Public Citizen

Lobbying efforts

Public Citizen advocates before all three branches of the United States federal government. Its five divisions include Congress Watch; Energy; Global Trade Watch; the Health Research Group; 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.

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.

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. They have worked successfully to get state legislatures to call for Citizens United to be overturned. In 2025, they helped organize over 2,000 No Kings Protests across the United States.

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.

Nader's Raiders became involved in such issues as nuclear safety, international trade, regulation of insecticides, meat processing, pension reform, land use, and banking.

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. He served on its board of directors until 1980.

People associated with Public Citizen

• Ralph Nader, founder
• Alan Morrison, co-founder
• Joan Claybrook, first executive director
• Lisa Gilbert, current co-president
• Robert Weissman, current co-president
• Donna Edwards, former U.S. Representative
• Mark Green, former New York City Public Advocate
• Wenonah Hauter, executive director, Food & Water Watch
• Paul Alan Levy, litigator on labor and free speech issues
• Peter Maybarduk, director, Access to Medicines
• Phil Radford, former organizer, Global Trade Watch
• Melinda St. Louis, director, Global Trade Watch
• Lori Wallach, founder, Global Trade Watch
• Sidney M. Wolfe, director, Health Research Group

References

References

1. (September 30, 2024). "Public Citizen Foundation, Inc. Financial Statements". Public Citizen.
2. Hulse, Carl (September 30, 2014). "[https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2014/09/30/irs-political-groups-regulation-poll/?ref=topics Support Strong for Regulating Politics and Nonprofits]". ''New York Times''. nytimes.com. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
3. (2010-10-06). "About Public Citizen".
4. "[https://www.citizen.org/article/litigation-group-courting-change Courting Change: The Story of the Public Citizen Litigation Group] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-06-13 ". Public Citizen. citizen.org. Retrieved 2017-09-21.)
5. (3 August 2020). "In search for COVID-19 treatments, consumer group pushes drugmaker Gilead to test alternative to remdesivir". Chicago Tribune Media Group.
6. (2012-06-14). "Activists Organize Weeklong Hit Against Citizens United".
7. Khurshid, Samar. "New York One Signature Away from Calling for Overturn of Citizens United".
8. Yang, John. (June 14, 2025). "Millions turn out nationwide for 'No Kings' protests against Trump administration". PBS News.
9. Niesen, Molly. "The Little Old Lady Has Teeth: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Advertising Industry, 1970–1973". Advertising & Society Review 12.4.
10. Doyle, Jack. (2013-03-31). ""Nader's Raiders" 1968-1974". Pop History Dig.
11. (June 2, 1971). "NADER FORMS UNIT TO SEEK DONATIONS". The New York Times.
12. (November 2, 1980). "Nader Resigns as Chief Of Public Citizen Inc.". The New York Times.
13. "[https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/02/archives/nader-forms-unit-to-seek-donations.html Nader Forms Unit to Seek Donations]". ''[[New York Times]]''. June 2, 1971. p. 16. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
14. (2024-07-15). "Lisa Gilbert Named Co-President of Public Citizen Alongside Robert Weissman".
15. Giorno, Taylor. (2024-07-18). "Lobbying World: Public Citizen appoints new co-president". The Hill.
16. (8 September 2009). "Robert Weissman, Longtime Corporate Accountability Expert and Activist, Is Public Citizen's New President".
17. Chason, Rachel. "Donna Edwards, a political maverick, says her national experience will boost Prince George's". Washington Post.
18. (November 1, 2006). "Public Citizen - 35th Anniversary Issue".
19. "Peter Maybarduk".
20. "Global Trade Watch".