investigate Joe Biden were arrested late Wednesday on criminal charges of violating campaign finance rules.

On June 20, 2019, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a supplement to our July 25, 2018 Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint outlining additional facts.

On October 10, 2019, CLC President Trevor Potter joined a group of conservative and libertarian lawyers in an open letter to stand firm against foreign interference in American elections.