119. Common Cause and the struggle for accountabilty
From JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo by Jack D’Aurora and John Gonzales
January 15, 2026 · 48 min · Episode 119
About this episode
The episode discusses the influence of dark money in politics and features insights from Common Cause Ohio's leadership.
Neil Clark’s perspective as an Ohio lobbyist revealed the pervasive influence of money in politics. By wearing a “DeWine for Governor” t-shirt when he died by suicide, Clark appeared to question why lobbyists and others were being prosecuted for actions that were common throughout Ohio’s political system. The distinction between legitimate lobbying and illegal “pay-to-play” schemes is nearly indistinguishable, a point emphasized in Larry Householder’s appeals. Today, we talk with Catherine Turcer, executive director, and Mia Lewis, associate director, of Common Cause Ohio about dark money and its role in politics. Dark money refers to undisclosed or secret financial contributions, often routed through various nonprofits to obscure the funding source. With the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. FEC , corporations and nonprofits were permitted to make campaign contributions under the rationale they were exercising their First Amendment rights. The result is that more money is now poured into campaigns. Though the Supreme Court recognized the public benefit of disclosure, both federal and state governments have been slow to implement effective transparency…
People in this episode
Hosts: Jack D’Aurora, John Gonzales
Guests: Catherine Turcer, Mia Lewis
Topics covered
- money in politics
- lobbying
- dark money
- campaign finance
- transparency
- political accountability
Keywords
- dark money
- lobbying
- campaign contributions
- transparency measures
- political action committees
- Citizens United
- Ohio politics
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Common Cause Ohio, U.S. Supreme Court, Citizens United, FEC
Places: Ohio
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