Dear Friends,

This has been a defining week for Catholics Vote Common Good.

As our movement continues to grow and our endorsements begin making an impact in key races across the country, our organization has become the target of a politically motivated legal challenge designed to intimidate and silence progressive Catholics.

We will not be intimidated.

Catholics Vote Common Good was founded to give voice to Catholics who believe our faith calls us to defend human dignity, welcome the stranger, care for the poor and vulnerable, protect workers, safeguard creation, and strengthen our democracy. Those values are worth fighting for, and that is exactly what we intend to do.

I hope you'll read our full statement below, apply for an endorsement if you're a candidate who shares our values, and consider supporting our work with a contribution. Together, we will continue building a movement rooted in faith, justice, and the common good.

May God bless you.

URGENT: Catholics Vote Common Good Responds to Politically Motivated Trademark Challenge

WASHINGTON, DC — Catholics Vote Common Good today denounced a cease-and-desist letter sent by Lesley Grossberg, a partner in the Philadelphia law office of Ice Miller LLP, on behalf of CatholicVote.org Civic Action, calling the legal action a politically motivated attempt to intimidate progressive Catholics as the organization expands its role in competitive elections across the country.

Founded in 2020, Catholics Vote Common Good has spent the past six years organizing Catholics around the principles of Catholic social teaching and the common good. The organization endorses candidates for federal, state, and local office and is actively engaged in voter outreach, volunteer mobilization, and grassroots organizing in more than 25 competitive U.S. House races and numerous U.S. Senate contests this election cycle.

The organization noted that although it has operated publicly under the name Catholics Vote Common Good since its founding in 2020, no objection was raised until its national organizing efforts and endorsement program began gaining significant momentum.

"The timing speaks for itself," said Denise Murphy McGraw, National Co-Chair of Catholics Vote Common Good. "For six years, we've openly organized as Catholics Vote Common Good. Only now—when we're helping shape competitive House and Senate races across the country—does CatholicVote attempt to use trademark law to silence progressive Catholics. It has all the hallmarks of a Trump-style effort to weaponize the legal system against political opponents."

The cease-and-desist letter asserts that Catholics Vote Common Good's name infringes on CatholicVote's federally registered trademark and demands that the organization cease using its name and remove it from its website and social media platforms.

Catholics Vote Common Good rejected that assertion, noting that its name, branding, mission, and messaging are distinct from those of CatholicVote.

"Our organization is called Catholics Vote Common Good," McGraw said. "We are not CatholicVote, nor have we ever represented ourselves to be. The question is whether CatholicVote believes it owns the words 'Catholics Vote'—or even the word 'Catholic' itself. The Catholic faith belongs to more than a billion people around the world. No political organization should be able to claim exclusive ownership over language that describes an entire religion."

As Pope Leo XIV has said, "Democracy recognizes the dignity of every person and calls each citizen to participate responsibly in the pursuit of the common good."

"That teaching is at the heart of our mission," McGraw continued. "Catholic social teaching calls us to defend human dignity, care for the poor and vulnerable, welcome the stranger, protect workers, safeguard creation, and strengthen democratic participation. Our candidates and our work reflect those values. If CatholicVote disagrees with that vision, it should engage in the public square—not attempt to silence fellow Catholics through legal intimidation."

Catholics Vote Common Good said it remains fully committed to its endorsement program and nationwide voter engagement efforts and will continue encouraging Catholics to faithfully participate in the democratic process.

For more information, visit CatholicsVoteCommonGood.com.

Running for Office? Apply for a Catholics Vote Common Good Endorsement Today!

The legal action described above makes one thing abundantly clear: our movement is making a difference.

If you're running for federal, state, or local office and your campaign reflects the values of Catholic social teaching and the common good, we encourage you to apply for a Catholics Vote Common Good endorsement today.

Now more than ever, common good candidates need to stand together. If the opposition is willing to use legal threats to try to silence one organization, it should remind all of us what is at stake this election.

The application deadline is August 1.

Apply here:

CANDIDATES APPLY HERE

About Catholics Vote Common Good

Catholics Vote Common Good is powered by volunteers and grassroots supporters who believe faith should inspire action.

Your contribution helps us endorse candidates, organize volunteers, educate Catholic voters, and continue bringing the values of Catholic social teaching into the public square.

If you believe in our mission, please consider making a contribution today.

Donate here:

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