Dear Friends,
American Promise is “the smarter bet.” That is what Daniel Stid, former director of the American democracy program at the Hewlett Foundation, recently wrote. Daniel, now a senior fellow at American Enterprise Institute, is a friend and member of this Leadership Community, but he didn’t always think we were the smarter bet.
“Philanthropists worry about false positives — grants that don’t pan out in the way they had hoped and planned,” he writes. “But the decisions that trouble me the most are those I now recognize were false negatives — grants that I should have made, but did not. In hindsight, one of the most prominent of these non-grantees was American Promise… Their solution is so formal and old school it is actually refreshingly democratic. American Promise seeks to amend the Constitution. They might just succeed.” (You can read our full interview here.)
Dan’s gracious reflections come as we’re seeing a surge in momentum across the country — and outstanding results. The mounting consequences of the crisis of money in our elections is creating a big opportunity to drive American Promise’s constitutional amendment solution across the finish line. One big reason is that the overreach of the judiciary is forcing Americans to live in a corrupted political system that no American electorate or legislator would ever have chosen.
In July, the United States Court of Appeals in Boston overturned a voter-approved ban on foreign government spending in Maine elections. Eighty-six percent of voters backed that commonsense election-security law — but the federal courts blocked the law, citing the Supreme Court’s mandate in Citizens United and other cases. Related laws in Minnesota and other states are facing similar fates.
Now, as the Supreme Court readies its fall docket, one case looms particularly large: NRSC v. FEC. The Court will consider whether longstanding limits on financial coordination between parties and candidates can continue to stand. Taken together, these developments underscore a stark truth: Until we amend the Constitution, unelected federal judges will continue to act as the regulators-in-chief when it comes to money in politics, with catastrophic results for the country.
We’re taking our message to the Supreme Court. My own work in this area began with a Supreme Court brief in the Citizens United case back in 2010, and now, in a first for us, we have filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court regarding NRSC v. FEC, a case expected to make headlines during oral arguments in December. The brief, led by our Chief Program Officer and General Counsel Brian Boyle, supports neither party in the lawsuit, and instead makes an originalist argument that equating money with free speech is a radical departure from founding-era philosophy — and the court should leave campaign finance decisions to voters and their elected representatives. We don’t expect a single brief to undo decades of bad precedent, but it strengthens the case for our proposed amendment, which rests on a strong, longstanding constitutional foundation.
New polling affirms that voters are eager for change. Recently, we commissioned fresh nationwide polling from Ipsos, which found that 82% of voters believe money in politics is a threat to our elections; 79% oppose unlimited political spending; and 71% of voters support a constitutional amendment, with little difference between parties. We’re using this evidence of voter unity to drive action at both the state and federal levels. Read more here.
Our state program expansion is succeeding. This year, we took a calculated risk in expanding from 5 to 11 states. That decision is paying dividends with significant progress in all these states.
We’re making inroads in Congress. We have had over seven dozen meetings on Capitol Hill this year, and every new member of Congress has received briefing materials on the For Our Freedom Amendment. Additionally, we recently took advantage of the August recess to have citizen-advocates meet with members from Texas and Pennsylvania in their home districts. In September, we brought state legislative leaders and key volunteers to Washington to urge their congressional delegations to advance the amendment.
We’ve elevated our visibility in the media. In July, The Washington Post published a letter by Brian Boyle, that challenges the idea that federal judges should exercise control over campaign finance law. The argument was prescient. Just days later, a federal court in Boston struck down the Maine law that would have limited foreign money in state elections, and soon after, a judge overturned the Maine law that would have capped donations to super PACs. None of this was welcome news, but it underscored the importance of our work: The only dependable solution is a constitutional amendment that restores lawmakers’ power to make laws. We also placed two quotes in POLITICO, and I was invited to discuss our mission on “How to Fix It,” a podcast by The Bulwark.
I look forward to sharing more news with you in the coming months. Thank you for your continued support and counsel, and feel free to reach out to me or Anastasia with any questions or suggestions.
Following last year’s $20 billion election, new polling by American Promise shows that Americans are ready to put an end to unchecked political spending. An overwhelming majority agree that money in politics is a serious threat to elections and support a constitutional amendment to restore lawmakers’ ability to decide whether and how to set limits on political spending. Support for a constitutional amendment was strong across party lines, with similar levels of support among respondents identifying as Republican, Democrat, and Independent.
*Overall support (71%) includes all respondents, including those who did not identify as Republican, Democrat, or Independent.
72% of Republicans, 76% of Democrats, 74% of Independents support the proposed amendment
80% of Republicans, 91% of Democrats, 81% of Independents see money in politics as a threat to our elections
78% of Republicans, 88% of Democrats, 77% of Independents disagree that individuals and entities should be able to spend unlimited amounts to influence elections
Thanks to our leadership community, generous donors, dedicated staff, and hard-working volunteers, 2025 has been full of great progress thus far, with more to come this fall and into 2026. Our work in our key states has shown that legislators on both sides of the aisle are committed to ending unchecked money in politics, and know that a constitutional amendment is the solution. Creating progress and momentum in the states helps us build on our list of 23 states that are already ready to ratify the For Our Freedom Amendment when the time comes, as well as helps us build a foundation at the federal level through demonstrating our support in the states.
In order to enact an amendment, we need to win 2/3 vote in Congress and 3/4 of the state legislatures. Like every successful movement, we prioritize work in the states; this helps us build state-level coalitions and connections that help exert upward pressure on federal lawmakers from those states, as well as ensure the states are ready for ratification when the time comes.
Let’s look back at what we accomplished in the states earlier this year:
In Wyoming, our resolution passed unanimously in two committees as well as in the Senate. We have great momentum in the state looking ahead.
The Oklahoma House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution calling on Congress to support a constitutional amendment addressing the problem of money in politics. We hope to secure the support of both the House and Senate next year.
A resolution in support of an amendment was introduced in Minnesota, noting that it was the only bipartisan resolution introduced in the state this year. A Minnesota lawmaker remarked that the parties “would never have found common ground on other issues if they hadn’t come together for this.” We are excited to see our work and our solution bridging divides and bringing people across the political spectrum together to face a common issue.
Following passage of a resolution in both the state House and Senate, Utah became the 23rd state to officially call on Congress to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that gives states the power to control their own elections.
As we move into the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, we are not slowing down. In some states, we are still seeing opportunities for legislative progress this year, and in others we are focused on building support for next year. Check out some of the work being done in the states right now:
In Pennsylvania, a resolution supporting a constitutional amendment that would allow the regulation of election spending went live in the Senate with bipartisan sponsorship. In August, 100 Pennsylvanians sent letters to their legislators urging them to support it. The Pennsylvania team is excited to continue the efforts in the state and are optimistic that the resolution will pass this legislative session, which would make Pennsylvania the 24th state to support a constitutional amendment. As we move into the fall, the team will be meeting with members of the Republican congressional delegation in Pennsylvania to gain support from federal elected officials.
Our volunteers are active in Arizona, Texas, and Wisconsin, tabling at fairs, writing letters to the editor, and reaching out to their elected officials. The support coming in is palpable: In July and August, we had 197 new volunteer signups, over 500 phone bank dials, over 60,000 texts sent through text banks, 395 emails sent to legislators, and 11 letters to the editor published. As we move forward with our work in these states, spreading the word, educating voters, and building volunteer and support bases in the communities is crucial to pushing the states closer to being ready to ratify the For Our Freedom Amendment.
Our work in the states directly impacts our federal strategy through building relationships and connections as well as demonstrating support among constituents. While this creates a foundation for our work at the federal level, we also maintain a presence in Washington, D.C., in order to deepen our support in Congress. We work across the political spectrum, strengthening our Democratic support and securing Republican support necessary to win the needed 2/3 vote in Congress.
In order to build strong congressional connections, we work to meet with legislators both on Capitol Hill and in their home states. In the first six months of 2025, American Promise met with over 50 congressional offices from both parties; in July alone, we met with an additional 18 offices. These offices include members representing states with active American Promise state campaigns, as well as members with important committee assignments such as the Judiciary and Rules. Taking advantage of the August recess, we sought and scheduled several in-district meetings with members of Congress, including five meetings with members from Texas and two meetings with members from Pennsylvania.
In September, American Promise held a lobby day with volunteers, staff, and Board Members. We had 30 in-person meetings with staff from both the House and Senate, highlighting the need for a constitutional amendment to address the issue of monied influence in U.S. elections. Additionally, American Promise brought Republican state senators from Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming to participate in a briefing with the House Republican Study Committee. The briefing was an opportunity for the state senators to highlight why they are sponsoring resolutions in their home states calling for Congress to propose a constitutional amendment. This marked the first time state legislators have presented an in-person briefing to the House Republican Study Committee on an issue.
In efforts to expand our reach to young people and strengthen our Young Americans Network, as well as continue to build our cross-partisan reach, American Promise attended both the Young Republicans and Young Democrats conferences this year. Additionally, the Young Americans program is growing to include more opportunities for students and recent graduates to make their voices heard on social media and through testimony at legislative hearings.
This progress would not be possible without the generous support of our donors, Ambassadors, and leadership community. From making investments to introducing us to your networks and hosting events, your efforts toward the cause make all of this work happen.
This summer, our American Promise Ambassadors — supporters who go above and beyond their donations to make introductions and expand the network of American Promise — hosted successful fundraising events in Peaks Island, Maine; Little Compton and Newport, Rhode Island; and Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Westerly, Rhode Island. These events brought together current supporters and plenty of new faces eager to learn about the work of American Promise and how they can play a role and make a high impact investment.
Read more here about how your investment in the work of American Promise is necessary to enact the For Our Freedom Amendment, and share with others in your network who may be interested.
If you are interested in hosting an event or making introductions, please contact Carolina Hojaij, director of the Ambassador Program, at carolinah@americanpromise.net.
As we look toward the end of the year, we encourage you to consider your plans to support American Promise. Please reach out to Chief Development Officer Liz Harvey (Lizh@americanpromise.net) to discuss how you can help drive our future progress.
Further demonstrating our credibility, expertise, and the strong constitutional foundation on which the For Our Freedom Amendment rests, we submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court for the National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, a case that challenges the limits on spending by political parties in coordination with candidates. You may recall our statement earlier this year on the case.
When the Supreme Court announced on June 30th that it would hear National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Elections Commission, legal observers immediately recognized it as one of the blockbuster cases of the upcoming term. But while others focused on the immediate stakes for political parties and campaign spending limits, American Promise’s legal team saw something bigger: a rare opportunity to challenge five decades of judicial overreach on constitutional grounds.
Seizing the Moment
The week after the Court granted certiorari, American Promise Chief Program Officer & General Counsel Brian Boyle was already reaching out to potential legal partners. “I saw this as a chance to weigh in with a scholarly amicus brief that tees up arguments about how the Supreme Court’s modern approach to campaign finance is out of step with the original understanding of the First Amendment,” Boyle explained in his initial outreach.
His ideal collaborator was Felicia Ellsworth, a partner at WilmerHale and former Supreme Court clerk. Boyle and Ellsworth had worked together years earlier when he was an associate at the firm, which gave him the professional relationship that would prove crucial for this high-stakes collaboration.
Building the Dream Team
After a strategy call on July 25th, Ellsworth assembled what Boyle calls “a team with elite-level appellate experience” — five attorneys total, all bringing Supreme Court expertise to bear on American Promise’s constitutional argument. The firm officially committed to the pro bono project on August 11, giving the team just 17 days to produce a Supreme Court-quality brief. According to Ellsworth: “The WilmerHale team really enjoyed working on this project. Originalism as a mode of constitutional interpretation has achieved prominence among the Justices, and American Promise’s amicus brief poses a crucial question: Is the court’s modern campaign finance jurisprudence actually consistent with the original design of the Framers?”
The Constitutional Deep Dive
Unlike typical campaign finance arguments that focus on policy outcomes, American Promise’s brief took a fundamentally different approach. Drawing heavily on originalist scholarship from Stanford Law Professor Jud Campbell, the team argued that the Framers never intended courts to micromanage campaign finance policy. Instead, they showed how the original understanding placed this authority squarely with elected representatives. The brief also demonstrated that the kind of rigorous judicial scrutiny applied in Buckley v. Valeo and subsequent cases “was not a Founding-era practice.”
Racing Against Time
With the brief due August 28, the collaboration became a sprint. WilmerHale’s team didn’t just provide legal expertise – they handled the considerable logistical challenges of formatting the brief according to the Supreme Court’s exacting standards and navigating the Court’s filing procedures. American Promise CEO Jeff Clements and Legal Counsel Julie Brogan also provided critical support and vetting throughout the swift drafting process.
The intensity paid off. The final 44-page brief presents a comprehensive originalist case for returning campaign finance authority to the people’s elected representatives, exactly where American Promise believes the Framers intended it to be.
A Strategic Position
What made American Promise’s brief unique was its stance “supporting neither party” in the case. This allowed us to focus purely on constitutional structure rather than partisan outcomes, arguing that regardless of which party controls Congress or state legislatures, those elected bodies — not unelected judges — should determine campaign finance rules.
As the Court prepares to hear oral arguments, American Promise’s brief stands as a scholarly intervention in one of constitutional law’s most contentious areas. Whether the justices will embrace this return to Founding principles remains to be seen, but the brief ensures those principles will be part of the conversation.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Elections Commission sometime in December 2025, with a decision by the end of June 2026.
This quarter, we welcomed Jenny Parker as American Promise’s first ever chief communications officer. In this role, she leads communications strategy to support the For Our Freedom Amendment. Her portfolio includes earned media, messaging, digital content, brand development, and executive visibility, all aimed at building broad, cross-partisan support for the amendment.
Prior to joining American Promise, Jenny served as vice president of communications at Conservation International, where she led global media relations, editorial strategy, and digital engagement across 30 countries. She previously led marketing and communications at the National Constitution Center, helping elevate the institution as a national hub for nonpartisan constitutional education and debate.
Earlier in her career, Jenny directed public relations for Fortune, New York Magazine, and ABC News, and served as a legislative aide in the New York State Senate. She is known for her trusted relationships with journalists and producers, and for helping mission-driven organizations connect with the public in ways that are credible, clear, and compelling.
“Joining American Promise at this moment feels like stepping into a story already gathering momentum. I’ve worked in media and communications roles that shaped the national conversation, but this mission carries the deepest personal meaning for me. I’m eager to bring everything I’ve learned to help tell this next chapter in our country’s unfolding story — through visuals, words, and key outlets — and to position American Promise for the historic moments ahead. Make no mistake: They are coming.” – Jenny Parker, chief communications officer, American Promise
American Promise welcomed Saira Blair to the Partnerships & Coalitions team as our partnerships manager. Saira will work to help build coalitions and organize key networks, expanding the scope of the American Promise community and ensuring a variety of voices are heard in our work.
Saira was elected as a Republican to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2014, where she served two terms and became a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Law & Policy. During her time in office, she was featured on Fox & Friends, Fox Business, Glenn Beck, and the Christian Broadcasting Network, and testified before the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee on how to restore trust among young Americans. She went on to build a diverse professional background spanning nonprofit work, political consulting, and the private sector. Saira later returned to government as a deputy treasurer of the West Virginia Treasury, where she focused on eliminating wasteful spending and increasing program efficiency. Now based in Washington, D.C., she brings her experience in policy, strategy, and impact to American Promise.
As we continue to move forward in our efforts to enact the For Our Freedom Amendment, it is key to amplify our mission in order to spread awareness and garner support. This quarter, our work was highlighted and featured in notable publications:
American Promise CEO Jeff Clements recently had an op-ed featured in The Boston Globe in which he called for a constitutional amendment to end political corruption and give the power back to the people. You can read Jeff’s essay here.
Jeff also spoke on the “How to Fix It” podcast with John Avlon of The Bulwark about the For Our Freedom Amendment as a necessary solution to unchecked political spending, and how the time for constitutional change is now. Listen here.
American Promise Chief Program Officer and General Counsel Brian Boyle had a letter to the editor published in The Washington Post, arguing that campaign finance laws should be in the hands of voters, not the courts. Check it out here.
“There is only one way to end the corruption crisis: We must unite citizens and lawmakers around a constitutional amendment.”
If you haven’t done so, contact Liz Harvey at lizh@americanpromise.net to learn how you can make a commitment to invest in American Promise’s growth and expansion in new states and in Washington. It’s an all-hands-on-deck opportunity to make history in the next few years!
Contact our Director of Ambassador Program Carolina Hojaij at carolinah@americanpromise.net to learn how you can become an American Promise Ambassador. Our Ambassadors are funders and allies dedicated to expanding our network and introducing others to the American Promise movement.
Join our grassroots volunteers by contacting Director of Mobilization Mike Monetta at mikem@americanpromise.net. Opportunities include everything from talking with neighbors and colleagues to writing letters to the editor and gathering pledges from elected officials.
