John, what if state politicians could freely fix elections with no one standing in their way – going as far as to rig elections to hold onto power?
You might think this hypothetical is outside the realm of possibility. But the U.S. Supreme Court could rule any day now on a legal scheme that opens up our democracy to this dangerous possibility in our case, Moore v. Harper.
Here’s a quick rundown of how we got here: a fringe legal argument, called the “independent state legislature theory,” gained traction among power-hungry politicians in some states, including North Carolina. This desperate argument seeks to hand state legislatures unchecked power to write federal election rules, with no checks from state constitutions, state courts, governors or even voters.
Common Cause was not going to let this happen, so we fought back to save our checks and balances and the integrity of our elections by taking our case all the way to the Supreme Court. We argued in front of the court in December and expect a decision this month.
And now, you can read all about this case and its implications in the New Yorker. [1]
The article follows Common Cause North Carolina’s very own Sailor Jones (pictured above with the article) as he and other Common Cause staff barnstorm every corner of the state to educate voters on how to fight back against this harmful powergrab.
It features in-depth reporting of how we got to this point, starting in the days of the 2000 Florida recount (which 3 current Supreme Court justices worked on for the Bush campaign!), and what implications Moore v. Harper could have across the nation. It’s an inspiring story of how we can win even in the face of tall odds.
This article is a must read. And, if you become a Guardian for Democracy by starting a monthly donation of any amount today, we’ll send you a copy of this issue of the New Yorker to say thanks.
Your monthly gift will immediately be put to work towards our shared goal of creating a better and more representative democracy. Monthly donations from Common Cause's Guardians for Democracy members allow us to plan and budget for our critically important work – taking our cases all the way to the Supreme Court if we have to.
None of this would be possible without our monthly donors. That’s why I’m writing to you today to ask:
Will you start a monthly gift today and support Common Cause’s work to defend against attacks on our democracy?
To show our appreciation, we’ll send you a copy of the New Yorker featuring an article on our Supreme Court Case, Moore v. Harper.
Sorry, I can't become a sustaining member at this time, but I’d still like to make a one-time gift to help where it’s needed most >>
John, the stakes in our Moore v. Harper case are simply too high for us to be caught unprepared. Your monthly gift will help us urgently respond to whatever decision the Supreme Court hands down this month, and power our work to defend our democracy.
I hope I can count on your support today.
Thank you,
Kathay Feng, Vice President of Programs
and the team at Common Cause
[1] https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/06/12/how-a-fringe-legal-theory-became-a-threat-to-democracy
