Public Citizen is an American non-profit, progressive[2] 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.
 | |
 Public Citizen's headquarters in Washington, D.C. | |
| Founded | 1971 by Ralph Nader in the US |
|---|---|
| Type | Think tank |
| Focus | Consumer advocacy |
| Location | |
Area served | Nationwide (US) |
| Method | Research, lobbying, litigation and appeals, media attention, direct-appeal campaigns |
Key people | Robert Weissman (President) Mark A. Chavez (Foundation Chair) Jason Adkins (Inc. Chair) Joan Claybrook (President emeritus) |
| Revenue | $17,885,184[1] (2019) |
| Website | www |
Lobbying efforts
editPublic Citizen advocates before all three branches of the United States federal government.[3] Its five divisions include Congress Watch; Energy; Global Trade Watch; the Health Research Group;[4] 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.[5]
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. [6]
History
editIn 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.[7]
Nader's Raiders became involved in such issues as nuclear safety, international trade, regulation of insecticides, meat processing, pension reform, land use, and banking.[8]
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.[9] He served on its board of directors until 1980.[10][11]
People associated with Public Citizen
edit- Ralph Nader, founder
- Joan Claybrook, first executive director
- Donna Edwards, former U.S. Representative[12]
- Alan Morrison, co-founder
- Mark Green, former New York City Public Advocate[13]
- Melinda St. Louis, director, Global Trade Watch[14]
- Lori Wallach, founder, Global Trade Watch
- Sidney M. Wolfe, director, Health Research Group
- Phil Radford, former organizer, Global Trade Watch
- Wenonah Hauter, executive director, Food & Water Watch
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "2019 Year in Review" (PDF) (Annual report). Public Citizen. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ Hulse, Carl (September 30, 2014). "Support Strong for Regulating Politics and Nonprofits". New York Times. nytimes.com. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- ^ "About Public Citizen". 2010-10-06. Archived from the original on 2010-10-06. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ About Public Citizen
- ^ "Courting Change: The Story of the Public Citizen Litigation Group Archived 2018-06-13 at the Wayback Machine". Public Citizen. citizen.org. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- ^ Dardick, Hal (3 August 2020). "In search for COVID-19 treatments, consumer group pushes drugmaker Gilead to test alternative to remdesivir". Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune Media Group. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ 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. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ Doyle, Jack (2013-03-31). ""Nader's Raiders" 1968-1974". pophistorydig.com. Pop History Dig. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
- ^ "NADER FORMS UNIT TO SEEK DONATIONS". The New York Times. June 2, 1971. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ "Nader Resigns as Chief Of Public Citizen Inc". The New York Times. November 2, 1980. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ "Nader Forms Unit to Seek Donations". New York Times. June 2, 1971. p. 16. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- ^ "Donna Edwards, a political maverick, says her national experience will boost Prince George's". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
- ^ "Public Citizen - 35th Anniversary Issue" (PDF). November 1, 2006.
- ^ "Global Trade Watch". Public Citizen. Retrieved 2024-08-16.