Friend,

The far-reaching influence of big money in politics affects Americans who span the political spectrum, come from communities of all sizes, and include citizens young and old. Our movement for the 28th Amendment is built on the strength of this cross-partisan, intergenerational group of citizen leaders moved to act in hopes of creating a brighter future for all. 

Recently I’ve been especially excited to see people from younger generations stepping up and speaking out on policy issues, like Greta Thunberg’s Global Climate Strike that drew millions around the world and Renaldo Pearson’s 600-mile walk for democracy reform with RepresentUs that ended with a U.S. Capitol rally. 

Later this month, American Promise citizen leaders will be on that same ground in our nation’s capital, coming together for Citizen Lobby Day at the end of the National Citizen Leadership Conference to meet with their elected representatives and work with them to get big money out of politics. 

Through the energy and vision of a rising generation of reform leaders joining other citizens to work for a stronger future, the cross-partisan movement for the 28th Amendment gains strength and momentum. Together, we will create lasting change. 
 

• Courtney Hight, director of the Sierra Club’s Democracy Program, who enriches its environmental efforts by weaving voting rights, money in politics, and grassroots activism into the fabric of the organization. Hight says big money in politics manipulates decision-makers and influences policy for most issues that affect our lives.

• Renaldo Pearson, director of external affairs at RepresentUs, who recently made a 600-mile walk from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., to demand an end to political corruption. Pearson says the myriad threats to democracy can’t be addressed until we fix the most fundamental one: big money in politics. The unbridled flow of money into the political system affects voters on both sides of the aisle, ushering in corruption, gerrymandering and lack of transparency.

From the Center for Responsive Politics: A new “dark money” group in Arizona last month purchased more than $155,000 worth of TV ads criticizing U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-Arizona) for her vote to repeal much of the Affordable Care Act. Incorporated as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit in April, the group known as Advancing AZ is not required to disclose its donors, leaving the public in the dark about who is bankrolling the ads. Like similar dark money groups that have materialized to influence high-stakes Senate races, Advancing AZ has opaque ties to Democratic establishment groups. Read more.

From northjersey.com: A federal judge halted New Jersey’s new “dark money” law after three groups filed suit. The law would require require social welfare 501(c)(4) nonprofits and so-called 527 political organizations to publicly report donors that give more than $10,000 and spending by these groups of more than $3,000 on elections and political activity. These independent groups would have had to start recording donor information Oct. 15 and publish the reports in January. The groups that sued—the libertarian Americans for Prosperity, the liberal American Civil Liberties Union and the Illinois Opportunity Project—argue that the law violates the First Amendment and targets certain political groups but not others. Read more.

From the (Tiffin, Ohio) Advertiser-Tribune: In a letter to the editor, Gina Ganni of Republic, Ohio, encourages voters to support American Promise, Common Cause and League of Women Voters as they call for an end to “dark money” in campaigns. “Dark money is due to federal laws and Supreme Court decisions, and thus require a federal solution … a constitutional amendment to stop unlimited and hidden money in elections and policy-making,” Ganni says, urging constituents to ask their representatives in Congress to advocate for resolutions supporting an amendment to get big money out of politics. Read more.

From the (Toledo) Blade: As executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network—a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization—reporter Craig Mauger is dedicated to getting out the truth about money in politics. “If you don’t understand how money is influencing politics right now, you don’t really understand how government works,” he says. In a state that ranks last for its transparency laws (the Michigan Legislature has consistently rejected efforts to require transparency), Mauger operates a website that provides an array of information about money in politics. Read more.

October 19-21, Arlington, VA: Join us for the third annual National Citizen Leadership Conference. NCLC brings together a cross-partisan group of politicians, democracy reformers, and citizen leaders to advance the 28th Amendment to get big money out of politics. At the end of the conference, attendees have the opportunity to head to Capitol Hill and speak with their elected officials, or their staff, about the 28th Amendment. Register now!

October 30, Tucson, AZ: Grassroots leaders will gather for a free training session to “Get Big Money Out” of politics. The event will include Tucson organizers and American Promise Citizen Empowerment Coordinator Kimberly Clinch, who will cover what the 28th Amendment does and how to talk about it, plus other advocacy tips. 5:45 p.m.-7:45 p.m., Woods Memorial Library, Small Meeting Room. RSVP online.