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Associate Justice Clarence Thomas (left) talks to Chief Justice John Roberts (right) during the formal group photograph at the Supreme Court

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Should be Subject to Federal Ethics Law

Campaign Legal Center sent a letter to the Judicial Conference requesting that it exercise its power under federal law to refer Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Attorney General for willfully failing to disclose gifts of free travel that he has received for over twenty years. If it is found that he intentionally violated the Ethics in Government Act (EIGA), Justice Thomas could face potential civil and criminal penalties.

Transparency and accountability are integral for ensuring that government officials, including Supreme Court justices, are acting on behalf of the people they are appointed or elected to serve. If these disclosure laws are not enforced, the public does not know if Supreme Court justices are favoring their own personal interests over those of the American populace.

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Representative Justin Pearson with supportive colleagues in the Tennessee statehouse.

Tennessee Three Proceedings: A Deeper Look at Democracy Reform

All eyes are on Tennessee following the expulsion of two democratically-elected state house members, representing approximately 130,000 Tennesseans in Nashville and Memphis, the state’s most diverse cities. The expulsion of Representatives Jones and Pearson, is par for the course in a system so corroded that legislators no longer feel any obligation to respect the will of voters.

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Have You Cast Your Vote?

Campaign Legal Center’s podcast “Democracy Decoded” has been nominated for a Webby People’s Voice Award in the category of Public Service & Activism! “Democracy Decoded” brings you expert insight from across the political spectrum and delves deeply into the forces fueling our elections, not just in our nation’s capital but at all levels of government. Voting for the 27^th annual Webby Awards ends Thursday, April 20^th.

Vote Now

GIF of the four panelists from “Is the FEC Ready for 2024?” Aaron McKean, Saurav Ghosh, and Shanna Ports of CLC and Daniel I. Weiner of Brennan Center for Justice

Event Video: Is the FEC Ready for 2024?

Last month, moderator Aaron McKean led a panel of campaign finance and democracy experts Saurav Ghosh and Shanna Ports of CLC and Daniel I. Weiner of Brennan Center for Justice to examine the current state of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), its importance for transparency, its current shortcomings and how to see change with the Commission moving forward.

Read more and watch the event recording.

Businessman holds a cell phone with stock market line graphs superimposed over him.

Coming April 20th - Stock Trading Everywhere All at Once: Public Servants & Financial Conflicts

Joined by seasoned ethics lawyers and top Wall Street Journal reporters, CLC will vet rules governing stock ownership by federal officials. Moderated by Kedric Payne, CLC's Vice President, General Counsel and Senior Director for Ethics, our panel will feature CLC Legal Counsel for Ethics Danielle Caputo alongside Gabe Lezra of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), as well as Wall Street Journal reporters Rebecca Ballhaus, Brody Mullins and Joe Palazzolo, who have been expertly covering the topic for years.

Members-Elect of the 118th Congress gather for a class photo on House East Steps on Capitol Hill.

Updating the FEC Candidate Salary Rule Could Help Increase Diversity in Office

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is currently considering a regulatory change that could make our campaign finance system fairer, and also help reduce some of the financial obstacles that currently make it all but impossible for ordinary Americans to run for federal office. This Diversity Month, join us as we recommit to fighting for Americans of every race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, economic status and political affiliation to participate in and affect the political process

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Ellen Weintraub (left), Allen Dickerson (right) and other commissioners meet during an open meeting at the Federal Election Commission

FEC Waves the White Flag on Yet Another Issue: Leadership PAC Abuse

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has long failed to apply the laws prohibiting the “personal use” of campaign funds to leadership PACs, effectively permitting officials to use these committees for wildly inappropriate expenses. In the past weeks, a majority of FEC commissioners affirmatively declared by a 4-2 vote that the personal use rules do not apply to leadership PACs. The FEC has now made it abundantly clear that it will not regulate personal use of leadership PAC funds.

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