Press Releases
Judge Allows Organizations Representing Voters to Defend Law Ending Prison-Based Gerrymandering
A New York Supreme Court judge has cleared the way for civil rights organizations representing fifteen voters from across New York State to join the Attorney General in defending New York’s law ending “prison-based gerrymandering,” a practice that had distorted representation across New York State.
– 08/11/11
Brennan Center Endorses ABA Judicial Disqualification Resolution
The American Bar Association’s House of Delegates is expected to vote today on a resolution calling on states to adopt new rules for judicial disqualification. Brennan Center Senior Counsel Adam Skaggs released the following statement in support of the resolution.
– 08/08/11
Civil Rights Advocates Call on Congress to Investigate FBI’s New Intelligence Rules
Civil rights advocates called on Congress today to investigate the reported changes to the FBI’s guidelines for domestic investigations.
– 07/27/11
Civic Groups Write Justice Department, Urge Rejection of Florida Law Raising Roadblocks to Voting
The League of Women Voters of Florida, the Brennan Center for Justice, Democracia USA, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law today wrote to the U.S. Department of Justice urging the Department to exercise its authority under the Voting Rights Act to deny preclearance to discriminatory provisions of Florida’s omnibus 2011 election law, H.B. 1355, which will make it harder for Floridians to vote.
Authored by: Andrew Goldston, 646-292-8372
– 07/15/11
Shareholders Deserve To Know How Corporations Spend Their Money in Elections
The Shareholder Protection Act, introduced today in both the U.S. House and Senate, is a commonsense bill that would help mitigate the effects of the Supreme Court’s damaging decision last year in Citizens United, which gave corporations the First Amendment right to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections.
– 07/13/11
Supreme Court Strikes Down “Trigger” Funds, But Public Financing Remains Constitutional
The Brennan Center for Justice defended Arizona's campaign finance law before the Supreme Court with its pro bono counsel Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. The Center released the following statement from Executive Director Michael Waldman on the Supreme Court’s decision in McComish v. Bennett.
– 06/27/11
Victory for New York State: Comptroller Public Financing Bill Passes Assembly
After the New York State Assembly passed a bill to create a voluntary public financing system for New York State’s Comptroller’s race, the Brennan Center released a statement praising the vote and urging the Senate to pass the bill.
– 06/21/11
Citing Unique Role of Judges, Groups Urge Court to Uphold Public Finance Law
Declaring that judges play a unique role in our governmental system, two nonpartisan national reform groups urged a federal appeals court today to uphold Wisconsin’s Impartial Justice Act, which provides for public financing of state Supreme Court elections.
– 06/17/11
Comptroller Public Financing Bill: A Good Start for New York State
The Brennan Center released a statement in support of the proposed bill to create a voluntary public financing system for New York State's Comptroller's race, saying it is a good start and should be extended to New York's other statewide and legislative elections.
– 06/15/11
Human Rights Groups Challenge Government Secrecy on Waterboarding
Today, the Brennan Center for Justice and nine other human rights organizations urged an appeals court to overturn a decision allowing the government to keep information about its use of waterboarding secret.
– 06/10/11