Thursday, June 26, 2025

👋 Hi John! We made it to the end of the week, and what a week it has been.  

We are happy to bring you The People’s Bi-Weekly Watchdog Newsletter, delivered to your inbox every other Thursday. We bring you the news you need to know to hold power accountable from the nonpartisan source you can trust.  

This week’s Common Cause newsletter is just a 5 minute read at 700 words.

⚖️ Challenging Trump at the Supreme Court Over Birthright Citizenship

Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make several important decisions, including in a case on birthright citizenship. President Trump is threatening to take away citizenship from people born and raised in the U.S. through executive order — so we took legal action and filed an amicus brief with the high court to fight his relentless attacks on Americans and ensure courts can stop Trump's unconstitutional actions.

No president should have the power to erase your rights. Birthright citizenship is a core democratic principle that affirms everyone born on U.S. soil is a full citizen, regardless of race, heritage, or who your parents are. It’s a promise that our democracy belongs to all of us — not just to the rich and powerful.

No matter what happens next, Common Cause and our allies will continue fighting to protect birthright citizenship and our Constitution.

📍 Fighting Racial Gerrymandering in North Carolina

Common Cause North Carolina and the North Carolina NAACP were in court last week challenging racially discriminatory gerrymanders in the state to protect the voting rights of Black North Carolinians. Common Cause’s own Bob Phillips testified along with impacted voters, legislators, and political scientists about the discriminatory gerrymanders. The final two days of the trial will be held after the fourth of July.

👑 No Kings Here — Just a People-Powered Democracy.

On June 14, thousands of Common Cause members marched alongside millions more across the country to send a message that couldn’t be ignored: in America, we don’t have kings. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, we reaffirmed our mission and showed up 5 million strong in over 2,100 cities in defense of our democracy.

We rallied in parks, on courthouse steps, and in the streets of big cities and small towns. Peaceful protest is not just our right — it’s our duty when leaders abuse their power. From weaponized government to unchecked violence, we won’t stay silent.

Together, we made something clear: we peacefully and patriotically showed that this is a government by the people

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👀 ICYMI

We're working so hard to protect our democracy, we could write you a novel instead of a newsletter. Instead, here are the top headlines you don't want to miss:

• Colorado ⛷️: Earlier this year, Colorado adopted a Voting Rights Act we helped author to protect and expand state voting rights in the face of quickly eroding federal protections. Common Cause’s Aly Belknap spoke about what's next when it comes to expanding multilingual access in the state’s elections. Read more in Bolts Magazine.
  

• North Carolina 🛩️: Policy Director Ann Webb teamed up with our allies at the North Carolina NAACP to remind politicians: North Carolina’s voting districts don’t belong to them — they belong to the people. Read the op-ed that details the state’s history of gerrymandering and the importance of the gerrymandering case we’re fighting today in the Greensboro News & Record.
  

• California 🐻: As the state’s trusted ethics watchdog, Common Cause weighed in on the Governor’s high profile hire of a former political rival. The catch? Special interests helped foot the bill. Read about our advocacy for government transparency in CalMatters.
  

• Arizona 🌵: Risk Limiting Audits help ensure Arizona elections are safe, secure, and accurate once the voting period has concluded. Common Cause Arizona’s program manager details what they are, why they work, and exactly how Arizona elections are trustworthy, all thanks to these audits. Read more in Votebeat.

📊 By the Numbers

Black women are already 3x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes.

Now Trump’s budget slashes Medicaid and maternal health funding — putting more Black families at risk. This isn’t just cruel. It’s deadly. We need to stop the cuts and pass the People's Budget.

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