Issue One – transparency

New research study illuminates need for closing digital loopholes that allow foreign interference in U.S. elections

William Gray Apr 16th, 2018 Honest Ads, News

Note: This blog post was corrected to reflect an update in the number of suspicious groups in the underlying study.* Today, Issue One and the Campaign Legal Center, in conjunction with University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Young Mie Kim and her team, Project DATA (Digital Ad Tracking & Analysis), published the results of the first peer-reviewed survey of Facebook political ads

Congress should commemorate Sunshine Week by passing bipartisan legislation that increases transparency and saves taxpayers money

Michael Beckel Mar 16th, 2018 Uncategorized

All week, transparency advocates around the country, including Issue One, have been observing Sunshine Week — an annual affair that honors open government and the public’s right to access information. One easy way that Congress could commemorate Sunshine Week this year would be to pass the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act (S. 298) — a bipartisan bill that would not

Statement of Meredith McGehee: White House Refusing to Publicly Release Visitor Logs is Unfortunate

William Gray Apr 14th, 2017 Accountability, In the News

Issue One Chief of Policy Meredith McGehee’s Response to reports of the White House refusing to publicly release its visitor logs: “What an unfortunate and ill-judged decision by the White House. From dismissing decades of tradition by declining to release his tax returns to refusing to place his assets in a blind trust, President Trump seems to be going out of

Here’s how President Trump’s Speech Should Have Addressed Draining the Swamp

Meredith McGehee Mar 1st, 2017 Accountability, Congress, Federal, In the News

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

Smells like Government Pork

William Gray Apr 15th, 2016 Disclosure, Federal

Earmarks aren’t gone for good. In 2011, Congress enacted a moratorium on earmarks—the carve-outs that members used to direct federal dollars to projects in their states and districts. But it wasn’t the end of pork in the federal budget. There’s still at least $5 billion in wasteful spending across more than 120 earmarks in one large bill, the Consolidated Appropriations

ReFormers Caucus One Year Recap

Blake Hollister Mar 28th, 2016 Federal, Projects, Public Debate, Things We Like

In an exciting first year of work the ReFormers have helped move money in politics to the front of the political debate. One year ago former members of Congress on Issue One’s Advisory Board invited fellow former members to learn more about Issue One’s work, and invited them to join the fight to reduce the power of money in American politics. Twenty-one former

What’s Happening in the States? February 2016 Edition

Blake Hollister Feb 22nd, 2016 States

Although we’ve reached the cold months of winter, states and municipalities have stayed hot in their fight to reduce the influence of money in politics. Here are the reform fights we’re keeping an eye on in 2016: In Arkansas, advocates are gathering signatures to put a money in politics reform initiative on the ballot. The ballot initiative would revamp disclosure

ReFormer Jim Leach Stresses Voter Value before Caucus

Blake Hollister Feb 1st, 2016 Disclosure, In the News, States

Former Republican Congressman and ReFormer Caucus member Jim Leach appeared on Sioux City’s NBC’s affiliate KITV last Friday to address how skyrocketing campaign spending has distorted the process in the Iowa caucuses. In addition, he advocated for increased disclosure on political spending in his home state because, “If you were to ask a typical Iowan who pays for these ads,

Montana Shines Light on Dark Money in Politics

Laurie Roberts Jan 7th, 2016 Disclosure, News, States

Montana took a big step in the reform world today by shining a light on money in state politics. Residents can now view state campaign contribution reports immediately after publication, ensuring every voter and constituent knows who’s spending what to influence their ballots and their leaders. As non-statewide candidates are also now required to file finance reports, the Commissioner of

For Political Ads, Follow the Money—If You Can

Kelly Ngo Jan 5th, 2016 Disclosure, Federal

According to data from the Center for Responsive Politics, as reported by the New York Times, one-in-five political ads this election have been financed by untraceable dark money. While the 2012 elections saw the high-water mark for dark money top $300 million, election experts expect even more undisclosed contributions in 2016. To make matters worse, Congress double-downed on dark money

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