Once again, Florida enrolled more previously-uninsured people through the “Obamacare” federal health insurance exchange than any other state during this year’s enrollment period. In all, over 1.6 million Floridians now have quality health insurance thanks to Obamacare, and it’s making a real difference in the lives of those who went years without seeing a doctor. All Floridians should have access to health coverage, and it’s a shame that our governor and his Republican friends in the Legislature continue to block Medicaid expansion in our state. They are literally putting politics ahead of the health and well-being of Florida families. I’ve been leading the fight to expand Medicaid in Florida, and I hope you’ll join me. Sign the Petition: Tell the Legislature and Governor Scott to accept Medicaid expansion in Florida!

The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific, and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee which will vote soon. If they don't pass it, this important bill will die. Because Senator Patricia Bates is the vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, her vote and leadership are vital to passing the bill. Please sign the petition and also ask your friends to sign!

The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific, and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee which will vote soon. If they don't pass it, this important bill will die. Because Senator Ricardo Lara is the chair of the Appropriations Committee, his vote and leadership are vital to passing the bill. Please sign the petition and also ask your friends to sign!

The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific, and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee which will vote soon. If they don't pass it, this important bill will die. Senator Jim Nielsen will be a key vote, so please sign the petition and also ask your friends to sign!

The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific, and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee which will vote soon. If they don't pass it, this important bill will die. Senator Tony Mendoza will be a key vote, so please sign the petition and also ask your friends to sign!

The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific, and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee which will vote soon. If they don't pass it, this important bill will die. Senator Connie Leyva will be a key vote, so please sign the petition and also ask your friends to sign!

The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee, which will vote soon. Senator Jerry Hill, who is on the committee, has long been a champion of transparency and the California DISCLOSE Act, so please sign the petition to show him how much support there is for AB 10.

The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances, including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee, which will vote soon. If they don't pass it, this important bill will die. Senator Jim Beall will be a key vote, so please sign the petition and also ask your friends to sign!

50 years ago this month, the Voting Rights Act was enacted, protecting millions of Americans against politically motivated attacks on their right to vote. Two years ago, the Supreme Court gutted many of these protections, claiming that voter discrimination was a thing of the past. Since then, opportunistic politicians have proven the Court wrong, rolling back key reforms and building new barriers to the ballot box with the intent -- and effect -- of keeping folks from voting. The government shouldn't get to pick and choose which citizens can vote -- we need to restore the Voting Rights Act's protections. Tell Congress to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act and make sure every American's voice is heard in our democracy.

President Obama has signed an executive order forbidding federal contractors from discriminating against LGBTQ Americans -- but there's no way to know if those same contractors are financially backing anti-LGBTQ candidates for office. A worker has the right to know if their employer is spending money to take away hard-won civil rights. Investors have a right to know how their money is being spent. And the American people deserve to know who is trying to influence our elections -- no matter what the purpose. President Obama can help make that happen with a stroke of his pen. Urge him to issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to disclose their spending today.

Former Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Jim Webb spoke clearly about the problem of money in politics this past Friday: "The challenge that we have right now in the current political environment, money dominates the process like it never has before... I don’t believe that super PACs are ethically supportable concepts." That's sound analysis, but words alone won't do any good. Senator Webb, and every other candidate for president, needs to put forward a comprehensive plan to restore our democracy, including public financing of elections, full disclosure of all campaign spending, and an end to Citizens United. Tell Senator Webb to commit to a concrete plan to get big money out of politics and put We The People back in charge!

When the Senate went on vacation earlier this month, it did so having confirmed only 5 new federal judges this year, even as over a dozen more wait for votes. That's far below the average for this late in the year, and on pace for a record low. The 14 nominees the Senate left languishing over its summer recess had all passed out of committee without controversy. But senators are blocking their confirmation votes to score political points -- leaving critical courts understaffed, and leaving many Americans in legal limbo. When senators return to Washington on September 8, they need to do their jobs and give the judicial nominees before them a fair up-or-down vote.