Common Cause Under Fire for Partisanship - Nearly Every Board Member Is a Democratic Donor

Common Cause Under Fire for Partisanship - Nearly Every Board Member Is a Democratic Donor

On Monday, Republican State Representative Brian Newberry took to social media to criticize Common Cause Rhode Island. 

He claims the organization is no longer nonpartisan.   

The organization has a rich history of being led by community leaders — Republicans and Democrats who pushed some of the biggest reforms in the state’s history.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

But times have changed.

“It's disappointing to see Common Cause RI act like this. They used to be a nonpartisan good government organization that operated as a real watchdog at the State House.  That has been changing slowly over the years. Now they have openly become a full-on pro-Democrat group,” wrote Newberry, regarding Common Cause Executive Director John Marion's speaking at an anti-Trump Administration rally last weekend.

"There is an unprecedented assault on democracy as we know it happening in Washington, D.C., and we need our United States Senators and Representatives to do more to stop it," Marion had said to the crowd at Kennedy Plaza. 

GoLocal looked into the claim that it is a partisan organization. Specifically, GoLocal looked at the donation pattern and political affiliation of Common Cause RI’s board members.

 

45 to 1

Presently, there are 16 board members and officers, and combined, that leadership has donated more than $41,640 to Democratic candidates and $908 to Republican candidates, for a margin of 45-1. 

When asked about the discrepancy, Marion defended the Rhode Island chapter’s leadership makeup.

GoLocal asked, “To continue to claim to be nonpartisan, can you operate with a board that is all partisan?”

Marion said, “I don't accept the premise of your question.”

But the numbers and the party affiliations don’t lie. None of the 16 members of the board are registered Republicans. And, of the 16 board members, two have not made political donations, and 14 have donated to Democratic candidates.

One, Luis Vargas Rivera, was once a Republican candidate for office and a GOP donor. He donated $708 to Republicans, but none after 2015. He told GoLocal that he left the party and is now a Democrat.

“I would say the Reagan quote applies to me: 'I did not leave the Republican party, the Republican party left me!' I became unaffiliated in late 2019/early 2020, and have since become a registered Democrat. Still feel relatively politically homeless," Vargas told GoLocal. 

Kevin Flynn, a former planner for the City of Cranston and has worked in top state positions, is listed in the state campaign finance database as donating to both Republicans and Democrats. His donations track back to the early 2000s.

He told GoLocal that he is an independent and has worked under both Republican and Democratic mayors in Cranston and Republican, independent and Democratic governors at the state level. Flynn said he is an unaffiliated voter.

 

Executive Director Defends Common Cause’s Role

“We don’t think Representative Newberry’s characterization of Common Cause Rhode Island as being partisan is fair or accurate,” said Marion.

“Common Cause Rhode Island has always been, and continues to be, a nonpartisan organization. Since we were founded 55 years ago by Republican John Gardner (and locally in part by Republican Lila Sapinsley) we have never endorsed a candidate for office of any party. In my 17 years with the organization, I have never made a political donation or attended a campaign fundraiser,” said Marion.

Sapinsley was the Republican Senate leader in the Rhode Island State House in the 1980s.

“Our work is nonpartisan as well. Our positions are rooted in our values to create a better democracy for Rhode Island. Sometimes that work draws support primarily from one party, like our work to expand voting rights, and sometimes that work draws support primarily from the other party, like our work to end partisan gerrymandering. Sometimes, we have the support of both political parties, like with our work on the separation of powers,” said Marion.

Marion says Common Cause takes on Republicans and Democrats.

“Over the decades in Rhode Island, we have filed complaints against both Democratic and Republican politicians for violating our ethics, open government, and campaign finance laws. Currently, we are pressing the Rhode Island Ethics Commission to strengthen our state’s ethics laws in response to the ILO Group scandal by Democratic Governor Dan McKee,” said Marion.

“At the same time, we are calling out Republican President Trump for violating ethics by firing many inspectors general, for violating separation of powers by unconstitutionally impounding funds, and violating transparency for not revealing financial conflicts of interest. Our motto is holding power accountable and we will do that, regardless of political party,” Marion added.

 

Newberry Says The Organization Has Lost Its Way

"I got my start in Rhode Island politics before I was ever a candidate by volunteering with Common Cause. My wife was on the board, and they were a pretty bipartisan group. They got involved with fighting corruption and improving access and they still do some of that today," Newberry told GoLocal,

"My whole point is the organization now is not what it used to be. Now, it's just another left-wing advocacy group that basically is a show for the Democratic party. That's my point," he added.