Issue One

Great example of bipartisanship and congressional responsibility in the Senate. The Constitution leaves these decisions up to our representatives for a reason. https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5430915-senate-rejects-trump-nih-cuts/

Don’t Say Vote: NC GOPers Want to Bar Election Officials From Encouraging Turnout Read about the fight for democracy from activists, elected officials, legal experts and others.

Voting is the foundation of our democracy. Barring the encouragement and promotion of voting threatens the strength of our democracy. https://tinyurl.com/4yv8vv59

Why it matters: "This unprecedented federal push will place new pressure on American elections and will require vigilance and actions from those determined to defend the integrity of the vote." More from @brennancenter.org‬ https://tinyurl.com/348622zy

Vermont Secretary of State: Cuts to federal agency could pose election security risk Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said their office would not be able to provide cybersecurity resources

CISA is absolutely essential to safeguard our elections from cyberattacks, and states will continue to feel the federal cuts deeply.https://www.mynbc5.com/article/vt-secretary-of-state-cuts-to-federal-agency-could-pose-election-security-risk/65503333

Wealthy N.J. congressman promised saintly ethics. He chose getting richer instead, rivals say. Tom Kean Jr. was elected in 2022 after sharply criticizing his predecessor's stock trades.

Elected officials continue to pledge their allegiance to their constituents—not their own pockets—and then do a 180 once they've secured office. We need stronger accountability, transparency, and ethics investigations from our representatives. https://tinyurl.com/yj57anv8

During the first half of 2025, ByteDance spent $5.4 million on lobbying and hired 41 lobbyists — one for every 13 members of Congress.

More numbers to know in our latest tech lobbying report: https://shorturl.at/EAz7u

The Corruption Chronicles - Issue One A hallmark of the first six months of President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House has been his repeated side

Our Corruption Chronicles report pulls back the curtain on how Donald Trump is selling political access to the highest bidder and chipping away at the foundation of our democracy. Get the facts: https://issueone.org/articles/the-corruption-chronicles/

A State Agenda for Election Security and Resiliency States must step up to help election officials protect their staff, facilities, and voting systems.

Keeping our elections secure is a top priority. This report details the crucial nature of cybersecurity, physical security, election resilience, and state leadership in times like these:https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/state-agenda-election-security-and-resiliency

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Spenser Mestel - Issue One

Meet Spenser Mestel! The #FacesOfDemocracy member and former New York City poll worker, elections journalist, and adventure seeker shares his experiences from a decade of working the polls and voting while living abroad. https://issueone.org/interviews/meet-the-faces-of-democracy-spenser-mestel/

Appeals Court Strips Voters’ Ability to File Voting Rights Act Lawsuits in 7 States For decades, voters and organizations have successfully brought lawsuits against racially discriminatory voting rules un

A win that restores voters’ ability to sue over discriminatory voting policies--- for now.https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/appeals-court-strips-voters-ability-file-voting-rights-act-lawsuits-7

The Supreme Court “Shadow Docket” The conservative justices are increasingly using a secretive process to issue consequential decisions.

Why it matters: "Using the shadow docket for nonemergency but monumental decisions runs counter to the tenets of transparency and the rule of law." Democracy relies on transparency and constitutional adherence. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/supreme-court-shadow-docket

CLC Takes Action to Keep Dark Money Out of Elections Voters have a right to know that Iowa Values spent money in the 2020 election to influence their vote. 

The work to keep dark money out of our elections is growing more and more critical by the year. The CLC's latest Federal Election Campaign Action Act (FECA) citizen suit shows exactly why this work is so crucial.https://campaignlegal.org/update/clc-takes-action-keep-dark-money-out-elections

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Spenser Mestel - Issue One

Meet Spenser Mestel! The #FacesOfDemocracy member and former New York City poll worker, elections journalist, and adventure seeker shares his experiences from a decade of working the polls and voting while living abroad. https://issueone.org/interviews/meet-the-faces-of-democracy-spenser-mestel/

Q&A: How Seattle's Democracy Vouchers Reduced the Influence of Big Money in Elections Next Tuesday, August 5th, Seattle residents will vote on whether to extend the program.

Seattle's Democracy Vouchers decrease the influence of big money and empower people in elections. @yesonprop1seattle.bsky.social

If you live in Seattle, get out and vote YES on Tuesday!

As @issueonereform.bsky.social highlighted earlier this month, under President Trump, the SEC has ended a major lawsuit against crypto exchange Coinbase and sought a reduced settlement in case against Ripple Labs

issueone.org/articles/cry...

Trump is pressuring the Senate Judiciary Committee to abandon the “blue slip” tradition in order to fast‑track judicial nominees. Committee members on both sides of the aisle aren't having it. https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/30/congress/trump-still-pressuring-grassley-00483116

Colorado clerks voice alarm at murky ‘official’ push to access voting machines At least 10 clerks received queries as DoJ ramps up requests to states about how they keep ineligible voters off the rol

The federal government has no business accessing state voting machines and election equipment. "That is absolutely against the law, it’s a felony. And two, it also violates the constitution with states’ rights.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/24/colorado-election-clerks-voting-machines

What Trump and Pam Bondi Are Doing in New Jersey Is a Bigger Deal Than You Think The Justice Department rejected a federal court’s authority to name a new U.S. attorney to New Jersey to replace Alina H

Another example of the executive branch's overreach and minimization of the judicial branch's constitutional powers.https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/07/trump-deal-pam-bondi-new-jersey-alina-habba.html

Issue One applauds advancement of a comprehensive stock trading ban in the Senate - Issue One In response to today’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs business meeting, which advanced text closely resembli

Congress is hearing us, and they're pushing for accountability.

Advancing a stock trading ban in the Senate demonstrates to the American people that serving as an elected official is a public service, not a personal cash grab. https://issueone.org/press/amended-ethics-act-advancement-in-senate/

Who Owns the Media Who owns the 35 most powerful media companies in America? Learn how these giants came to dominate the U.S. media landscape through mergers, acquisition and manipulation. Free Press rates their ability...

I am honored to announce the release of groundbreaking @freepress.bsky.social research & analysis with our inaugural "Media Capitulation Index" which examines how major corporate media companies are bending the knee to Trump & those in power. Check out the rankings & @timkarr.bsky.social analysis:

Democracy relies on free, unfiltered press. Removing the WSJ from a pool of reporters immediately following a report deemed unsavory by the president begins to walk the line of limiting free press.https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/21/journal-removed-white-house-pool-epstein-00465548

Young people are expected to spend 25 years on their phones over a lifetime. They deserve better. Big Tech must be held accountable. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/technology-uk/article/average-young-person-25-years-phone-screen-time-hwt76mnpq

A State Agenda for Election Security and Resiliency States must step up to help election officials protect their staff, facilities, and voting systems.

Keeping our elections secure is a top priority. This report details the crucial nature of cybersecurity, physical security, election resilience, and state leadership in times like these:https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/state-agenda-election-security-and-resiliency

How States Can Fill Election Security Gaps Left by Federal Cuts From cybersecurity assessments and training to coordination with law enforcement agencies, state governments need to pro

As federal cuts weaken our election security, states must take steps to protect our democracy. Congress needs to step up and help fund out elections.https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-states-can-fill-election-security-gaps-left-federal-cuts

House ethics panel tells AOC to pay another $2,700 for Met Gala dress Committee report says the New York congresswoman didn't know she was underpaying for Met Gala dress

All ethics issues with our elected officials should be approached with this level of scrutiny and due diligence, and then met with swift compliance.https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/07/25/aoc-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-met-gala-dress/85375980007/

Issue One responds after House lawmakers propose $15 million in election funding - Issue One In response to yesterday’s House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee (FSGG) FY2026 mar

Last week, House lawmakers budgeted only $15M in federal election funding. 

"Without adequate federal investment, the cost of running elections will fall to local taxpayers. Supporting our nation’s election infrastructure isn’t a partisan issue — it’s a practical one." https://shorturl.at/88joB

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Spenser Mestel - Issue One

Meet Spenser Mestel! The #FacesOfDemocracy member and former New York City poll worker, elections journalist, and adventure seeker shares his experiences from a decade of working the polls and voting while living abroad. https://issueone.org/interviews/meet-the-faces-of-democracy-spenser-mestel/

During the first half of 2025, ByteDance spent $5.4 million on lobbying and hired 41 lobbyists — one for every 13 members of Congress.

More numbers to know in our latest tech lobbying report: https://shorturl.at/EAz7u

Meet the Faces of Democracy: Spenser Mestel - Issue One

“As a journalist, I’ve covered election administration for a decade. To me, it felt negligent not to work the polls.”

Get the scoop from former Brooklyn poll worker Spenser Mestel in this #FacesOfDemocracy Q&A: https://issueone.org/interviews/meet-the-faces-of-democracy-spenser-mestel/

The Corruption Chronicles - Issue One A hallmark of the first six months of President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House has been his repeated side

Our Corruption Chronicles report pulls back the curtain on how Donald Trump is selling political access to the highest bidder and chipping away at the foundation of our democracy. Get the facts: https://issueone.org/articles/the-corruption-chronicles/