John,

The news that Mitch McConnell is stepping down as Senate Majority Leader is a big deal. And it’s good news for ethics in government.

Perhaps more than any other politician, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has both vigorously defended and benefited from the windfall of large-dollar, often anonymous money flooding elections.

He has fought in the vanguard of the forces blocking bipartisan reform while helping to raise millions from corporate interests from CEOs, anonymous dark money groups and massive gifts to his allied political committees.

In public, McConnell has claimed that his advocacy for more money in politics is all about defending free speech, but behind closed doors, he’s reportedly told other senators that it is actually about winning elections.

Prioritizing big money in politics over a democracy where people’s voices matter equally is a cynical choice, and it is a choice that Mitch McConnell has made over and over again.

It all started in 1999, when he first blocked campaign finance reforms which would have limited the ability of corporations to spend on politics. He’s repeatedly praised Citizens United and, of course, he’s been instrumental in moving the Supreme Court to the right using any tools at his disposal.

We’ve been monitoring and calling out Mitch McConnell’s dark money agenda for years. Now, we need to do the same for his successor, and work to ensure that the new majority leader is friendlier to the people—rather than corporate interests.

You can read our full analysis of McConnell’s decades of advocacy for money in politics here.

Thank you!

CREW News