Issue One
Issue One is an American nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce the role of money in politics. It aims to increase public awareness of what it views as problems within the present campaign finance system, and to reduce the influence of money in politics through enactment of campaign finance reform.
| Formation | October 2014[1] |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Location |
|
CEO | Nick Penniman[2] |
| Affiliations | Campaign Legal Center |
| Website | IssueOne.org |
Issue One is an American nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce the role of money in politics.[3] It aims to increase public awareness of what it views as problems within the present campaign finance system, and to reduce the influence of money in politics through enactment of campaign finance reform.
Formation
[edit]Issue One was formed in October 2014 through the merger of two campaign finance reform organizations: Americans for Campaign Reform and Fund for the Republic.[4][5]
Americans for Campaign Reform, which was formed in 2003, had been focused on issues related to campaigns and elections, including pushing for public funding for federal and state elections.[6][7] Fund for the Republic, which was formed in 2012, aimed to remove the use of big money and dark money in American politics.[8][9] Issue One combined these initiatives.[10]
Organization
[edit]Activities
[edit]Issue One's stated mission is "fighting to protect U.S. elections, lessen political polarization, limit the influence of big money over politics, and improve the ability of Congress to solve problems."[11] The organization raises awareness about these issues,[12] advocates for legislation and federal action,[13][14] and produces research and analysis related to key issues.[15]
ReFormers Caucus
[edit]In 2015, Issue One launched the ReFormers Caucus, a bipartisan group of former lawmakers advocating for campaign finance reform.[13][14] The caucus initially included more than 100 former officeholders, including former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, former Utah governor Jon Huntsman, and former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.[13] By 2019, that number had expanded to more than 200 members.[16]
The ReFormers Caucus has proposed increasing civic participation, passing laws that define and regulate the role of money in federal elections and "boosting small donations to campaigns, finding ways to restrict political contributions from lobbyists and unmasking secret contributions made to tax-exempt groups that are active in politics."[17][18]
Congressional pay
[edit]A January 2022 report from Issue One titled "Fair Pay: Why Congress Needs to Invest in Junior Staff" found that one in eight congressional staffers in Washington, DC, were not paid a living wage.[19][20][21] The report showed that entry-level staff, in particular, were earning 30 percent less than the national average salary, and recommended a salary floor for all Hill staffers.[19][22] In April 2022, the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association published an open letter to both chambers of Congress asking for immediate salary increases for staff, citing Issue One's report on the issue.[23]
Election disinformation and voting rights
[edit]In 2020, Issue One launched the National Council on Election Integrity to counter disinformation about the 2020 United States presidential election and ensure a peaceful transfer of power.[24][25] The council was bipartisan,[26] with members including former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Senator and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and two former Defense Secretaries, Republican Chuck Hagel and Democrat Leon Panetta.[25][27]
In December 2020, the council spent $2 million on an ad urging a peaceful transition of power after President Trump refused to concede the election.[28] In 2021, the council launched a digital ad campaign inside the Beltway to advocate for the establishment of a 9/11 Commission-style body to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.[29] That same year, Issue One launched Truthtellers, an outgrowth of the group's Swamp Stories podcast featuring short video clips debunking false claims about the 2020 election.[30][31][32]
In 2022, Issue One launched a "Faces of Democracy" campaign highlighting the concerns of election administrators and poll workers from across the United States, and requesting increased funding for election infrastructure and election-related threat monitoring, along with increased election privacy protections.[33]
Council for Responsible Social Media
[edit]In October 2022, Issue One established the Council for Responsible Social Media to address bipartisan concerns with social media, including the impact for national security, and social media's effects on children and democratic discourse.[34] The council includes former lawmakers such as former House majority leader Dick Gephardt and former lieutenant governor of Massachusetts Kerry Healey, the former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen, and tech advocates including Tristan Harris.[35]
The Council has endorsed the Kids Online Safety Act.[36][self-published source?]
Issue One supported the Supreme Court ruling in TikTok, Inc. v. Garland.[37][self-published source?]
Research
[edit]In 2015, Issue One joined with the Campaign Legal Center to publish Blueprints for Democracy,[38] a report providing an overview of how campaign finance reforms have been implemented across the country, and recommending best practices for legislators and advocates attempting to enact change in their local communities.[39] In 2018, Issue One released a report titled "Dark Money Illuminated" that detailed political spending by nonprofit organizations that are not required to disclose their donors.[40][41][42] The report found that three-quarters of the total dark money spending in elections from 2010 to 2016 came from only 15 groups, with the largest spender being the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.[40][42] Crossroads GPS, a nonprofit corporation that works in conjunction with American Crossroads, was the next highest spender.[43] The report received coverage in USA Today,[40] Roll Call,[43] MarketWatch,[41] and other media outlets.[44][45]
Issue One's subsequent analysis of dark money spending during the 2018 midterms found that liberal nonprofits had outspent conservative ones for the first time since 2010.[46] “It’s no surprise that both Democrats and Republicans utilize whatever political vehicles are at hand,” Issue One CEO Nick Penniman told The Wall Street Journal. “Both parties view it as an arms race.”[46]
In 2020, analysis from Issue One and the Center for Responsive Politics showed that dark money groups had spent $996 million since the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.[47]
In June 2020, Issue One released a report on potential foreign interference in U.S. elections, an issue the report described as a "national emergency" that Congress was not doing enough to prevent.[48] Issue One also set up a website to study foreign threats.[48]
In 2021, Issue One released a joint report with the Campaign Legal Center detailing the misuse of leadership PAC funds by both parties.[49][50] That same year, it identified the political donors who had spent the most in the six election cycles since the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.[51][52]
Key personnel
[edit]Nick Penniman is Issue One's CEO.[53][54] Whitney Hatch is chairman.[55] Other board members include Diana Aviv, Carlos Curbelo, Katie Fahey, Dick Gephardt, David Gerson, and Tom Ridge.[55] The organization's advisory board is chaired by Bill Burgess and Teresa Kersten.[55]
See also
[edit]- Campaign finance reform in the United States
- Mayday PAC
- Every Voice
- American Promise (Organization)
- Stamp Stampede
References
[edit]- ^ "About Us" (PDF). Issue One. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 4, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
- ^ Boner, Bradley (March 23, 2022). "Call for civility". Jackson Hole News & Guide. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Schesol, Jeff (January 19, 2015). "Will the Roberts Court Strike Down Another Campaign-Finance Law?". New Yorker. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
- ^ The Internal Revenue Services's Processing of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) applications for tax-exempt status submitted by "political advocacy" organizations from 2010-2013. United States Senate Committee on Finance. 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
Americans for Campaign Reform has joined forces with Fund for the Republic to become Issue One.
- ^ "Barbara Lawton". Iowa State University. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
- ^ Leuders, Bill (January 21, 2014). "Lawton takes aim at campaign cash". Wisconsin Watch. Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Weeks, Dan (March 12, 2020). "My Turn: Be like Granny D". Concord Monitor. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Vogel, Kenneth (February 11, 2014). "Fighting big donors with big dollars". Politico. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
- ^ Kroll, Andy (September 27, 2013). "Liberal Group to Fight Dark Money…by Raising $40 Million of It". Mother Jones. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
- ^ Sharnak, Debbie (February 26, 2015). "Report: 2014 Elections Officially Most Expensive Midterm in U.S. History". Independent Voter Network. Newstex LLC – via Nexis.
Issue One believes that money has gained overwhelming influence over the U.S. political system. The organization is attempting to create a bipartisan coalition to limit this trend. The group was created after two of the most prominent campaign finance organizations, Fund for the Republic and Americans for Campaign Reform, joined forces to increase their impact.
- ^ "About Us". Issue One. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Ball, Molly (November 2, 2020). "The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election". Time. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c Schouten, Fredreka. "Former lawmakers join campaign-finance fight". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 4, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b Wheeler, Lydia (February 15, 2016). "Where the 2016 candidates stand on money in politics". The Hill. Nexstar Inc. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Montellaro, Zach (September 14, 2020). "A looming milestone: $1B in dark money spending". Politico. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Vines, Georgiana. "Chattanooga Republican Zach Wamp on Issue One Reformers Caucus". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Former lawmakers join campaign-finance fight Archived 2016-05-04 at the Wayback Machine; USA Today; Fredreka Schouten; October 28, 2015
- ^ "ReFormers Caucus | Issue One". Issue One. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ a b Lesniewski, Niels (January 25, 2022). "Thirteen percent of congressional staffers make less than a living wage, report shows". Roll Call. CQ Roll Call. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Grayer, Annie (January 26, 2022). "New report finds 1 in 8 congressional staffers are not making a DC living wage". CNN. Cable News Network. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ "Fair Pay: Why Congress Needs to Invest in Junior Staff" (PDF). Issue One. 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Sotomayor, Marianna (February 4, 2021). "'Dear White Staffers': Anonymous testimonials about workplace culture grip Capitol Hill". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ Rai, Sarakshi (April 15, 2022). "Congressional Hispanic staffers ask for pay hike in open letter". The Hill. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Newhauser, Daniel (October 23, 2020). "US election night scenarios: Early winner or 'doomsday'?". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Halpern, Sue (February 4, 2022). "The Pro-Trump Case For Rejecting The Big Lie". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Ball, Molly (November 2, 2020). "The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election". Time. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ Lovelace, Ryan (November 2, 2020). "Election integrity group to spend $6 mil. on post-election campaign focused on vote-counting". The Washington Times. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
- ^ Sherman, Jake; Palmer, Anna (November 20, 2020). "They can't agree what they're talking about". Politico. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Marquette, Chris (May 10, 2021). "Group that includes 9/11 commissioners urges Congress to create similar Jan. 6 panel". Roll Call. CQ Roll Call. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Halpern, Sue (February 4, 2022). "The Pro-Trump Case For Rejecting The Big Lie". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Hullinger, Logan (February 8, 2022). "Weston Wamp is featured in The New Yorker trying to convince Republican colleagues to trust election process". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved August 16, 2022 – via Yahoo.
- ^ Combs, Corry (September 22, 2021). "Issue One launches new "Truthtellers" video series with millennial conservative Weston Wamp exposing massive election disinformation campaign". Issue One. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Montellaro, Zach; Bland, Scott (June 21, 2021). "Election administrators go to Washington". Politico. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Lima, Cristiano; Schaffer, Aaron (October 12, 2022). "'Responsible social media' council looks to bridge divides on tech". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ Feiner, Lauren (October 12, 2022). "Facebook whistleblower, former defense and intel officials form group to fix social media". CNBC. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ "Kids' Online Safety". Issue One.
- ^ "SCOTUS upholds congressional TikTok ban, protecting our national security and data privacy". Issue One. 2025.
- ^ "Blueprints for Democracy: Actionable Reforms to Solve Our Governing Crisis". Campaign Legal Center. November 12, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ Mic (November 3, 2015). "There's a Better Way to Fight Money in Politics — But No Candidate Is Talking About It". Mic. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ a b c Schouten, Fredreka (September 12, 2018). "Exclusive: Three-quarters of the secret money in recent elections came from 15 groups". USA Today. Gannett. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Reklaitis, Victor (November 26, 2018). "Secret political spending on track to reach $1 billion milestone". MarketWatch. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Beckel, Michael (September 11, 2018). "Dark Money Illuminated". Issue One. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Ackley, Kate (September 18, 2018). "Court Bucks Chief Justice, Sheds Light on Dark Money Donors". Roll Call. CQ Roll Call. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ "Dark Money Illuminated". KGNU. Boulder Community Broadcast Association, Inc. October 2, 2018. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Stepleton, J.T. (November 2, 2018). "How Issue One uncovered the top 15 "dark money groups" in politics". Storybench. Northwestern University. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Bykowicz, Julie (January 23, 2019). "Liberals Outpaced Conservatives in 'Dark Money' Midterm Spending". Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Montellaro, Zach (September 14, 2020). "A looming milestone: $1B in dark money spending". Politico. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ a b Shawn, Eric (June 17, 2020). "North Korea likely to attack US presidential election in November, analysts warn". Fox News. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
- ^ Kim, Soo Rin (October 1, 2021). "Many lawmakers' 'leadership PACs' spend more on fundraising than political contributions, report finds". ABC News. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Schwartz, Brian; Pramuk, Jacob (December 21, 2021). "Corporate donations to Sen. Joe Manchin's PAC surged as he fought President Biden's agenda". CNBC. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Schouten, Fredreka (April 20, 2021). "Meet the people who write the biggest checks in federal elections". CNN. Cable News Network. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Allison, Bill (April 20, 2021). "Top 12 Political Donors Give $1 of Every $13, Watchdog Says". Bloomberg. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ "Team". Issue One. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ "Board of Trustees Elects Nicholas Penniman". St. Lawrence University. July 11, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Board & Advisors". Issue One. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- How Money Poisons Our Politics - by two ReFormers Caucus members
- Campaign Finance Reform: How to Finish What Stephen Colbert Started by Issue One senior advisor Trevor Potter
- "Issue One". Internal Revenue Service filings. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
- "Issue One Action". Internal Revenue Service filings. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.