Robert Edgar, President and CEO, Common Cause

Bob Edgar presented a lecture on the influence of campaign financing, the Citizens United case and the rise of SuperPACs on our political discourse.

Mr. Edgar has been president and CEO of Common Cause for almost five years. Common Cause is a national nonpartisan, non-profit ‘citizens’ lobby working to make government at all levels more honest, open and accountable, and to connect citizens with their democracy. Mr. Edgar is a former member of Congress, having represented the Seventh Congressional District outside Philadelphia, PA, for six terms. He received a BA from Lycoming College, Williamsport, Pa., and a M.Div from the Theological School of Drew University, Madison, N.J. He has also been president of the Claremont School of Theology and general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ. He holds five honorary doctoral degrees.

READINGS: 

• "Money in Politics" on Common Cause Website
• "Auctioning Democracy: The Rise of SuperPACs and 2012 Election" by Adam Lioz and Blair Bowie
• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court Case 
• "Legislating Under the Influence: Money, Power, and the American Legislative Exchange Council," Common Cause
• "FAQs: Fast Answers to Common Questions about Amend 2012," Amend 2012
• "Protecting the Vote in 2012," Common Cause Education Fund (November 2011)

*Note: This event is free and open to the public. In conjunction with the Public Policy Center and the UI History and Political Science Departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences the UI College of Law is also a co-sponsor of this lecture event.