This week’s Common Cause newsletter is just a 4 minute read at 650 words.
Sunday, October 19, 2025
👋 Hi John! Happy Sunday. Welcome to day 19 of the government shutdown.
In the Watchdog Newsletter, we share what you need to know to hold power accountable from the nonpartisan source you can trust. This watchdog doesn’t give in to pressure from presidents.
This week’s Common Cause newsletter is just a 4 minute read at 650 words.
🚫👑 No Kings in America—Not Now, Not Ever
Yesterday, thousands of Common Cause members marched alongside millions more across the country to once again send a message to this administration that can’t be ignored: in America, we don’t have kings.
President Trump has allowed the government to shut down because he thinks he’s a king. From stripping our voting rights protections, to the militarization of our cities — like in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and now Memphis — to attacks on our families and our neighbors through weaponizing ICE, we’ve never had a president or an administration that has done this much damage.
Common Cause isn't staying silent.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, we reaffirmed our mission and showed up across the nation in defense of our democracy. Peaceful protest is not just our right — it’s our duty when leaders abuse their power.
Every time the Trump administration chips away at our freedoms, our movement grows stronger. Together, we will continue to make it clear: this is a government by the people, for the people — and we’re not going anywhere.
📍 Back to the Drawing Board in Kansas and North Carolina
College basketball season may be right around the corner, but it's not just the Jayhawks and Tar Heels looking to bend the rules in their favor. Under continued pressure from the White House, Republican legislative leaders in Kansas and North Carolina are making moves to gerrymander their Congressional maps, just like Texas. Their "if you can't beat them, change the rules," philosophy is targeting Democratic-held districts at the expense of the people’s right to fair representation.
In Kansas, legislative leaders are adding divisive social topics and approving appropriations in advance to try to lure lawmakers into rigging their maps. In North Carolina, Republican politicians are doing Trump's bidding at their own voters' expense.
But just like the rest of the basketball world frowning on sports teams for bending the rules, we know the majority of Americans disagree with mid-decade redistricting and want fair, independently-drawn maps that reflect their communities.
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:
California 🐻: We continue to pave the way in protecting our elections from the dangers posed by artificial intelligence (AI). Last week, we passed the California AI Transparency Act, a landmark measure designed to help Californians distinguish between real and AI-generated content online. Read more about our win.
Nebraska 🌽: Nebraska's state government is hiding information from the public on how it's working on new ICE detention facilities — but we are making sure the people are aware about this lack of transparency. Read more about what's happening, and stay tuned as our work here continues.
Minnesota 🛶:We joined voters and allies to intervene in the DOJ’s attempt to illegally access Minnesota’s voter files. We've already seen how reckless this administration is with sensitive data and information. We're stepping up to stop it. Learn more on our filing.
Pennsylvania 🔔:We also filed to intervene in the DOJ lawsuit in Pennsylvania. This filing includes voters who have had their voting rights put at risk in the past and would be harmed by any further attacks from the Trump DOJ. Learn about this filing here.
📊 By the Numbers
A majority of Republicans support extending Affordable Care Act tax credits — proof that lowering costs isn’t partisan.
🗞️ Kicker Quote
👕 Wear Your Values
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