To help inform Issue One’s landmark report, “The Price of Power,” we interviewed several members of our bipartisan ReFormers Caucus at-length about their experiences with fundraising and concerns with the “committee tax” imposed on lawmakers. Every Tuesday and Thursday over the next few weeks, we will release edited excerpts of those conversations with these former lawmakers to supplement and expand
Read MoreIssue One Chief of Policy, Programs and Strategy Meredith McGehee issued the following statement in response to news that National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) is seeking to revive a version of the misguided K Street Project, made famous by former House Majority Whip Tom DeLay. “Reviving the ‘K Street Project’ is the most misguided priority
Read MoreIn an exit interview on “Full Measure” with Sharyl Attkisson, broadcast to millions of homes nationwide, U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) lambasted the fundraising virus that plagues our elected representatives. Chaffetz, who was first elected to the House in 2008 and has served as chair of the Oversight Committee since 2015, announced he
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Update (June 21, 9am ET): Republican Karen Handel won the special election in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, making history as the state’s first Republican congresswoman. Here are more details as to the role outside spending played in the election. UPDATED: Outside groups spent more than $27 million in #GA06, with pro-Handel forces spending about 2.5 times as much as pro-Ossoff orgs
Read MoreAhead of tonight’s Congressional Baseball Game, which has a bipartisan history dating back more than 100 years, Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus delivered a message of unity to Capitol Hill. Today, Republicans and Democrats will play on the same field for the love of our great American game. Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus is calling both parties to take that same spirit of cooperation
Read MoreAs people head to the polls today to vote in the race for the open seat in Montana’s sole congressional district, Issue One is looking at the money behind the election. The seat was formerly held by Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke and opened when he was confirmed as Interior Secretary for the Trump administration earlier this year. Since then, a
Read MoreIn the aftermath of the Watergate scandal involving President Richard Nixon, Congress established the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) in 1978 to provide oversight of the executive branch and prevent — and resolve — conflicts of interest. The agency was eventually made independent in 1989 and currently oversees ethics standards for 2.7 million civilian employees in more than 130 executive agencies and the
Read MoreIssue One sent a letter to House Ethics Committee Chairwoman Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Ranking Member Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) calling on the committee to review current ethics rules and announce the schedule for open hearings related to the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE). The Ethics Committee’s first public meeting of the 115th Congress on Wednesday, March 22, lasted
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In his joint address to Congress last night, President Trump laid out a broad agenda, from jobs and health care, to taxes and national security, for change in Washington. However, it failed to address the real culprit behind gridlock in Washington: the undue influence moneyed interests have on decision-making by elected and appointed officials. While the executive order on ethics
Read MoreIssue One Chief of Policy, Programs and Strategy Meredith McGehee released the following statement this morning: Today, Congress will vote on a new rules package that includes a proposal – inserted in secret last night – to gut the independent watchdog that oversees congressional ethics. “Acting in the literal dark of night while Congress was not in session, Speaker Ryan
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