Updates

Democrats flex power by taking aim at money in politics
Matthew Daly, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Flexing their new majority, Democrats are moving to push through the House a comprehensive elections and ethics reform package they say will reduce the role of big money in politics, ensure fair elections and restore ethics and integrity to Washington.

The legislation, called H.R. 1 to signify its importance, would make it easier to register and vote, tighten election security and require presidential candidates to disclose their tax returns.

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I'm excited to announce I've signed onto the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge. As the longest-running PAC-free Member of Congress in America, I know how important it is that we put the American public's interests over fossil fuel profits.

The Democratic majority’s first order of business: Restore democracy 
Nancy Pelosi and John Sarbanes, The Washington Post
November 25, 2018

Earlier this month, Americans went to the polls and sent a powerful message: The election not only was a resounding verdict against Republicans’ assault on Americans’ health care and wages, but it also was a vote to rescue our broken democracy.

In the face of a torrent of special-interest dark money, partisan gerrymandering and devious vote-suppression schemes, voters elected a House Democratic majority determined to bring real change to restore our democracy. 

During the campaign, Democrats declared unequivocally that we would clean up corruption to make Washington work for the people. We pledged to reduce the role of money in politics, to restore ethics and integrity to government, and to strengthen voting laws. 
 

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Thank you for powering me to re-election and for giving the gavel back to Democrats in the House of Representatives. With your vote and all the other ways you helped--putting up yard signs, chipping in a few dollars, or knocking on doors--you made the difference and I am deeply humbled by your support.    

For the last two years, our country--our democracy--has been sliding on loose gravel. On Tuesday, we found our footing. Now we go to work restoring checks and balances in Washington. The President's latest move dismissing the Attorney General shows why oversight is so important. You were the ones that restored that oversight and it is our responsibility to carry it out. 

“As the Jewish community gathered to begin a period of determined introspection and solemn atonement, we can all take this opportunity to reflect on the last year and find ways – large and small – to come together and repair our world. I wish the Jewish community in Maryland, across America, and around the world a meaningful fast. From my family to yours, g'mar chatimah tova.”

Sarbanes Prepares for Elevated Role as Leading Reformer in Congress 
Josh Kurtz, MARYLAND MATTERS

As Democrats push to retake the U.S. House of Representatives in November, government ethics and political reform have become an increasingly important part of their message. And that means an elevated role for Maryland Congressman John P. Sarbanes (D).

Sarbanes is House Democrats’ apostle of political reform, the chairman of the Democracy Reform Task Force. He’s the architect of the party’s multi-pronged good government agenda. If the Democrats seize the majority, he will play a leading role in shaping the suite of reform bills that Democrats will try to advance through Congress. 

“I’m focused on trying to map out what a reform package would look like,” Sarbanes said in a recent interview in the Capitol, a few steps away from the House chamber, where votes were taking place. 
 

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House Democrat: here are 8 scandals Congress should investigate instead of Twitter bias 
Tara Golshan, Vox

Twitter’s Jack Dorsey is testifying in Congress. Democrats think it’s a waste of his time.

Congress is wasting Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s time when it should be investigating the Trump administration’s wrongdoing, Maryland Democrat Rep. John Sarbanes told Dorsey at one of his two congressional testimonies Wednesday. 

Dorsey spent Wednesday fielding questions in the House about how Twitter’s efforts to combat dangerous information and misinformation shared on the social media platform is actually censoring conservative voices. 
 

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Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today joined more than 170 House Democrats in demanding that Secretary Betsy DeVos prohibit the use of federal education funding to buy guns for teachers and school staff. The letter comes in the wake of a New York Times report that revealed the administration’s plan to allow schools to redirect federal education funding intended for services like mental health counseling in order to purchase firearms or firearms training.