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The health of our democracy depends on accountable, inclusive and transparent processes at all levels of government. CLC works with lawmakers, ethics commissions and other nonprofit groups in cities and states to provide guidance and propose solutions for stronger ethics at the state and local...
Members of Congress are elected to serve their constituents’ interests. Ethics laws provide the accountability and transparency necessary to ensure that members of Congress are committed to the people rather than their own wallets. CLC proposes solutions for stronger ethics in Congress and serves as...
Federal executive branch officials should make decisions with the public’s best interests in mind. Ethics laws are exist to maintain this high standard. CLC works to hold officials accountable to these laws laws and proposes stricter laws where needed to compel officials to serve the public’s...
Many members of Congress actively involved in the buying and trading of stocks are failing to disclose such trades in a timely manner. This has led to a widespread, bipartisan trend of ethics violations. Penalties for this behavior, governed by an opaque system, are rare and nominal. Consequently...
To reduce corruption and hold senators accountable, an independent ethics committee focused on the Senate and made up of nonmembers must be established. Without ethics enforcement, members will continue to favor the priorities of donors and special interests. We need stronger ethics enforcement to...
For 30 years, the Texas Ethics Commission (the “Commission”) has deterred public corruption and provided transparency in elections by enforcing the state’s ethics, campaign finance and lobbying laws. CLC is urging the state circuit court to uphold the state’s constitution and allow the Commission to...
Congress should pass and President Joe Biden should sign into law the comprehensive set of democracy reforms outlined in H.R. 1/S. 1 to advance the freedom to vote, strengthen ethics laws, end partisan gerrymandering and decrease the influence of wealthy special interests in our political system.
Montana has strong transparency requirements for businesses that make political contributions and expenditures while seeking lucrative contracts with state government agencies. CLC is urging the court to uphold these requirements, which advance core First Amendment principles in promoting political...
CLC is advocating in favor of state laws requiring that presidential electors follow the popular vote in their state.
CLC represents the Oklahoma Ethics Commission in defending an ethics law that prevents lobbyists from corrupting Oklahoma public officials with gifts.
Violations of ethics obligations by officials across the Interior Department have raised serious questions about whether top agency officials are working to benefit the public, or to benefit the wealthy special interests that used to fund their paychecks. CLC is working to hold Interior officials...
On September 26, 2019, a whistleblower complaint was made public that alleges President Donald Trump used the power of his office to solicit interference from Ukraine in the 2020 U.S. election. Further reports have revealed other alleged illegal acts by employees or associates of the Executive...
Since Wilbur Ross was confirmed to his cabinet position as Commerce Secretary in February 2017, CLC has conducted vigorous oversight of his conduct, due to public concerns that his own financial interests conflict with the public interest.
CLC filed complaints urging enforcement of the Hatch Act and has called out violations in the media.
CLC is suing the GSA over its refusal to provide travel records responsive to CLC’s FOIA request.
Schickel v. Dilger is a challenge to several pillars of Kentucky’s legislative ethics laws that prevent lobbyists from corrupting state legislators with gifts and campaign contributions.
Former Virginia Governor Robert F. McDonnell was convicted on public corruption charges for accepting $175,000 in gifts and loans—including a Rolex watch, a custom golf bag, and expensive vacations and shopping sprees—from multi-millionaire Jonnie Williams, and then using his official position to...
Petitioner, a judicial candidate for a Florida County Court, filed suit challenging the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct rule prohibiting candidates for judicial office from personally soliciting campaign funds. The Florida Supreme Court found petitioner guilty of violating the solicitation...
In 2009, an unsuccessful candidate for Arizona judicial office filed suit to challenge canons of the Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct, alleging that the canons violate his First Amendment rights...
In February 2008, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) challenged a provision in the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) that requires a lobbying coalition, such as NAM, to disclose any member organizations of the coalition that fund the coalition’s lobbying activities and...