Read about this past week's efforts by Common Cause. We have another occasion to celebrate: Common Cause is relaunched in the state of Hawaii.

Federal Elections Commission (FEC): Time to Rethink It

CC President Bob Edgar sent a letter on May 21 to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Chair, Senator Dianne Feinstein, to coincide with their meeting to consider the nominations of three candidates to the FEC. He stated that it is time to rethink the FEC. He urged them to take advantage of the opportunity their meeting affords by embarking on a plan to create a new and better designed federal election agency that could enforce the campaign finance laws Congress passes and that would avoid the politicization that has made the current FEC an ineffective and failed agency. CC believes there are models for an FEC that Congress can adopt that will put upholding the nation’s campaign finance laws above party loyalty. One model of other more effective law enforcement agencies, for example, are those agencies headed by a single administrator who is appointed for a fixed term by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

Here's a recap of Common Cause's work over the past two weeks. We're celebrating hard-won victories regarding the FEC and FCC and highlighting other important work throughout the country.

Federal Election Commission (FEC): We Stopped The White House Again!
On May 16 controversial White House nominee Hans von Spakovsky withdrew his name from consideration for a position on the FEC. Common Cause, working with a coalition of voting rights and reform groups, had opposed von Spakovsky because of his work at the Justice Department rolling back voting rights laws.

Steve Allen, Common Cause New Mexico Executive Director, appeared on KOB's Eye on New Mexico this morning to support and debate the merits of the ethics package we are advocating for this session. Please watch the show online and feel free to comment or contact us at sallen@commoncause.org or 323 6399. We need your help to urge your legislators to pass these reforms.

There's also an interesting and thought provoking blog post over on Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics. Heath lays out the political landscape and examines why the legislature is so reluctant to take up reform despite the broad support from the New Mexico public and the clear need for change as the effects of recent scandals are still felt.

Fresh off the campaign trail, Governor Bill Richardson gave his State of the State address before the combined assembly of the New Mexico State House and Senate this week.  Newly unemployed campaign staff were in attendance as well to hear what their erstwhile candidate would say.

He urged the legislature to support bills on energy, healthcare, domestic violence and domestic partnership as well as the proposals of his Ethics Task Force (public campaign financing of statwide offices, an ethics commission and contribution limits).

He has budgeted funds for the public financing proposal and a coalition of citizen advocacy groups, including Common Cause New Mexico, are engaging citizens to urge their legislators to support these reforms.

Steve Allen, Executive Director of Common Cause NM said in an Albuquerque Journal Op-Ed on Monday:

Legislators will introduce a bill to provide public campaign financing for statewide offices, as well as for an ethics commission and contribution limits, in the coming days of the short 30 day session.  The House will likely pass the bills.  We trust they will hear the voice of the people.  It is vital that citizens across the state let their Senators know how important this is to them by emailing, calling and writing to them.

In a week when Tom DeLay shut down his PAC and it seems that Jack Abramoff is beginning to sing (from his jail cell), we present the latest in Common Cause state news. Join me in thanking our hard working intern, Michael Bohen, for all his excellent work this semester, including compiling this very update! All the best, Michael.

Democracy Awards Dinner draws praise, donations in Georgia

Louisiana groups launch ethics reform project

Former Common Cause New Mexico director named to ethics and campaign finance commission

House passes DC Voting Rights; focus turns to Senate

In a special legislative session last week, New Mexico lawmakers passed a bill that would create a voluntary system of public financing for the state's judicial candidates. Governor Bill Richardson, who requested that the legislature consider the measure, signed the bill into law last Friday. Effective July 1, public funds will be available for New Mexico Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judicial candidates.

According to an Associated Press story which ran in the Sante Fe New Mexican and the Alamogordo Daily News, judicial candidates who opt into the system of public financing will receive a specified amount of public money and agree not to take funds from any other source. Governor Richardson believes that this new system will

Indeed, while public campaign financing at all levels of government is necessary, the expected non-partisan nature of judges especially demands a system which virtually eliminates the biased influence of special interests.

Hi Folks.  This is Matt from Common Cause New Mexico .  As is the case in Washington, the scandal drum beats on here in New Mexico.  Recently, former New Mexico State Treasurer Robert Vigil was convicted of attempted extortion after a highly publicized federal trial.  The trial and conviction exposed New Mexico's weak ethics and campaign finance laws.  

For the past several months, a task force assembled by Governor Bill Richardson has been developing recommendations for improving the state's ethics and campaign finance laws.  Last week, the task force released its findings and recommendations to Governor Richardson.  The recommendations include limits on gifts and campaign contributions, and an expansion of New Mexico's public financing laws.  

More about the specific recommendations after the jump.      

Net neutrality activists in New Mexico delivered 7,500 petitions to Senator Jeff Bingaman's local offices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque last week.

The event attracted many local business owners such as Gary Maricle, who depends on the Internet to sell New Mexico chili. Here's what he had to say about the net neutrality issue:


More events like this one are being organized, so stay tuned to find out if there's one coming up in your community.