Here's a recap of Common Cause's work over the past two weeks. We're celebrating hard-won victories regarding the FEC and FCC and highlighting other important work throughout the country.

Federal Election Commission (FEC): We Stopped The White House Again!
On May 16 controversial White House nominee Hans von Spakovsky withdrew his name from consideration for a position on the FEC. Common Cause, working with a coalition of voting rights and reform groups, had opposed von Spakovsky because of his work at the Justice Department rolling back voting rights laws.

Common Cause is leading the charge on redistricting in California, campaign finance reform in Wisconsin and Nebraska, watchdogging in Georgia, and more.  Check out the fruits of our ongoing labor around the country....

• California Common Cause introduces statewide redistricting initiative for 2008 ballot
• Common Cause Georgia establishes first satellite unit outside Atlanta
• Governor of Wisconsin breaks promise on campaign finance reform
• Common Cause Nebraska still gunning for Public Service Commission campaign reform
• Hearing, rally, and continued pressure on FCC to block media consolidation and support localism

Chat away.

In case you missed it: earlier this week, a Nebraska radio station reported (download the player here) on a movement to stop the state's Public Service Commissioners from accepting campaign cash from industries they regulate. Otherwise, how are they supposed to rule impartially? And just as important, how can we, the public, know that they're not playing favorites?

Jack Gould of Common Cause Nebraska and explained it in one perfect sentence, followed by the radio host highlighting why this is a legitimate issue.


Rather than force elected officials to make "judgment calls," how about offering public financing, so that we all know whom they represent when they're in office? Something to think about this long weekend.

My good friend Jack Gould from Common Cause Nebraska is calling the task force on broadband to task for their lack of transparency and unwillingness to hear from diverse view points on the broadband issue. Common Cause supports community broadband efforts because we believe the Internet should be affordable and available to everyone, it's a big problem in rural and low income communities. If you want to learn more about the issue you can visit our webpage on the topic here.

Read the full text of Jack's article after the jump.

Due in part to the efforts of Jack Gould and Common Cause Nebraska, proponents of campaign finance reform won a great victory last week. On Friday, suspended University of Nebraska Regent David Hergert was convicted of impeachment charges by the Nebraska Supreme Court. Hergert, the second official in the U.S. removed for campaign finance laws, was found guilty of falsely reporting campaign funds and obstructing government operations. The conviction stemmed from the 2004 election, when he underreported what he had planned to spend, thus depriving incumbent Don Blank of matching funds per Nebraska campaign finance law.

Candidates for Nebraska state offices have voluntary spending caps. The cap for regent races is $25,000 for the primary and $50,000 overall. When a candidate exceeds the spending cap, matching public funds are triggered for the opposing candidate. In the 2004 campaign, Hergert underreported his primary election spending and used his surplus funds to run an aggressive campaign versus his opponent in the closing days of the election.

The ruling by the state Supreme Court is a great victory for campaign finance reform. Here are links to three articles on the decision: An article on the decision by the Nebraska Supreme Court; the Hergert Case Timeline; and an article on what this means for advocates of campaign finance reform. To Mr. Gould and everyone involved in Nebraska, congratulations on a job well done.

My fellow Americans, it is time once again for Friday's state roundup. Please comment on any state news that we may have missed.

*    On the Ethics front in California, San Jose's Mayor Gonzalez was arrested on six felony counts, including the charge of taking a bribe.
*    Ethics has become a component of the debate in New Jersey's Senate race.
*    In Florida from January to March 2006, lobbyists have paid an alarming $50 million dollars for political influence.
*    While an inspiration for those of us who would like to see national clean elections, Maine still has some work to do.
*    The California legislature is looking at a ballot proposition for the November election that would appoint an independent commission for redistricting.
*    The Pennsylvania legislature finally passed a lobbying disclosure law.
*    The North Carolina State Senate is looking at passing ethics reform measures.
*    The city council of Palo Alto, California went on the record officially supporting redistricting reform.
*    And, Nebraska's Broadband Task Force needs to give more power to the public sector in reference to broadband.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful 4th of July weekend! On Tuesday, be sure to read the intro to the Declaration of Independence - it reminds us of what this amazing country has strived for but has never fully achieved. We must continue striving.

The Nebraska Broadband Task Force has held its third meeting.  The task force was given $200,000 and two years to study broadband access and to decide what role government entities should be allowed play. The report is due in December 2006 and there are only four more meetings planned.

Most of the discussion has revolved around defining related terms and whether broadband service provided by government entities presented unfair competition for the private sector. After a number of articles and letters in the press describing the lack of broadband service in rural and urban areas the discussion began to move toward public and private partnerships. There is a great deal more to be discussed and very little time to find a solution.

Common Cause Nebraska believes LB645, the bill creating a prohibition on public entities offering broadband service, should be repealed. If the private sector can not or will not provide state wide service at a reasonable price then the public sector needs to step in. Why should underserved citizen and business interests be forced to pay two and three times the price for high speed computer service?