The People’s Watchdog Newsletter - June 6

This week’s Common Cause newsletter is just a 7 minute read at 800 words.

Saturday, June 6, 2026 👋 Hi Pamela! Happy Saturday. And happy first weekend of Pride! 🏳️‍🌈 In the Watchdog Newsletter, we share what you need to know to hold power accountable from the nonpartisan source you can trust. This watchdog doesn’t give in to pressure from presidents. This week’s Common Cause newsletter is just a 7 minute read at 800 words. 💸 No Blank Check for Trump’s Cronies Weeks ago, President Donald Trump made a massive gamble. He dropped his sham lawsuit against the IRS (which he fully controls) and created a $1.8 billion slush fund instead. It’s one of the biggest taxpayer frauds in American history. As our President & CEO Virginia Kase Solomón put it, “President Trump wants to take your hard-earned tax dollars and hand them over to criminals, cronies, and insurrectionists.” Now, according to media reports, but with no official confirmation from the Department of Justice (DOJ), they are dropping the slush fund. We'll continue litigating to ensure that we stop this illegal slush fund once and for all. And Common Cause is still demanding Congress act. This week, we joined Senators Dick Durbin and Sheldon Whitehouse, Democracy Forward, and others for a press conference on Capitol Hill to demand Congress permanently block President Trump’s slush fund once and for all. We also delivered nearly 200,000 of your petition signatures in person to key Senators so they can see just how many constituents are outraged by this taxpayer heist. As we told reporters and lawmakers, it’s not enough for President Trump to simply “drop the fund” for two weeks or for a momentary pause. Congress must step up and stop Trump, or any future president, from ever trying this again. 📬 We’re Still Fighting for Vote by Mail When President Trump tried to limit who can vote by mail — for a second time this term — we sued, along with our civil rights partners at the NAACP, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, Black Voters Matter Fund, and BVM Capacity Building Institute, to block the executive order. Unfortunately, a federal judge declined to stop the executive order immediately. The judge found that the issues were not ripe for a ruling. But for the same reason you wouldn’t wait for the house to be on fire to decide it’s time to install a smoke detector, we can’t wait for our rights to be lost to stop the President’s dangerous power grab. Common Cause will keep fighting this attack on our rights and Trump’s efforts to take over our elections. We’ll keep you updated as we work to make sure every eligible voter can cast a ballot freely and fairly in 2026 and beyond. ⚖️ Common Cause Sets the Standard for the Next Attorney General The next Attorney General should work for the people, not the president. Yet, during President Trump’s second term, we’re seeing him weaponize the Department of Justice as his own personal law firm. No more. Trump now says he will nominate Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer and current acting Attorney General, to lead the DOJ permanently. Blanche helped turn the DOJ into Trump’s vendetta machine instead of a department that upholds the Constitution and the rule of law for all of us. That's exactly why Common Cause launched a public interest test for the next Attorney General nominee. Blanche fails that test. These are our key criteria for nominees: Independence from the White House; Refusal to weaponize law enforcement; Honesty with the courts and respect for court orders; A proven record of defending civil rights and constitutional limits on executive power; Respect for Congress and the separation of powers; And a clear ethics record and strong professional credibility. Common Cause is committed to making sure the DOJ works for the people. This test is the first step of that process. 📱 Our Favorite Post 👀 ICYMI We're working so hard to protect our democracy, we could write you a novel instead of a newsletter. Instead, here are the top headlines you don't want to miss: California 🐻: California voters cast their ballots, and Common Cause was there to help the public understand what came next. We reminded voters that election night is not results night, and helped explain why counting every eligible ballot accurately takes time. Read more. Massachusetts ☘️:  Massachusetts voters approved a new law to bring more sunlight to the state legislature, but lawmakers are now trying to limit how much the public can actually see. We're fighting for transparency and accountability, so people know what their elected officials are doing with their power. Learn more here. North Carolina 🛩️: New proposals in North Carolina would cut early voting and make it easier to reject ballots over technicalities. Common Cause is leading the charge to protect voters, push back against barriers to the ballot, and make sure every eligible voter can make their voice heard. Listen to the interview here. Ohio 🎢: A new investigation is raising serious concerns about the power of big money in our politics. Common Cause is shining a light on corruption, advocating for stronger transparency laws, and ensuring our leaders answer to people, not wealthy interests. Read more here. 📊 By the Numbers 🗞️ Kicker Quote 👕 Wear Your Values If you're not following Common Cause, you’re not getting the truth. If you were forwarded this newsletter and want to sign up too, click here. For updates, follow us on X [Twitter], Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Substack, Facebook, and TikTok. Common Cause is a leader in fights that matter at the local and state level. Your support helps us fight special interests, hold elected officials accountable, and build a better democracy for all Floridians. DONATE Interested in volunteering with our Action Team? Sign up here. 333 3rd Ave N, Unit 427 St. Petersburg Fl, 33701 202.833.1200 https://commoncause.org Common Cause’s work to defend and strengthen our democracy is powered by members like you. You can use this link to unsubscribe or let us know you'd like to receive fewer emails from us.

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