The latest from Campaign Legal Center.
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A proposed congressional plan for the state of Colorado.
** CLC to Colorado Supreme Court: Reject Efforts to Stifle Latino Voting Power ([link removed])
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On October 8, CLC presented oral argument to the Colorado Supreme Court on behalf of our client the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Colorado LULAC. We urged the court to reject the congressional redistricting commission’s adopted map because it violates the Colorado Constitution’s strong protections for Latino voters.
The commission’s proposed map would splinter Latino voters across three different congressional districts, increasing the likelihood that their preferred candidate would be defeated, according to an analysis by our predictive map measuring tool, PlanScore.org.
CLC and LULAC have submitted two alternative congressional plans that satisfy all the Colorado Constitution’s other redistricting criteria as well as or better than the commission’s map, while also avoiding the preventable dilution of Latino voters.
Learn more about the case and view our proposed maps here. ([link removed])
CLC used PlanScore as part of our case in Colorado, and this free tool is available to help fair maps advocates and map drawers across the country. During the 2021 redistricting cycle, PlanScore is collecting and analyzing new district plans as they are proposed in states nationwide. As maps are proposed in your state, you can compare them to other states or previous maps from the same state – a critical resource to detect and challenge gerrymandering
Learn more about the PlanScore library. ([link removed])
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** CLC’s Oral Arguments Show Why Kansas Anti-Voter Law Must Be Struck Down ([link removed])
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Kansas' H.B. 2332 is an anti-voter law that criminalizes the mailing of advance personalized mail ballot applications, making voting less accessible for many Kansans. CLC is fighting to stop enforcement of this law and protect the freedom to vote for all Kansans, so they can cast their ballot and have it count.
Read more. ([link removed])
Former president Donald Trump joins NRA leadership on stage at a public event.
** Victory! Federal Court Orders FEC to Take Action on NRA Complaint ([link removed] )
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In late September, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) was ordered to take action within 30 days on long-pending complaints we filed against the National Rifle Association (NRA), which spent three election cycles illegally coordinating campaign spending with political candidates. The FEC failed to act, so CLC Action and Giffords took them to court.
This is why we need a stronger FEC - to enforce campaign finance laws and hold political candidates, groups and donors accountable.
Read more. ([link removed] )
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** Senate Introduces VRAA To Protect Americans From Voting Discrimination ([link removed])
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The U.S. Senate is pursuing legislation that would protect Americans from racially targeted attacks on their freedom to vote. On Oct. 5, 2021, the U.S. Senate introduced the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, otherwise known as S. 4 or the VRAA, a bill that would amend and restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA).
Read more. ([link removed] )
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** In-Person Voting Disparities in Louisiana Illuminate Shelby County Legacy ([link removed])
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Counties and localities across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have closed polling places in predominately Black areas quietly and steadily — and often without notice to those voters until Election Day. This illustrates the urgent need to restore the preclearance formula in the Voting Rights Act, which was gutted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder in 2013.
Read more. ([link removed] )
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** CLC Files Complaints Against Members of Congress for Misusing Leadership PAC Funds ([link removed] )
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On October 6, we filed complaints with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) against three members of Congress for misusing leadership PAC funds. Campaign funds cannot be used for personal use, but these reps spent significant sums on things like travel, high-end dining and sporting events.
OCE must investigate and take action.
Read more. ([link removed] )
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** NEXT TUESDAY! Join us for “Funded By The People: What We Learned from D.C.’s Fair Elections Program” ([link removed])
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Could public financing help promote more fair and inclusive elections? Join us next Tuesday, October 19 at 11 a.m. Eastern/8 a.m. Pacific to find out! We'll discuss publicly-funded campaigns plus our report on D.C.'s Fair Elections Program.
Watch a sneak preview about the report and register now. ([link removed])
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** Op-Ed By Trevor Potter and Donald Ayer Examines Lesser-Known Provisions of Freedom To Vote Act ([link removed] )
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Trevor Potter, CLC’s president and founder, and Donald Ayer, a CLC senior advisor, published an op-ed in The Hill about the provisions of the Freedom to Vote Act to strengthen transparency in our campaign finance system.
Read more. ([link removed] )
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** CLC Complaints Target Seven Members Who Failed To Disclose Stock Trades ([link removed])
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Following a review of recent disclosures, CLC filed complaints with the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) against seven more members of Congress. While previous CLC complaints have addressed members who delayed disclosure or filed disclosures in an improper manner, these seven members have conducted significant stock trading activity that has not been disclosed at all.
Read more. ([link removed] )
CLC-branded design with three staff headshots in circles - L to R: Chris Lamar, Gicola Lane, and Simone Leeper.
** CLC Staff Appearances
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On September 30, CLC staff members appeared in not one, but two opportunities to talk about CLC’s work and share free resources with the public.
Chris Lamar and Simone Leeper talked about the current community-driven redistricting cycle and CLC’s PlanScore.org for a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything).
Read their answers to Reddit users’ questions here. ([link removed])
Later, Gicola Lane appeared on Instagram Live with When We All Vote to talk about restoring voting rights for voters with past felony convictions and CLC’s Restore Your Vote resource.
Watch the IG Live recording here. ([link removed])
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** EVENT VIDEO: The Freedom To Vote in 2021 - What You Need To Know ([link removed])
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On National Voter Registration Day, we hosted a conversation about what the freedom to vote looks like in America in 2021 with CLC's Trevor Potter, Jo Deutsch, Danielle Lang and Valencia Richardson, plus Patrick J. McGinnis of the Leadership Now Project.
One thing became very clear after our conversation: to achieve the promise of democracy for us all, American voters need Congress to pass both the Freedom To Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
Watch now. ([link removed])
** CLC On Social
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What Our Staff Talked About On Twitter This Month
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The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center is dedicated to advancing democracy through law at the federal, state and local levels, fighting for every American’s rights to responsive government and a fair opportunity to participate in and affect the democratic process.
Copyright © 2021 Campaign Legal Center, All rights reserved.
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