71 posts found, showing 20 per page

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer August 17, 2017
U.S. Supreme Court case may redefine, restrict how district lines are drawn
On Oct. 3, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Gill versus Whitford. The decision in this case has the potential to have a drastic effect on the country’s political landscape. The Supreme Court will decide whether it will accept a standard to determine whether partisan gerrymandering exists. Gerrymandering is manipulation of district lines to achieve political gain for a particular party. More
Issues: Democracy, Fair Courts

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer July 18, 2017
Attacks on Democracy Halted
During the 2017 session, legislators introduced a number of bills that would have negatively affected our electoral process. With your help we were able to halt these attacks on democracy. In a nutshell: a bill to repeal public financing for Supreme Court candidates was defeated, strict voter ID was rejected, and automatic voter registration was saved, while a bill to a that raised contribution limits and created new loopholes to allow more secret money into our elections languished in the final days. More
Issues: Dark Money, Disclosure, Public Financing, Voting Rights, WV Supreme Court

Alerts and Updates, WVCCE Blog Julie Archer March 29, 2017
WV Senate Passes Bill to Weaken Disclosure, Increase Money in Politics
Although SB 539 increases disclosure in some small ways, the overall effect of the bill is a weakening of disclosure while allowing more money into a broken system that favors the wealthy and special interests. More
Issues: Dark Money, Disclosure, Secret Money

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer March 22, 2017
Campaign Finance Bill Would Decrease Disclosure, Increase Money in Politics
The bill not only fails to address the flood of secret money in our elections, it also significantly increases campaign contribution limits, allowing more money into an already broken system. If we want to discourage negative attack ads, give candidates the ability to respond, and inform voters about who's trying to influence their votes the best thing we can do is require those who are spending money on our elections to disclose to the source of the money. More
Issues: Dark Money, Disclosure, Secret Money

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer March 7, 2017
Public Financing Repeal Defeated
Some good news: Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted down SB 463, saving public financing for West Virginia Supreme Court candidates. This is an important victory for fair courts. More
Issues: Disclosure, Public Financing, WV Supreme Court

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer March 4, 2017
Public Financing, Voting Rights Under Attack
Bills to repeal the WV Supreme Court of Appeals Public Campaign Financing Program and impose strict identification requirements in order to vote have been introduced in the West Virginia Legislature. The voter ID bill would also eliminate automatic voter registration (AVR) at the Division of Motor Vehicles. We need your help to stop these terrible proposals. More
Issues: Disclosure, Fair Courts, Public Financing, Secret Money, Voting Rights

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer November 15, 2016
Outside spending in W.Va. elections nears $20 million
Outside groups reported spending $4.7 million dollars in the two weeks prior to the election, with total spending reaching $19.8 million so far this election cycle. This year’s outside spending by race breaks down as follows: Attorney General - $7,056,716, Governor - $5,534,089, Supreme Court - $3,644,315. Third party organizations also spent $3.3 million in various state Senate races. More
Issues: Dark Money, Democracy, Disclosure, Secret Money, WV Supreme Court

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer November 3, 2016
W.Va. outside spending reaches $19.2 million
Five days from the election, outside spending in West Virginia elections has reached $19.2 million this election cycle. Outside groups have reported spending an additional $4.1 million dollars over the past week. More
Issues: Citizens United, Clean Elections, Democracy, Disclosure, Secret Money

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer September 26, 2016
The EPA’s Clean Power Plan: Did you know?
As the arguments over the legality of the EPA's Clean Power Plan get underway, here are some important things to remember. When polluters spend millions to influence our elected officials and judges to strike down clean air standards, we pay the price with chronic asthma. More
Issues: Citizens United, Dark Money, Disclosure, Health, Secret Money

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer September 20, 2016
Brennan Center Analysis: Secret Outside Spending, Attack Ads Dominate Judicial Elections
Thirty-nine states hold elections to choose all or some of their judges. This November, 27 states will hold elections for seats on their highest courts. Early indicators suggest that several of these races will be dominated by secret outside spending and attack ads funded by groups that do not disclose their donors, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice of seven supreme court elections and primaries that were completed earlier in 2016. More
Issues: Dark Money, Disclosure, Fair Courts, Secret Money, WV Supreme Court

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer September 1, 2016
Vigilant companies can avert Watergate scandal replay
The Watergate Hotel reopened recently after a sparkling $125 million facelift, complete with guest key cards saying, “No need to break in.” For well-heeled business leaders visiting there, a pithier epigram might be, “Influence buying has a price.” Decades later, it is too easily forgotten that 12 corporations and 17 corporate executives ultimately were indicted […] More
Issues: Citizens United, Dark Money, Democracy, Secret Money

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer August 3, 2016
Speak Up! We Need Senator Manchin to Support Democracy Reforms
In Congress, some lawmakers have proposed solutions to put regular voters back in control of our elections: The We the People package and the Fair Elections Now Act. This is our chance to be heard. Tell Senator Manchin to put everyday Americans first and cosponsor the We the People package and the Fair Elections Now Act. More
Issues: Citizens United, Clean Elections, Dark Money, Democracy, Disclosure, Public Financing, Secret Money

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer April 22, 2016
Judicial Public Financing: Moving Away from Corruption in the Courtroom
Our state’s judicial public financing system has given voters the ability to choose a judiciary that is truly independent because publicly financed candidates don’t have to rely on support from lawyers and special interest contributors who frequently have cases before the court. More
Issues: Clean Elections, Fair Courts, Public Financing, WV Supreme Court

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer April 12, 2016
2016 Fair Courts State Summit: Justice for All
As of April 20, the 2016 Fair Courts State Summit has been postponed. Most likely it will be rescheduled after Election Day. Please check back later for details or contact us if you would like to be notified once the event has been rescheduled. More
Issues: Clean Elections, Fair Courts

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer April 6, 2016
Join us in DC April 16-18 for Democracy Awakening!
Later this month, thousands of people will be coming together in our nation's capital to demand a democracy that works for all of us – where our votes are not denied and money doesn’t buy access and power. More
Issues: Citizens United, Clean Elections, Democracy, Disclosure, Public Financing, Voting Rights

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer March 24, 2016
Supreme Court Hears Public Financing Appeals
A temporary panel of judges sitting in for members of the WV Supreme Court of Appeals agreed with the State Election Commission's decision to award public financing to Brent Benjamin and Bill Wooton. Their opponent, Beth Walker, had challenged the SEC's decision based on procedural technicalities. More
Issues: Clean Elections, Fair Courts, Public Financing, WV Supreme Court

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer February 15, 2016
State Election Commission Certifies Candidates for Public Financing
Two candidates have qualified to receive public financing during for this year’s Supreme Court election. Beckley lawyer and former legislator Bill Wooton and Justice Brent Benjamin were both certified to receive public funds by the State Election Commission despite objections from Beth Walker, who is challenging them in the race. More
Issues: Clean Elections, Fair Courts, WV Supreme Court

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer February 15, 2016
WV Senate GOP Stalls Campaign Finance Bill
SB 408, a campaign finance bill that would increase contribution limits, stalled in committee after Senators amended the bill to increase disclosure of third-party political spending. It remains to be seen if the bill will reconsidered. In the meantime, six Democrats in the House introduced HB 4527, which would require any group that spends more than $1,000 to influence our elections to say where the money came from. The bill would also close the “covered transfers” loophole that allows so-called “social welfare” groups to serve as money conduits to Super PACs. More
Issues: Clean Elections, Dark Money, Disclosure, Secret Money

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer February 7, 2016
WV Senate to Consider Raising Contribution Limits
Please contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and your legislators and tell them to vote "No" on SB 408. Allowing more money into our elections without increasing disclosure is self-serving and keeps West Virginians in the dark about who is trying to influence their votes. More
Issues: Clean Elections, Dark Money, Disclosure, Secret Money

WVCCE Blog Julie Archer January 22, 2016
Meaningful Disclosure of Campaign Cash Needed
If the Legislature wants to get serious about disclosure of campaign cash, they should make sure every secret money group – liberal and conservative – attempting to sway election results has to disclose where the money came from. Our right to know who is influencing our elections is not a partisan issue. No matter your political beliefs, we all benefit when we know what is going on in the government. More
Issues: Citizens United, Clean Elections, Dark Money, Public Financing