Public Citizen
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Public Citizen is an American non-profit, progressive<ref>Hulse, Carl (September 30, 2014). "Support Strong for Regulating Politics and Nonprofits". New York Times. nytimes.com. Retrieved 2017-09-21.</ref> consumer rights advocacy group, and think tank based in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1971 by the American activist and lawyer Ralph Nader.
Lobbying efforts
Public Citizen advocates before all three branches of the United States federal government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its five divisions include Congress Watch; Energy; Global Trade Watch; the Health Research Group;<ref name ="aboutus" /> and Public Citizen Litigation Group, a nationally prominent public interest law firm founded by Alan Morrison and known for its Supreme Court and appellate practice.<ref>"Courting Change: The Story of the Public Citizen Litigation Group Template:Webarchive". Public Citizen. citizen.org. Retrieved 2017-09-21.</ref>
Among other issues, Public Citizen has been a public voice on drug pricing. For example, they advocated for Gilead Sciences to test GS-441524, a cheaper alternative to remdesivir. <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Activism
Public Citizen has also been active organizing rallies and other actions in support of democracy and seeking to reduce the influence of money on politics. In 2012 they helped to organize a week-long event in Washington, D.C. to educate, raise awareness and seek support for efforts to pass a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They have worked successfully to get state legislatures to call for Citizens United to be overturned.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2025, they helped organize over 2,000 No Kings Protests across the United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
History
In 1968, Nader recruited seven volunteer law students, dubbed "Nader's Raiders" by the Washington press corps, to evaluate the efficacy and operation of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The group's ensuing report, which criticized the body as "ineffective" and "passive" led to an American Bar Association investigation of the FTC. Based on the results of that second study, Richard Nixon revitalized the agency and sent it on a path of vigorous consumer protection and antitrust enforcement for the rest of the 1970s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Nader's Raiders became involved in such issues as nuclear safety, international trade, regulation of insecticides, meat processing, pension reform, land use, and banking.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Following the publication of the report, Nader founded Public Citizen in 1971 to engage in public interest lobbying and activism on issues of consumer rights.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He served on its board of directors until 1980.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="founding">"Nader Forms Unit to Seek Donations". New York Times. June 2, 1971. p. 16. Retrieved 2017-09-21.</ref>
People associated with Public Citizen
- Ralph Nader, founder
- Alan Morrison, co-founder
- Joan Claybrook, first executive director
- Lisa Gilbert, current co-president<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Robert Weissman, current co-president<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Donna Edwards, former U.S. Representative<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Mark Green, former New York City Public Advocate<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Wenonah Hauter, executive director, Food & Water Watch
- Paul Alan Levy, litigator on labor and free speech issues
- Peter Maybarduk, director, Access to Medicines<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Phil Radford, former organizer, Global Trade Watch
- Melinda St. Louis, director, Global Trade Watch<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Lori Wallach, founder, Global Trade Watch
- Sidney M. Wolfe, director, Health Research Group
See also
References
External links
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