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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

tldr on Callais: protecting White officeholders from electoral competition is an unchallengeable state goal; protecting Black voters’ rights to elect a rep of their choice, not so much. Like J. Kagan (who wrote “I dissent” 6x), it is hard to disagree strongly enough with this travesty of a decision.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Proud that Common Cause, where I serve on the National Governing Board, is standing in solidarity with SPLC. Civil society must stand together in the face of politically-motivated prosecutions.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Excited to be at the Conference on World Affairs in beautiful Boulder, CO, talking about democracy, corruption, and civic engagement. Check it out online! www.colorado.edu/cwa/2026-sch...

colorado.edu

2026 Schedule

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

Proud to be part of an organization that stands up for the Constitution, separation of powers, and the rule of law. @commoncause.org statement on the Administration's action in Venezuela below ⬇️: www.commoncause.org/articles/tru...

commoncause.org

Trump’s Venezuela Action Is an Unconstitutional Abuse of Power That Endangers American Lives and Interests

Common Cause strongly condemns President Trump’s unilateral use of U.S. military and law enforcement forces in Venezuela.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Thank you, @kateshaw.bsky.social, @profmmurray.bsky.social, & @leahlitman.bsky.social for having me on the pod (my bit starts at 57:16, if anyone is looking for it)! Good conversation with smart women is definitely one of my favorite things!

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Listening to the NRSC argument. Surreal. Don't know how they can argue there's a credible risk of FEC enforcement when there's been no quorum at the FEC for most of this year, and no nominations have been made.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

The Federal Election Commission's death by decapitation is part of this Administration's broader attack on fair elections and checks against corruption. My piece in The Guardian: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

theguardian.com

I chaired the US Federal Election Commission. Now there’s no cop on the beat | Ellen L Weintraub

Democracy is under attack – and the watchdog agency has no quorum. It must be restored

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End Citizens United @endcitizensunited.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

"President Trump is intentionally sidelining the nation’s campaign finance watchdog. Restoring quorum is a fundamental necessity to safeguard against corruption.” - Former FEC Commissioner and ECU Senior Fellow @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social

notus.org

Federal Election Commission Loses Another Commissioner

Republican Trey Trainor confirmed he’s resigning, leaving the nation’s hobbled campaign finance enforcement agency even further from a quorum.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Looking forward to a spirited conversation tomorrow about money, politics, the First Amendment, and the state of our democracy!

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

There’s nothing funny about using government power to silence comedians. Authoritarians hate being mocked. But the right to criticize the government lies at the very heart of the 1st Amendment.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Empowered by the Supreme Court, tech titans appear poised to deploy their vast wealth to try to buy a government that will impose no guardrails on their already powerful industry. What could go wrong? Silicon Valley Pledges $200 Million to New Pro-A.I. Super PACs www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...

nytimes.com

Silicon Valley Pledges $200 Million to New Pro-A.I. Super PACs

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End Citizens United @endcitizensunited.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Out of the 64 complaints filed against Donald Trump with the Federal Election Commission, the nonpartisan staff recommended investigations into Trump 32 times—which Republican Commissioners voted against every single time. WATCH ECU's Senior Fellow @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social break it down 👇

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

Where's a good federalist when you need one? The Constitution leaves the running of elections to the states. Yet here seems to be a new effort to threaten election administrators with criminal prosecution, based on nothing but conspiracy theories. Alarming. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/02/u...

nytimes.com

Justice Dept. Explores Using Criminal Charges Against Election Officials

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End Citizens United @endcitizensunited.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

"Without a quorum, the agency [Federal Election Commission] is left really hamstrung in all of its decision making. This just emboldens people who seek to violate the law." - Former FEC Commissioner and ECU Senior Fellow @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

The Big Ugly Bill is still pretty ugly, but at least they stripped out the moratorium on regulating AI. It’s too powerful a technology to assume we know what kind of constraints might be needed in the next 5 or 10 years. States are way ahead of the feds in at least requiring transparency.

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End Citizens United @endcitizensunited.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Whether it's Musk buying his way into government, or the GOP making deep cuts to Medicaid to pay for tax cuts that benefit their donors, corruption has real life impacts. Watch ECU President @tiffanymuller.bsky.social and @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social, one of ECU's Senior Fellows, break it down. 👇

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Bravo. It is appalling how eager this royalist Supreme Court is to shred any semblance of checks and balances on this autocratic administration. As Justice Jackson stated in her fiery dissent, the Court's decision is "an existential threat to the rule of law.”

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End Citizens United @endcitizensunited.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

The third consecutive cancellation of an open Federal Election Commission meeting is further proof of the corruption deeply embedded in this administration. No one knows the importance of transparency better than former FEC Chair and Commissioner @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social.

Quote: “This is how democracy is hollowed out––through a series of quietly canceled meetings. With the FEC effectively shut down, tens of millions of dollars are flowing between donors and politicians with no oversight. It’s a gift to bad actors and lawbreakers. Every day the agency remains paralyzed, the more vulnerable our elections become to corruption.”

––Ellen Weintraub, former FEC Chair and Commissioner

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Good news/bad news on the GOP budget bill: The attempt to make it harder to sue the Govt by making litigants post huge bonds ruled out of bounds for reconciliation. 👍 But the provision seeking to stop states from regulating AI can be passed on party-line vote. 👎 www.budget.senate.gov/ranking-memb...

budget.senate.gov

More Provisions in Republicans’ “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Are Subject to Byrd Rule, Parliamentarian Advises | U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget

The Official U.S. Senate Committee On The Budget

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

The First Amendment protects the right to challenge the government. When the government is violating people’s rights, protest is patriotic. The President thinks protesters are troublemakers who need to be silenced by force. Well, sign me up for some of that good trouble. See you on No Kings Day!

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Another attempt to eviscerate checks and balances on the President.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

Proud to join with Senator Jon Tester and @tiffanymuller.bsky.social at @endcitizensunited.bsky.social to continue the fight against corruption!

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

No one voted for graft and corruption. This Memorial Day, I honor the veterans who fought to defend democracy and a government of, by, and for the people. Let us recommit to the fight.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

“In the 2004 election, . . . billionaires gave $13 million in political contributions; 20 years later, the country’s richest families spent more than 200 times that much.” We’re seeing the result when pay-to-play becomes normalized and shameless grifters take power.

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Tiffany Muller @tiffanymuller.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Thank you for a wonderful town hall this Saturday, Denver! Defending our democracy has never been more important, and I couldn’t ask for better friends and allies in this fight than CO Secretary of State @jenagriswold.bsky.social and FEC Commissioner @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social.

From Left to Right: ECU President Tiffany Muller, FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, and Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. They are smiling and standing together, with the town hall in the background.

ECU President Tiffany Muller in conversation with FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub and town hall attendees.

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Colorado Secretary of State’s Office @cosecofstate.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Secretary @jenagriswold.bsky.social was proud to join Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United, and former FEC Commissioner @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social to discuss how important it is to defend American democracy. Thank you to all who came for this important discussion.

Secretary Griswold joined by Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United, and former FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub for the "Defending Democracy" townhall in Denver, CO.

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David Meyers @david.opensecrets.org · 14/05/2025

Speaking at #AmericanDemocracySummit, fired FEC Chair @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social says, "We need to look at who gets nominated because it matters. We need people who believe in the law to be serving in the government."

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

And then there were 3. ICYMI: The FEC needs 4 commissioners to make enforcement and policy decisions. When I was removed from office without cause and without a replacement, I warned that the FEC could lose its quorum. Now that's happened. No cop on the money-in-politics beat, Day 1.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

$$ Millions more than the inauguration could have possibly cost, given by people and corps. with biz before the govt, & no duty to disclose where the $ goes. What could possibly go wrong? Trump Raised $239 Million for Inauguration, More Than Doubling His Own Record www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/u...

nytimes.com

Trump Raised $239 Million for Inauguration, More Than Doubling His Own Record

The staggering amount, disclosed in a filing with the Federal Election Commission, was driven by corporate America’s eagerness to win the president’s favor.

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Joyce White Vance @joycewhitevance.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Not to state the obvious, but none of them were sent to a terrorist prison in El Salvador. They all had lawyers, indictment by grand jury, a trial or a guilty plea where a judge ensured it was knowing & voluntary & access to an appeals process. In other words, all the hallmarks of due process.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Go, Harvard! The administration’s attacks on civil society are ominous and unprecedented.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

Good to see Harvard standing up for academic freedom.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Excited to be with thought leaders at the Conference on World Affairs in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. Check out the schedule. Most sessions live-streamed. I’ll be speaking later today and tomorrow on checks & balances (do they still exist?) and elections. www.colorado.edu/cwa/2025-sch...

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Ruth Greenwood @ruthgreenwood.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Beyond proud that we (Election Law Clinic at Harvard) go to work with Commissiomer @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social to file this amicus brief. Explaining the dire consequences of President Trump’s EO seeking to weaponize the FEC: www.hlselectionlaw.org/dncvtrump

hlselectionlaw.org

Democratic National Committee v. Donald J. Trump — Election Law Clinic at Harvard Law School

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

3/ The president is trying to remove and silence opposition voices from government. I will continue to speak out about threats to our democracy. Turns out one doesn't need a gov't email address to make some good trouble.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

2/ No one is more aware than I am of the limitations of the FEC but subjecting it to the control of the President risks weaponizing the agency that regulates the billions of $ spent on our elections.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

1/ This administration’s war on independent agencies is particularly ominous when it comes to agencies with jurisdiction over elections. Yesterday I filed an amicus brief explaining the importance of maintaining the Federal Election Commission’s independence. static1.squarespace.com/static/60a55...

static1.squarespace.com

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Honored to be mentioned in this moving column.

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Ellen L. Weintraub @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner and Chair of the FEC. There's a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn't it. I've been so fortunate to serve the American people and stir up some good trouble along the way. That's not changing anytime soon.

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