See below for a press release from End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund (ECU // LAV), and also click here for their 2022 “Democracy scorecard” – “an analysis of the major anti-corruption and voting rights legislation that has been introduced and considered to date in the 117th Congress to fight back against unprecedented attacks on our democracy and work to create one that works for all of us.” ECU/LAV add:
“This scorecard is being released at a critical juncture for American democracy. While Americans believe that our democracy works best when everyone has their voice and vote in the process, that value is under attack and our democracy is at a crisis point.”
Not surprisingly, Republicans – the party of Donald Trump, the “Big Lie,” hostility to voting rights, etc, etc. – did horribly on this scorecard, while Democrats – who are champions of voting rights and democracy – did great. See below, for instance, for the Virginia Congressional delegation’s scores (Democrats all got “A” grades, except for Rep. Donald McEachin, who got a “B+”; Republicans all got “F” grades):
- Sen. Tim Kaine: A
- Sen. Mark Warner: A
- Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07): A+
- Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA02): A
- Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA03): A
- Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08): A
- Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA10): A
- Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11): A
- Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA04): B+
- Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA01): F
- Rep. Bob Good (R-VA05): F
- Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA06): F
- Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA09): F
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Rep. Abigail Spanberger Receives an A+ on Anti-Corruption and Voting Rights Scorecard
Spanberger rejects corporate PAC money and supported once-in-a-generation anti-corruption and voting rights legislation
Today, End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund (ECU // LAV), a leading anti-corruption and voting rights group with over 4 million members nationwide, released its legislative scorecard for the 117th Congress. The scorecard grades members of Congress on their support for important anti-corruption and voting rights measures Congress has considered in the past year and a half.
Because of her commitment to rooting out corruption in Washington, limiting the power lobbyists have in Congress, preventing election sabotage, protecting the freedom to vote, ending dark money, and stopping egregious partisan gerrymandering that denies voters fair and equal representation, Congresswoman Spanberger received an A+ from ECU // LAV. She refuses to accept money from corporate PACs, so she is only accountable to the people she represents. And this past session, she supported doing whatever it took to pass legislation that would ensure every American could make their voices heard and have their votes counted in our elections, including supporting the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act.
“Americans are sick and tired of seeing self-serving politicians use their positions of power to line their own pockets and pad the bottom lines of their donors. Whether it’s politicians using insider information to enrich themselves in the midst of a deadly pandemic, or opposing legislation that would lower costs for working families, simply because their wealthy, corporate donors oppose it, we need elected officials who put the people they represent first. That’s why we gave Congresswoman Spanberger an A+ on our 2022 scorecard. She has fought corporate special interests in Washington and is rejecting corporate PAC money,” said End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund President Tiffany Muller.
See below for the criteria used to determine grades in the scorecard:
- For the People Act (S. 1/S. 2093, H.R. 1): Legislation to protect the freedom to vote, end the dominance of big money in politics, and restore ethics and accountability in government.
- Freedom to Vote Act (S. 2747): Legislation to protect the freedom to vote, end the dominance of big money in politics, and stop discrimination in voting and redistricting.
- Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act (H.R. 5746): Legislation combining the Freedom to Vote Act and John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to ensure the freedom to vote, stop discrimination in voting and redistricting, and end the dominance of big money in politics.
- John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (S. 4, H.R. 4): Legislation to restore the full power of the Voting Rights Act and protect voters from discrimination at the ballot box.
- DISCLOSE Act (S. 443, H.R. 1334): Legislation that will ensure voters know who is trying to influence their vote by requiring politically-active groups to disclose their largest donors who give over $10,000.
- Protecting our Democracy Act (H.R. 5314): Legislation to prevent presidential abuses of power and restore checks and balances.
- Democracy for All Amendment (S.J. Res. 25, H.J. Res. 1): An amendment to the Constitution to give Congress and state legislatures the power to set commonsense restrictions on big money’s influence in politics.
- Refuses corporate PAC money: Senator or Member chooses to refuse contributions from corporate PACs for their campaign.
- Washington, D.C. Admissions Act (S. 51, H.R. 51): Granting statehood and voting representation to Washington, D.C’s nearly 700,000 citizens.
- Impeachment of Donald John Trump (H. Res. 24): Articles of impeachment against former President Trump for his role in inciting a violent insurrection against our government in order to overturn a free and fair election.
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