Ellen L. Weintraub
@ellenlweintraub.bsky.social
Longtime FEC Commissioner, 4-time Chair, lawyer, mom, wife, believer in democracy and rule of law
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...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
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
www.theguardian.com
October 14, 2025 at 6:25 PM
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...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
"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
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.
www.notus.org
September 25, 2025 at 6:29 PM
"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
Looking forward to a spirited conversation tomorrow about money, politics, the First Amendment, and the state of our democracy!
TOMORROW: ECU's Senior Fellow and former FEC Commissioner @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social is joining @eisendrath.net on @wcpt820am.bsky.social at 1:15pm CT / 2:15pm ET! Make sure to tune in!
September 19, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Looking forward to a spirited conversation tomorrow about money, politics, the First Amendment, and the state of our democracy!
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.
September 18, 2025 at 9:03 PM
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.
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...
Silicon Valley Pledges $200 Million to New Pro-A.I. Super PACs www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...
Silicon Valley Pledges $200 Million to New Pro-A.I. Super PACs
www.nytimes.com
August 27, 2025 at 8:20 PM
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...
Silicon Valley Pledges $200 Million to New Pro-A.I. Super PACs www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...
Alarming story about federal attempts to interfere with election administration. Kudos to state and local officials who are resisting, fulfilling their duty to run a secure election.
wapo.st/3IvgS0s
wapo.st/3IvgS0s
DOJ hits states with broad requests for voter rolls, election data
Election clerks in both parties, who have been subject to harassment and lawsuits over Trump’s 2020 false election claims, worry about efforts to examine their voting machines.
wapo.st
July 16, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Alarming story about federal attempts to interfere with election administration. Kudos to state and local officials who are resisting, fulfilling their duty to run a secure election.
wapo.st/3IvgS0s
wapo.st/3IvgS0s
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
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 👇
WATCH ECU's Senior Fellow @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social break it down 👇
July 10, 2025 at 6:44 PM
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 👇
WATCH ECU's Senior Fellow @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social break it down 👇
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...
Justice Dept. Explores Using Criminal Charges Against Election Officials
www.nytimes.com
July 3, 2025 at 12:56 AM
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...
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
"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
July 2, 2025 at 8:51 PM
"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
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.
July 1, 2025 at 9:15 PM
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.
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
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. 👇
Watch ECU President @tiffanymuller.bsky.social and @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social, one of ECU's Senior Fellows, break it down. 👇
July 1, 2025 at 8:32 PM
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. 👇
Watch ECU President @tiffanymuller.bsky.social and @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social, one of ECU's Senior Fellows, break it down. 👇
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.”
BREAKING:
CASA (plaintiff in Maryland birthright citizenship case) has now filed an amended complaint seeking class certification for similarly situated individuals impacted by Trump’s EO.
www.law.georgetown.edu/icap/wp-cont...
CASA (plaintiff in Maryland birthright citizenship case) has now filed an amended complaint seeking class certification for similarly situated individuals impacted by Trump’s EO.
www.law.georgetown.edu/icap/wp-cont...
www.law.georgetown.edu
June 27, 2025 at 6:11 PM
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.”
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
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.
No one knows the importance of transparency better than former FEC Chair and Commissioner @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social.
June 25, 2025 at 10:27 PM
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.
No one knows the importance of transparency better than former FEC Chair and Commissioner @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social.
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...
www.budget.senate.gov/ranking-memb...
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
www.budget.senate.gov
June 22, 2025 at 8:04 PM
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...
www.budget.senate.gov/ranking-memb...
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!
June 13, 2025 at 7:21 PM
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!
Another attempt to eviscerate checks and balances on the President.
Pardon this interruption of the Trump-Musk feud, but here is something else you really need to know about: www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | In their budget bill, Republicans show their contempt for courts
Hidden deep in the boilerplate? A get-out-of-jail-free card for the Trump White House.
www.washingtonpost.com
June 5, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Another attempt to eviscerate checks and balances on the President.
Proud to join with Senator Jon Tester and @tiffanymuller.bsky.social at @endcitizensunited.bsky.social to continue the fight against corruption!
As @endcitizensunited.bsky.social marks its 10-year anniversary, we're bringing on Commissioner @ellenlweintraub.bsky.social and Senator Jon Tester as the organization's first-ever Senior Fellows.
As we confront Trump's corrupt administration, their leadership will be invaluable.
As we confront Trump's corrupt administration, their leadership will be invaluable.
June 3, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Proud to join with Senator Jon Tester and @tiffanymuller.bsky.social at @endcitizensunited.bsky.social to continue the fight against corruption!
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.
Trump and his family have monetized the White House more than any other occupant, normalizing activities that once would have provoked heavy blowback and official investigations. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/25/u...
As Trumps Monetize Presidency, Profits Outstrip Protests
www.nytimes.com
May 27, 2025 at 12:48 AM
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.
“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.
Around D.C., the new going rate is well-known: $5 million for a one-on-one dinner with Trump, but gov-affairs execs have “no clue where the money is eventually going,” one said. Another told me it’s “outer-borough Mafia sh*t.” My new piece is out @newyorker.com www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Donald Trump’s Politics of Plunder
The greed of the new Administration has galvanized America’s aspiring oligarchs—and their opponents.
www.newyorker.com
May 26, 2025 at 8:04 PM
“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.
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
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.
May 19, 2025 at 4:35 PM
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.
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
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.
May 19, 2025 at 6:41 PM
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.
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
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."
Why? Despite the FEC’s pleas, Congress won’t give the agency more funding, and there are not enough commissioners to form a quorum, leading to gridlock on high-profile issues, and it lacks the power to conduct audits or vote on investigation outcomes.
May 14, 2025 at 6:34 PM
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."
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.
May 1, 2025 at 10:58 PM
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.
$$ Millions more than the inauguration could have possibly cost, given by people and corps. with biz before the govt, & no duty to disclose where the $ goes. What could possibly go wrong?
Trump Raised $239 Million for Inauguration, More Than Doubling His Own Record www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/u...
Trump Raised $239 Million for Inauguration, More Than Doubling His Own Record www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/u...
Trump Raised $239 Million for Inauguration, More Than Doubling His Own Record
The staggering amount, disclosed in a filing with the Federal Election Commission, was driven by corporate America’s eagerness to win the president’s favor.
www.nytimes.com
April 21, 2025 at 9:36 PM
$$ 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...
Trump Raised $239 Million for Inauguration, More Than Doubling His Own Record www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/u...
Reposted by Ellen L. Weintraub
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.
April 21, 2025 at 8:53 PM
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.