Host Simone Leeper speaks with former FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and CLC President Trevor Potter to examine how court rulings opened the door to unlimited political spending; how partisan gridlock has left the FEC unable to act; and what reforms could restore transparency and accountability in American democracy.

The Latest: How to Address Threats to the Rule of Law

Let’s face it: This is an unprecedented time for our democracy. Many of our government’s checks and balances are being challenged or outright ignored. We did not
arrive here because of one person or one policy, but rather the erosion of numerous
safeguards, which, over time, have allowed some persistent issues with our system of
government to be exploited.

Decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years have favored secretive political
donations and restrictive voting laws, reshaping our political landscape. Corruption and
executive overreach are on the rise, and gerrymandering in states across the country
continues to prevent many Americans from making their voices heard.

If you follow us at Campaign Legal Center, you’ll have heard us repeatedly calling out
these issues — and proposing ways to fix them. Because that’s what we’re all about:
solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy.

This season of our award-winning podcast, Democracy Decoded, will focus on a
handful of key factors that have led us to this point — and we’ll outline solutions for how
we can begin to repair the cracks in our system.

Each episode will spotlight the story of an individual client, organization, case, or
specific problem indicating where these cracks have formed. Drawing from Campaign
Legal Center’s experts and other distinguished guests, we will diagnose the underlying
problems democracy faces and chart ways that we can hold our government
accountable, ensuring everyone can participate fully in our democracy and we continue
to have free and fair elections for years to come.

Listeners will come away understanding the solutions Campaign Legal Center is
advancing nationwide to shore up these crucial aspects of our democracy. Democracy
Decoded will encourage listeners to better grasp how we, as citizens, can change things
for the better.