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Policy choices have allowed big companies to continuously use their power to preserve economic and democratic imbalances that maintain their wealth and influence at the expense of everyone else.

Until voters and elected leaders in Baltimore, Maryland took action to bring small donor public financing to their elections, big money in politics was a growing problem in the city.

A coalition of Black and brown community organizations and activists helped enact a first-of-its-kind democracy dollars program in Seattle.

Empowering Small Donors to Break the Vicious Cycle of Racial Exclusion in our Democracy & Economy

The For the People Act can begin to address the longstanding racist exclusions in our democracy with policy solutions that are proven to advance racial equity.

Why we need to prioritize passing H.R.1 along with H.R.4 and legislation granting statehood to Washington, D.C. (H.R.51) as the first items of business in the 117th Congress.

How Albuquerque Campaign Donors Do Not Reflect the City’s Diverse Population and Needs

Our current system of campaign finance reform suppresses the political power of people of color and that lack of political power has had proven, lasting consequences.

The white, wealthy donor class that fuels Baltimore's elections

H.R. 1, the For the People Act, is the boldest and most comprehensive proposal to strengthen our democracy since the aftermath of Watergate.

Judge Kavanaugh's record raises serious concerns that he would expand the power of big money in politics, weaken voter protections, and insulate the president from the rule of law.

How 27 states, counties, and municipalities empower small donors and curb the power of big money in politics

"With the Supreme Court split four-to-four on so many critical issues, the stakes could not be higher."

For four decades, the Supreme Court’s flawed approach to money in politics has gutted common-sense protections against the power of special interests and wealthy individuals. This defies our core democratic values.

We write to urge you to reject President Trump’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to a lifetime appointment on the nation’s highest court.

Big-money politics is a key barrier to people of color achieving equal representation. 

What do people mean by “money in politics” or “campaign finance reform”? Running for office requires money—for staff, travel, TV ads, etc. In many countries, much of the cost of public elections is paid for by public funds, so the voters control the process and candidates are only accountable to their constituents. But in most places in the U.S., election campaigns are funded only with private money, most of it coming in the form of large checks from wealthy donors.  

Who is spending big money on elections, and what do they want?

Buckley v. Valeo is a January 30, 1976 Supreme Court case that struck down key pieces of Congress’ post-Watergate money in politics reforms, and set the structure of modern campaign finance law.

“For let it be agreed that a government is republican in proportion as every member composing it has an equal voice in the direction of its concerns…”  Thomas Jefferson Letter to Samuel Kercheval, July 12, 1816