Common Cause

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Common Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization.^[1] It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and accountable.^[2]

Common Cause's current president and chief executive officer is Robert W. Edgar,^[3][4] a former Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania. Its chairman is former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich.^[5] It has offices in 36 states, and is funded by dues and contributions from its nearly 400,000 members and supporters.^[6]

Mission and political leanings

The organization's mission statement says they are a "nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest and accountable government that serves the public interest, and empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard in the political process.”.^[7]

It is described as liberal by such news organizations as The Washington Post, The New York Times, Newsweek, TIME, and USA Today.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} Common Cause regularly participates in the National Conference for Media Reform^[13]

Common Cause focuses on five broad issues: campaign finance reform, election reform, ethics in government, government accountability, and the media. It also weighs in on health care, environmental, and defense topics.

Issues

Campaign finance reform

Common Cause’s is most notable for its activism for campaign finance reform. In 1974 Common Cause led the effort to pass the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), creating the current system of public financing in presidential campaigns.^[14]

At the state level, Common Cause has led successful efforts to pass campaign finance reforms, including the first disclosure laws, contribution limits and public financing in states such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Jersey, Michigan, Kentucky, Connecticut, and Florida.^{[citation needed]}

Common Cause is currently working on legislation for voluntary public financing in Maryland, New Mexico, and other states.^{[citation needed]}

Election reform

Common Cause advocates a voter-verified paper audit trail for election machines in all states. In January 2008, Common Cause and the Verified Voting Foundation released a report entitled “Voting at Risk 2008” highlighting the problems with electronic voting machines. The report listed 17 states as “High-Risk”.^[15][16]

Common Cause is in favor of establishing a national popular vote for presidential elections to replace the current electoral college system. Since 2005 Common Cause has advocated giving the District of Columbia voting rights in Congress.^[17]

Media

Common Cause's Media and Democracy department focuses on media ownership, network neutrality and community broadband.^{[citation needed]}

Ethics

Common Cause was instrumental^{[citation needed]} in passage of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, which was enacted on September 14, 2007. The bill strengthens public disclosure requirements concerning lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills.^[18]

Government accountability

In 1972, Common Cause sued President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign, the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP), under the Federal Corrupt Practices Act for failure to report campaign contributions. This high-profile case forced Nixon to expose his secret list of donors and aided in his ultimate downfall two years later.^[19]

National Governing Board

Since September 2010, the Chair of Common Cause's National Governing Board has been Robert Reich, who replaced Archibald Cox in that role.^[20] As of 2012, the board includes Vice Chair Martha Tierney, CEO Robert W. Edgar, and the following members:^[20]

Activism

In January 2011, Common Cause filed a petition with the Justice Department, seeking an investigation about whether United States Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas should have recused themselves from the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case.^[21] Common Cause then investigated the financial filings of Thomas, saying that Thomas did not include his wife's income in his filings.^[22] Bob Edgar, Common Cause president, called Thomas' explanation of his omissions "implausible."

Funding

Common Cause receives funding from, among other groups, liberal George Soros' Open Society Institute.^[5]

Common Cause Magazine

From 1980 through 1996, Common Cause published Common Cause Magazine.^[23] The magazine, once termed "the little magazine that could,"^[24] and described by the Washington Post as "a deeply researched, finger-in-your-eye sort of periodical",^[25] paralleled the work of Common Cause and focused on issues such as campaign finance and government accountability.

The magazine won more than two dozen journalism awards, including five from Investigative Reporters and Editors, as well as a National Magazine Award for General Excellence.^[25]

According to a Washington Post article, Common Cause was considering acquiring the Washington Monthly magazine.^[25] However, the National Governing Board voted against the Washington Monthly acquisition at its spring 2008 meeting.

References

External links

• Common Cause website
• Common Cause Papers at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University