CAMPAIGN FINANCE Chiraag Bains, Director of Legal Strategies for Demos “Do you believe that the Constitution requires that we allow corporations and wealthy individuals the unfettered ability to translate their economic might into political power through campaign contributions and expenditures—even

Yesterday, Demos’ Director of Legal Strategies Chiraag Bains laid out clearly what’s at stake in the coming fight over the new Supreme Court vacancy.

Demos President Heather McGhee explains how we can reform campaign finance laws to strengthen our democracy.

In answer to the question, "why, after 200 years, [...] do we need an amendment to say that we are equal citizens?," Demos Senior Advisor for Legal Strategies Brenda Wright lays ou

While no law prevents outside donors, for example, from investing in the campaign of a low-income person, the likelihood that they’ll do so is low. The problem is social capital: Low-income people lack it, and so their personal networks do not often contain millionaires with open pocketbooks.

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) has signed a law that will create publicly financed elections, reversing her previous opposition to a plan that advocates say will help curb money’s influence in District politics. Bowser announced that she was throwing her support behind the Fair Elections Act, which

The D.C. Council unanimously backed publicly financed campaigns Tuesday, a move lauded by clean-government advocates in a city long plagued by its association with a pay-to-play culture.[...]

There are specific reforms that could help black families. Standardizing same-day voter registration across states would benefit communities of color, which face disproportionate barriers to civic participation.

DC’s City Council is closer than ever to having publicly-financed political campaigns.