2019 Year in Review

was tumultuous and challenging, dominated right to go to court to hold corporations accountable for 2019by an out-of-control president who by year’s wrongdoing. end was impeached, but also marked by hard-won victo- ries and the continued growth of a nationwide progres- On the legal front, we continued to challenge the Trump sive grassroots movement. administration’s illegal policies and regulatory rollbacks. In a suit filed on behalf of three landowners in south Texas In the face of a lawless administration, Public Citizen and a Texas environmental group, we were the first orga- worked with allies to organize actions nationwide at nization in the nation to sue over Trump’s declaration of key moments. Our goals were to protect from political a national emergency at the southern border. interference those investigators probing Russian med- dling in the 2016 election, then to support lawmakers In another case, we intervened in an industry challenge as they moved to impeach President Donald Trump for to a minimum-wage law and helped to preserve $123 mil- abuse of power and obstruction of justice. We turned out lion in additional wages for farmworkers. hundreds of thousands of people in hundreds of events around the country. Our litigation also brought to light government informa- tion describing the appalling conditions in an infamous Highlighting the Trump administration’s corruption, Alabama detention center. Public Citizen and allies pushed successfully for U.S. House of Representatives passage of the For the People We sued the administration to protect Obama-era fuel Act (H.R. 1), a package of democracy reforms unprece- economy standards; sued to protect workers at pork pro- dented in scope. cessing plants from a new rule eliminating speed limits on processing lines; and took the administration to court And we won critical improvements to the revised North over the rollback of a rule requiring certain businesses to American Free Trade Agreement deal that Trump signed provide data on workplace injury and illness. in 2018. The final deal eliminated the Big Pharma give- aways and strengthened labor and environmental terms And of course we continued our work to protect consum- and their enforcement. ers. We launched a campaign to bolster digital privacy and waged a fight against Facebook’s proposed crypto- With tens of millions still lacking health insurance, we currency, known as Libra. We successfully intervened in ramped up our Medicare for All campaign, waging an regulatory cases to promote transparency and fight unfair aggressive communications strategy to counter indus- electric utility rate hikes. And we successfully pushed for try lies about the policy and a grassroots campaign to a ban on certain dangerous surgical mesh products for the mobilize support. For the first time ever, House leader- transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse. ship took Medicare for All seriously enough to hold four hearings on it. To combat climate change, we participated in the intro- duction of legislation to develop national protections for We also were instrumental in strengthening House- workers exposed to high heat — a way not only to protect passed legislation that would curb drug prices. workers but also to illustrate the real impacts of climate change. Throughout the year, we urged reporters to cover We had other successes in the House: After months of climate change as a crisis. And our Texas office made a prodding from us and other groups, Congress allocated big impact on climate and environmental policy in 2019. $425 million to secure elections. And we attained a mile- stone when the House passed a bill to prohibit forced And that’s just a sampling. The following pages outline arbitration clauses, which require people to give up their in detail this work and much more.

PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 5 DEMOCRACY

rom calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump to making the case for the sweeping legislative package Fknown as H.R. 1 to organizing actions nationwide to demand secure elections, 2019 was a banner year for advancing bold solutions and holding accountable a president and a White House intent on obstructing justice.

BUILDING IMPEACHMENT MOMENTUM March 8, they passed the For the People Act (H.R. 1), the most sweeping pro-democracy STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY From the moment Trump set foot in and anti-corruption legislation of the past office, it was obvious that he saw no duty 50 years. ◊ In June, the country took a major step to- to uphold our constitutional values. By ward fixing our broken democracy as New The measure — which includes ethics Hampshire became the 20th state to sup- putting his daily, flagrant corruption and and campaign finance reforms, policies to port a constitutional amendment to over- abuses of power in the open for all to see, slow the revolving door between public ser- turn the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous he has flaunted his disdain for the foun- vice and business, and electoral reforms to Citizens United decision. For seven years, dational principles of our democracy. The Public Citizen has led an energized coali- ensure that every eligible voter can cast a tion to pass 82 local resolutions in New Constitution has a remedy for a presi- vote free from barriers — would enable law- Hampshire in support of an amendment, dent who betrays the country in this way: makers and policymakers to work for and which would prohibit corporations from impeachment. Revelations in October of protect the people, not superrich donors. spending money in elections. Nineteen oth- Trump’s efforts to interfere in the 2020 Public Citizen spearheaded the coalition er states, Washington, D.C., and more than presidential election by extorting Ukraine 800 municipalities – bolstered by more than pushing for the policy — an unprecedented 5 million petition signatures – have called into investigating a political opponent gal- alliance, called the Declaration for American for a constitutional amendment to overturn vanized progressives to call for just that. Democracy, of more than 130 democracy, Citizens United. Public Citizen helped lead the mobiliza- environmental, good government, civil ◊ Pushed by a broad coalition of organiza- tion of more than 200,000 people as part of rights and other organizations. tions, including Public Citizen, the New York more than 600 “Nobody Is Above the Law” Later in March, Public Citizen and other Legislature passed a raft of major election pro-impeachment actions that took place coalition representatives joined U.S. Sen. reforms in January – including early voting in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and pre-registration for 16- and 17-year- Tom Udall (D-N.M.) for the introduction of olds. Lawmakers also approved same-day on Dec. 17, the night before the U.S. House the For the People Act in the U.S. Senate. registration and no-excuse absentee bal- of Representatives made the historic deci- The bill was quickly co-sponsored by every lots, subject to voter approval. sion to impeach Trump. Activists and oth- Democratic senator. ers gathered in front of the district offices of ◊ Activists with Public Citizen and more than Public Citizen and the coalition are mobi- 30 state and national groups in dozens of House members and U.S. senators to call on lizing people across the country to move the cities nationwide organized evening vigils lawmakers to uphold the Constitution and bill in the Senate in 2021. on Aug. 6 to mark the 54th anniversary of their oaths of office by supporting Trump’s the signing of the Voting Rights Act. Public impeachment. (See story on page 1.) Citizen spearheaded the effort and urged SECURING ELECTIONS Congress to restore access to the ballot. This mobilization was part of a larger Voting systems in states remain vulnerable The 1965 law improved voting rights and grassroots effort that launched in October to internal and external hackers who might voter turnout for black, brown, Native and and included nationwide actions and town do everything from change names and Asian Americans, but the Supreme Court halls during the November congressional gutted the law in its 2013 Shelby decision. addresses in voter registration databases recess to amplify calls for an impeachment to change votes cast, thereby manipulating ◊ Along with its partners in the “Trump Is Not inquiry and Trump’s removal from office. outcomes. In 2019, Public Citizen pressed Above the Law” coalition, Public Citizen Public Citizen played a key role through- amplified the findings of Special Counsel Congress to fund election security ade- out; we spearheaded a media campaign in Robert Mueller’s report on the Russian ef- quately and pass comprehensive election support of impeachment, strategized with forts to interfere in the 2016 election. We security reforms. To ensure the integrity lawmakers and lobbied for impeachment. mobilized 300 demonstrations nationwide of the 2020 elections, Public Citizen called to rally for the report’s release. Once it was Riding the crest of activist energy, on the public, we convened a virtual Mueller Book on Congress to send states $600 million in Club to encourage more people to read the morning of the House vote, representatives election security grants. report and help participants in the nation- from Public Citizen and some of the nation’s But Congress moved slowly, so on Sept. wide reading group understand the nuanc- largest grassroots groups, veterans groups, 17, we organized a national day of action at es of the document. Book club videos have constitutional organizations, national secu- garnered more than 600,000 views. more than 40 locations across the country rity voices and other organizations rallied to urge senators to give states the money ◊ When it comes to dealing with the “revolv- at the U.S. Capitol to support Trump’s they need to secure the vote. Public Citizen ing door” – the corrupting practice by which impeachment and remind the nation that also held a telephone press conference with government officials swing back and forth no one is above the law. between public service and lucrative pri- U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Richard vate-sector employment – states can of- Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Rep. John fer the federal government lessons. Public MAKING THE CASE FOR H.R. 1 Sarbanes (D-Md.), election security experts Citizen in July issued a report showing how In light of systematic disenfranchisement, and activists to highlight the urgent need states, including Florida, Iowa, North Da- kota and Maryland, prevent former state too much corporate money in politics and for security upgrades ahead of the 2020 officials from conducting any lobbying activ- ethics abuses in government, Americans election. ity for a period of time after leaving public nationwide demanded solutions. In 2019, Following more calls and actions, office. Public Citizen and allies pushed lawmak- Congress in December passed a funding ers for big, bold change — and U.S. House bill for fiscal year 2020 that allocated $425 of Representatives lawmakers delivered. On million for election security.

6 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS GOVERNMENT REFORM

aced with a lawless and corrupt administration and tech behemoths scheming to gain greater control over our data and Four lives, Public Citizen expanded the fight in 2019 for government and corporate accountability — bringing together new allies and launching bold initiatives to meet emerging challenges. PROTECTING DIGITAL PRIVACY 30 groups joined Public Citizen in calling for the cryptocurrency proposal to be Big Tech companies are siphoning more quashed. Financial regulators throughout DEFENDING SAFEGUARDS and more data from our electronic devices the world are threatening to block Libra, Slashing public protections has been a top pri- about everything from where we travel but Facebook has not yet abandoned the and who our friends are to what we eat, ority of the Trump administration, Republicans project. in Congress and the corporate CEOs who what medications we take and what pur- support them. Public Citizen has been watch- chases we make. So at the beginning of TAX REFORM AND MORE dogging their efforts and fighting back. Here’s 2019, Public Citizen launched a new cam- what we found in 2019: paign to bolster digital privacy. In March, we helped inject the idea of a Wall Street tax into the national debate ◊ Since President Donald Trump took office, Together with our allies, we’re push- dozens of regulatory protections have ing for a federal law that would create a over how to raise revenue and get the been sent to the chopping block. In our new data protection agency, strengthen superrich to pay their fair share. A Public comprehensive report, “Lost Safeguards,” anti-discrimination safeguards online for Citizen report showed that a small tax we told the story of nearly 30 of these. on financial transactions, such as a 0.1% We also highlighted that polls show sub- women and people of color, create tougher stantial bipartisan majorities in favor of the measures to protect children, allow indi- levy on the purchase of stocks and bonds, rules that have been eliminated. The mes- vidual consumers to sue tech companies would raise hundreds of billions of dollars sage: Trump is undermining public protec- over privacy violations, and ensure that almost entirely from the wealthy. tions to please his corporate and industry friends – but at his peril. state and local governments can continue Our research definitively refuted bogus to enact stronger privacy laws. claims made by Wall Street-funded think ◊ Trump’s administration has enabled un- Although tech lobbyists managed to tanks suggesting that the tax would hurt precedented corporate capture of federal get a number of legislative proposals on middle-class families. A key benefit of regulatory agencies. Instead of protecting the tax is that it likely would put an end the public, agencies have rolled back a the table that are rigged in their favor, multitude of health, safety, environmental thanks to our efforts, several members of to high-frequency trading — the high- and consumer protections at the behest of Congress introduced bills that included speed computerized stock trading that can corporate interests. Public Citizen’s report the crucial elements needed to protect cause wild swings and even crash financial “Your Wish Is My Command” showed that our privacy. markets. federal agencies granted or were working on granting 85% of the wishes on a list of In addition to our digital privacy cam- In April, a Public Citizen petition deregulatory demands submitted early on paign, we launched the fight against prompted the U.S. Office of Government in the Trump administration by the Nation- Facebook’s proposed cryptocurrency, Ethics to initiate the process for regulat- al Association of Manufacturers (NAM), a known as Libra — a form of digital cash ing legal defense funds in the executive big business trade association. NAM and branch — a major potential source of cor- Trump administration officials targeted that would be issued and controlled by more than 130 public protections. the tech giant. Facebook’s proposal raises ruption, especially in the Trump era. A profound questions about national sover- comprehensive rulemaking is expected in ◊ The forcefield of Koch funding in con- eignty, corporate power, consumer protec- 2020 that could put in place contribution servative politics is well known, but less known is the family’s influence in aca- tion, competition policy, monetary policy, limits, establish clear disclosure require- demia. Our report, “A Key Cog in Charles privacy and more that federal, interna- ments and ban funding from sources that Koch’s Master Plan,” detailed how George tional and global regulators are not pre- have business pending before the govern- Washington University’s Regulatory Stud- pared to address. ment official. ies Center, which claims to be an unbi- ased and objective analyst of regulatory In July, Public Citizen President Robert Finally, throughout the year, we fought policy issues, works against regulation Weissman testified before the U.S. House to ensure that the federal budget works for and relies primarily on researchers with Financial Services Committee, where he the people. We spearheaded a new coali- ties to groups funded by the petrochemi- urged Congress and regulators to put a tion of progressive groups that called cal billionaires Charles and David Koch. moratorium on Facebook’s proposal. Libra on the next president to cut Pentagon The report unearthed numerous instances of writers at the center imparting decep- threatens to facilitate massive consumer spending and redirect the funding toward tive or patently false information, such as rip-offs, privatize currency and undermine human needs. The coalition called for at grossly misstating the scope of regulation, countries’ ability to pursue monetary pol- least $200 billion in immediate cuts to exaggerating the annual growth of regula- icy, he said. It also would threaten global military spending, which would free up at tion and citing discredited studies on the annual cost of regulation. financial stability, enable criminal money least $2 trillion over the next decade for laundering and entrench Facebook as an domestic priorities such as jobs, renew- unparalleled global monopolist. More than able energy and health care.

PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 7 CONSUMER HEALTH & SAFETY

hroughout 2019, sky-high prescription drug prices remained a top issue as people nationwide continued to struggle to afford Tmedications. In December, the U.S. House of Representatives finally passed legislation designed to lower drug prices. Not only was Public Citizen instrumental in that legislation, but in 2019 we also worked to improve consumer health by pushing the government to make an AIDS prevention treatment widely accessible, ban the sale of dangerous drugs and products — suc- cessfully, in the case of surgical mesh for the transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse — and curb the opioid crisis.

LOWERING DRUG PRICES BANNING SALES OF SURGICAL MESH PROTECTING PATIENTS FROM Public Citizen began collaborating with U.S. Following years of urging from Public Citizen, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) in 2018 on a the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) DANGEROUS DRUGS AND progressive drug pricing bill. Introduced in in 2019 finally ordered manufacturers of all SUPPLEMENTS — AND MORE February 2019, it gave the federal govern- surgical mesh products for the transvaginal ◊ In September, Public Citizen sued ment direct power to negotiate drug prices repair of pelvic organ prolapse to stop produc- the U.S. Food and Drug Administra- with manufacturers. More than 120 House ing and selling them in the U.S. immediately. tion (FDA) over the agency’s failure Democrats supported it. Public Citizen first petitioned the FDA to to respond to our petition to ban the With that legislation setting the parameters ban these mesh products in 2011, citing studies sale of all dietary supplements con- for debate, House leadership drafted its ver- that found the use of surgical mesh for pelvic taining cesium chloride, which is touted as an alternative treatment sion, H.R. 3. The initial proposal had limita- organ prolapse repair provided no clinically for cancer. The FDA previously de- tions, so Public Citizen worked to inspire a significant benefits compared to repair with- clared cesium chloride to be unsafe stronger bill by providing a detailed analysis, out mesh. The agency denied the petition but for human use because cesium doing media outreach and talking to lawmak- reclassified the products as high-risk devices compounds can cause serious, life- ers and their staffs. in 2016. threatening adverse cardiovascular events. On Dec. 12, the House passed H.R. 3, which In February 2019, Public Citizen testified would generate savings by enabling the gov- before an FDA advisory committee and once ◊ In February, partly through the pe- ernment to negotiate prices for dozens of drugs again urged the agency to ban the products. titioning of Public Citizen, the FDA per year and hold prescription drug corpora- In April, the FDA announced that the sale of required the addition of a black box warning, the strongest warning that tions accountable for their rampant price surgical mesh products for the transvaginal the agency can require, on the label- abuse. repair of pelvic organ prolapse would no lon- ing of the deadly gout medication fe- ger be allowed. It was a major victory in a year buxostat (sold under the brand name in which wins did not come easily. Uloric). The drug’s label now warns ENDING PATENT CONTROL, consumers about the increased risk ENDING AIDS IN OUR LIFETIME of death from cardiovascular causes REINING IN THE OPIOID CRISIS compared to the older gout drug al- Throughout 2019, Public Citizen worked with Every day, about 46 people in the U.S. die from lopurinol (sold under brand names activists to get AIDS treatment-as-prevention prescription opioid overdoses, according to Lolpurin and Zyloprim). The agency medications into the hands of all who need it. the CDC. So in March, Public Citizen and an also narrowed the approved use of The message was simple: Gilead Sciences, the the drug: the black box warns that FDA advisory committee chair petitioned the febuxostat should be used only by drug company making HIV treatment Truvada, agency for a moratorium on approvals of all patients who had an inadequate re- didn’t pay for the original research that led to new opioids until the agency has implemented sponse to maximal doses of allopu- Truvada being used for HIV prevention. The recommendations of the National Academies rinol and who cannot tolerate that government — i.e., taxpayers — paid. So the of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a drug. government should have a say on the price. stronger review and approval process. ◊ In October, Public Citizen petitioned In April, we joined other groups to call on The petition was noteworthy because a sit- the FDA and then testified before an the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease ting FDA advisory committee chair joined it. advisory committee to call for the Control and Prevention (CDC) to use govern- Despite the effort, the FDA denied the petition drug Makena – marketed as a way ment patents — which allowed Gilead to charge to reduce the risk of preterm birth in September. Later that month, we testified in certain high-risk women – to be outlandish prices for Truvada — for the benefit at a public hearing and reinforced the call for taken off the market because it is not of the American people and make the medi- the FDA to adopt the improved regulatory effective for preventing preterm birth cation more affordable in communities where framework recommended by the National or related complications. We argued HIV prevention medication is underused, such Academies. that keeping the drug on the market as communities of color. would make a mockery of the more One of the most commonly prescribed opi- than 50-year FDA legal standard When the U.S. House Oversight and Reform oids in the U.S., tramadol, was misused by requiring substantial evidence of a Committee held a hearing on Truvada’s pricing more than 1.5 million people in 2018, accord- drug’s effectiveness. in May, Public Citizen provided information ing to the government. In November, Public highlighting the systemic failure of the gov- ◊ In 2019, Public Citizen shone a light Citizen petitioned the government to move the on another important public health ernment to exert control over drugs developed drug to a more restrictive classification of con- problem: physician sexual abuse of from taxpayer-funded research and pointing trolled substances because it is overprescribed, patients and offered 11 key recom- out that patent royalty payments from Gilead highly addictive and potentially deadly. mendations – which were published alone could dramatically reduce the number We also called out California-based in the Journal of General Internal Medicine – that state medical boards of new HIV infections in the country. BioCorRx, Inc. and the Louisiana Department and health care institutions can take Our work helped prompt the U.S. govern- of Public Safety and Corrections’ testing of an to guard against it. ment to sue Gilead in November for infringing unapproved drug on prison inmates to deter- its patents on Truvada for HIV prevention — a mine its effectiveness in managing opioid and major step toward ending AIDS in our lifetime. alcohol addiction disorders.

8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS MEDICARE FOR ALL

very day, more Americans are realizing how broken and unfair our health care system is. Politicians are starting to lis- Eten, and Medicare for All in 2019 emerged as the leading health care solution being debated at the national level in both Congress and among presidential candidates. As lawmakers continue to discuss how to lower drug prices, expand coverage and improve health outcomes, Public Citizen has pushed for this commonsense solution. RESOLUTIONS At each of the hearings, Public Citizen advo- REPORTS AND ECONOMISTS cates were present to show their support for the Although the Affordable Care Act expanded policy. By the end of the year, the Medicare for As Medicare for All surged in popularity and coverage, 30 million people remain uninsured, All Act of 2019 had reached 118 co-sponsors, threatened the profits of insurers, for-profit another 44 million are underinsured, families representing more than half of the Democratic hospitals and Big Pharma, corporate interests still go bankrupt from medical debt and about caucus. ramped up their lobbying to attack the policy. 250,000 people each year turn to crowdsourc- A June report by Public Citizen found that ing to pay for necessary procedures. Americans PUBLIC OUTREACH from the first quarter of 2018 to the first quar- have had enough. ter of 2019, lobbying on Medicare for All surged In April, Public Citizen and other advocacy In 2019, Public Citizen also worked to bet- ninefold, with most of the lobbying being done groups launched a grassroots campaign to ter inform the public and politicians about by corporations and trade groups against the encourage cities, towns and counties across Medicare for All’s details and benefits, and to policy. the country to pass resolutions in support dispel industry lies. But they’re up against a worthy opponent: of Medicare for All. These resolutions, pre- Ahead of the September debate in Houston, the truth. sented to and then passed by local officials, are Texas, Public Citizen erected two billboards In February, Public Citizen released a com- intended to send a message to Congress that the over the city’s freeways to make sure Medicare prehensive report that answered many of the American people demand guaranteed access to for All was on Texans’ minds. questions people have about Medicare for All, health care. Public Citizen also created and released based on a thorough review of research. By year’s end, more than 25 resolutions had graphics and videos on social media to high- The report highlighted the cost savings under been passed in 11 states, including in major cit- light how many people turn to crowdsourcing Medicare for All compared to our current health ies such as Tampa, Detroit and Los Angeles, for their medical bills, how many other coun- care spending. The system would save money with more than 270 local efforts underway to tries guarantee universal health care and how by reducing administrative costs by $500 billion pass Medicare for All resolutions in 2020. much money Big Pharma executives have raked per year and allowing the government to nego- We also gathered petition signatures to show in while denying affordable medicines to people tiate for more affordable medicines. We also grassroots support for this commonsense pol- who need them. found that the policy would improve financial icy. In October, Public Citizen and other groups We also held regular webinars throughout stability for struggling rural hospitals and doc- delivered more than 2.2 million signatures in the year that featured members of Congress, tors without increasing patient wait times. support of Medicare for All to the U.S. House local officials and national leaders to educate Additionally, an analysis released by Public of Representatives, signaling growing strength and galvanize activists across the country. At a Citizen in June explained how, under Medicare and momentum around the movement. virtual town hall meeting moderated by Public for All, the U.S. would save about $5 trillion over Citizen in October, freshmen superstars U.S. 10 years and reduce overall health care spend- CONGRESSIONAL MOVEMENT Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Ilhan ing for working families by 14%. These grassroots movements have helped fuel Omar (D-Minn.) emphasized to the more than Economists agree with Public Citizen on support for Medicare for All nationally, draw- 30,000 viewers who tuned in that Medicare for the economic benefits of Medicare for All. In ing attention not just from leading presidential All legislation would guarantee comprehen- addition to more than 250 economists sign- candidates, but also powerful congressional sive medical coverage for everyone in the U.S., ing a public statement supporting Medicare committees and leadership. eliminate out-of-pocket health care costs, vastly for All, several prominent economists, includ- In January, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi increase physician and hospital choice and save ing Jeffrey Sachs from Columbia University (D-Calif.) announced her support for hearings money on health care for families. and Gabriel Zucman from the University of on Medicare for All legislation, the first time And to push back on lies and propaganda California, Berkeley, joined Public Citizen in the policy has been taken seriously by House peddled by health care corporations and Big November for a telephone press conference to leadership. Over the year, four hearings were Pharma, Public Citizen held several press con- detail the policy’s cost savings. held on the legislation. These showcased how ferences and distributed weekly tipsheets to As 2020 begins, Public Citizen will continue Medicare for All would cover everyone while reporters to inform them of the facts about this important grassroots effort until health care reducing overall health care costs. Medicare for All. is a human right in the United States of America.

PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 9 JUSTICE

ublic Citizen was active in the courts in 2019, defending protections for consumers and workers, and seeking to hold the Pgovernment accountable to the public. CHALLENGING TRUMP’S California to regulate greenhouse gas emis- sions from automobiles and require that GOING TO COURT NATIONAL EMERGENCY automakers include zero-emission vehicles ◊ In September, Public Citizen resolved a Public Citizen filed the first lawsuit challeng- in their fleets. But California’s right to set its lawsuit that forced the U.S. Department ing President Donald Trump’s declaration own standards stood in the way of Trump’s of Education to unblock Public Citizen’s of a national emergency and his attempt rollback plans. website on the department’s Wi-Fi to fund construction of a wall along our In September, the National Highway and employee internet networks. The department’s web filtering service had southern border. On Feb. 15, just hours after Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lumped our website in with pornography Trump’s declaration, Public Citizen filed suit issued a rule declaring that California has and gambling sites. In response to Public in the U.S. District Court for the District of no right to regulate greenhouse gas emis- Citizen’s lawsuit against the department Columbia on behalf of three landowners in sions from motor vehicles, and the U.S. for violating the First Amendment, the South Texas who were told by the govern- Environmental Protection Administration department restored access to the website. ment that it would seek to build a border wall (EPA) simultaneously rescinded California’s on their properties, as well as the Frontera Clean Air Act waiver. ◊ In January, the U.S. Occupational Safety Audubon Society, whose members’ ability In a lawsuit filed that same month, Public and Health Administration (OSHA) rolled to observe wildlife, free of harm, would be Citizen and eight environmental groups told back a regulation that requires certain businesses in high-risk industries to severely curtailed by the wall. courts that the Trump administration had electronically submit workplace injury We argued that Trump had exceeded his no authority to declare California’s regula- and illness records to OSHA. Public authority under the National Emergencies tions preempted. We asked the U.S. District Citizen promptly sued OSHA in federal Act, the Constitution and other statutes Court for the District of Columbia to throw district court, arguing that OSHA’s invoked by the president to fund the wall. out NHTSA’s rule because it violates the rollback undermines worker health and safety. Six more lawsuits subsequently were filed Administrative Procedure Act, the Clean Air on behalf of various organizations and by 16 Act, the Energy Independence and Security ◊ Public Citizen is serving as lead appellate state attorneys general. Act, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act counsel for an Oregon resident harassed In April, the government submitted and the National Environmental Policy Act. by a debt-buying company that used abusive practices to collect a debt from sworn declarations stating that it would And in November, Public Citizen and her. A federal court in Oregon dismissed not use funds transferred pursuant to the other groups launched a legal challenge to the case, holding that the company could national emergency proclamation for any the EPA’s rescission of California’s waiver in not be held accountable under the Fair wall construction in the Rio Grande Valley, a petition filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals Debt Collection Practices Act because it where our clients are located. Public Citizen for the D.C. Circuit. did not meet the act’s definition of a “debt collector.” Public Citizen argued the case then dismissed the case. before the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of BANNING FORCED ARBITRATION Appeals in October. A VICTORY FOR WORKERS For years, Public Citizen and allies worked ◊ In July, Public Citizen resolved a In part because of Public Citizen’s legal inter- to pass legislation to prevent corporations Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed vention, migrant farmworkers were able to from using forced arbitration clauses — the on behalf of immigrant and civil rights take-it-or-leave-it, fine print language they groups against the U.S. Department receive their government-mandated mini- of Homeland Security. As a result of mum wage in 2019. insert into consumer, employment, online the lawsuit, the department disclosed The U.S. District Court for the District and other contracts that we enter into every portions of a memo describing appalling of Columbia in March dismissed a lawsuit day. The clauses prohibit customers from conditions in the infamous Etowah holding corporations accountable for wrong- County Detention Center in Alabama. filed by growers seeking to throw out wage rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor for doing in court. ◊ Public Citizen lawyers, assisted farmworkers employed by growers that use In 2019, we reached a milestone: The U.S. by lawyers at the United Food and the H-2A agricultural guest worker program. House of Representatives passed the Forced Commercial Workers union, filed a The growers’ lawsuit against the depart- Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act, or FAIR Act lawsuit in October in the U.S. District (H.R. 1423). The measure will ensure that Court for the District of Minnesota, urging ment was an effort to invalidate the mini- the court to set aside a rule by the U.S. mum hourly rate that employers using the victims of wage theft, sexual harassment, Department of Agriculture that eliminates H-2A program to bring foreign workers discrimination and other wrongdoing are speed limits on slaughter and processing to the U.S. must offer to foreign and U.S. not forced into a system that is rigged to let lines at pork plants and reduces the workers. Three South Texas farmworkers, corporate wrongdoers off the hook. The U.S. number of government safety inspectors Senate has not yet acted on the bill. on the lines by 40%. We represent the represented by Public Citizen and Texas international union and three locals; their RioGrande Legal Aid, intervened in the law- In private arbitration, there is no judge members, workers at the plants, are at suit to defend the minimum rate. Thanks in or jury, and the right to appeal is severely greater risk of injury because of the new part to our advocacy, H-2A workers will earn limited. Because arbitration proceedings — rule. a combined total of at least $123 million more unlike court proceedings — are not open to ◊ Public Citizen served as U.S. Supreme than they would have without the new rates. the public, regulators, civil society watch- Court co-counsel on behalf of four dogs, the media and the public seldom hear nonprofit organizations asking the about the cases or their outcomes. court to affirm that the Clean Water PROTECTING CLEAN CAR STANDARDS Throughout 2019, we called out corpora- Act prohibits discharging pollution into In 2019, we continued to raise public aware- tions that impose forced arbitration on cus- groundwater that connects directly to the ocean, without a permit. The Supreme ness about the need to preserve Obama-era tomers. In August, we compiled a “wall of Court heard oral argument in November fuel economy standards, also known as clean shame” showing that more than 100 major and is expected to issue its decision by car standards, and defend them from Trump companies, including Wells Fargo, Equifax June 2020. administration efforts to roll them back. A and Uber, use forced arbitration clauses to longstanding Clean Air Act waiver allowed deny justice to customers and workers.

10 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS CORPORATE PRESIDENCY PROJECT

embers of President Donald Trump’s administration have made abundantly clear that they perceive their function as Mserving and assisting corporations instead of holding them accountable for lawbreaking. Under Trump, federal agen- cies have slashed fines, declined to bring cases against corporate wrongdoers and gutted enforcement programs. Over the past year, Public Citizen’s Corporate Presidency Project worked to highlight the Trump administration’s sellout to big cor- porations, with thorough research aimed at exposing a government that is all too eager to throw consumers under the bus.

A Public Citizen report, “Consumer since then. Our analysis of “Plutocrat Carnage,” examined enforcement Politics” found that hedge fund man- activity at the U.S. Consumer Financial agers, bankers and other financial big- Protection Bureau (CFPB), U.S. wigs wielded massive influence on the EXPOSING WASHINGTON’S REVOLVING DOOR Consumer Product Safety Commission 2018 midterms by supplying more than In 2019, Public Citizen investigated Washington’s ev- (CPSC) and Federal Trade Commission half of all donations to outside political er-present revolving door between government and (FTC). We found that during Trump’s groups set up to influence elections. industry, looking closely at lawmakers’ careers after first two years in office, these three Our “Soft on Corporate Crime” leaving Congress and at the Federal Trade Commis- sion (FTC), which enforces consumer protection and agencies completed a total of 84 report dug deep into the U.S. Justice antitrust laws. enforcement cases, a 37% decline from Department’s disturbing pattern of President Barack Obama’s last two going soft on corporate offenders by We found that nearly 60% of the 44 lawmakers who years in office. using corporate leniency arrangements were in Congress between 2017 and 2019 and found employment outside politics landed jobs influencing Public Citizen also trained its eye on — in which they decline to prosecute in federal policy. They included former U.S. Reps. Joe Trump’s close alliance with the corpo- exchange for a corporate promise not Crowley (D-N.Y.), who works for the law firm Squire Pat- rate class and foreign governments that to break the law in the future — that ton Boggs, and Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), who launched hold events or spend money at one of consistently fail to prevent corpora- her own lobbying firm even before she left Congress. his resorts — a profoundly corrupt way tions from breaking the law again. At the FTC, Public Citizen found that 75% of 41 top to curry favor with the president. We found that since 1992, the Justice officials over the past two decades have had corpo- A Public Citizen report, “Catering Department has brought federal crimi- rate revolving door conflicts. The finding, cited during to Conflicts,” found that 370 politi- nal enforcement actions against 38 cor- a U.S. Senate hearing on antitrust issues, has sparked a conversation about whether conflicts of interest help cal candidates, foreign governments, porations after entering into corporate explain the FTC’s chronic reluctance to strictly enforce businesses, corporate groups, religious leniency agreements with the same consumer protection and antitrust laws against Big Tech groups, charities and other entities companies. companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple. have held events at Trump’s proper- Another report, “Detained for Public Citizen found that most senior FTC officials have ties since the 2016 election. We also Profit,” examined how private federal had revolving door conflicts involving work on behalf of found that 192 political candidates or contractors are reaping a windfall from the technology sector. For instance, former FTC Chair political groups have spent a combined the ramped-up immigration and cor- Jon Leibowitz represented Comcast in its successful $8.3 million at Trump businesses since rections efforts enacted by both the push to repeal net neutrality protections. Former FTC Chair Edith Ramirez is now at law firm Hogan Lovells, the election. Trump and Obama administrations where she reportedly helped represent Google and These groups didn’t choose Trump over the past decade. Our analysis of its YouTube subsidiary in a successful effort to block properties for the towels. Rather, they 10 large contracting firms working for a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company had are literally buying influence — putting five federal agencies overseeing federal violated children’s privacy protections. money into Trump’s pocket in viola- immigration, corrections and deten- The findings sparked bipartisan outrage and an unex- tion of the Constitution’s anti-corrup- tion policies found that these compa- pected public Twitter exchange between U.S. Rep. Alex- tion provision. nies received $2.32 billion in federal andria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz Public Citizen researchers also contract revenue in 2018, more than (R-Texas). The unlikely pair agreed that former lawmak- examined several disturbing trends double 2013 levels and up 17% from ers should be permanently banned from lobbying. that were building before Trump nearly $2 billion at the start of Trump’s took office and have only worsened term.

PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 11 GLOBALIZATION & TRADE

he battle over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation dominated the work of Public Citizen’s TGlobal Trade Watch during 2019. So much hung in the balance after 20 years of fighting against the corporate-rigged investor-state tribunals that empower corporations to attack domestic environmental and health policies, and undermine labor protections using trade pacts. How this fight played out would shape U.S. trade policy going forward.

The revised NAFTA deal that President to demand unlimited compensation from Donald Trump signed in 2018 betrayed his taxpayers over claims that domestic laws, campaign promise to fix the original agree- regulations and court rulings violate spe- OPPOSING THE WTO ment: It included new Big Pharma give- cial investor privileges. Largely eliminat- November 2019 marked 20 years after the aways that would lock in high drug prices, ing ISDS will foreclose numerous corporate Battle in Seattle, in which 50,000 activists making it worse than the original, and its attacks on environmental, health and other shut down a ministerial meeting of the World labor and environmental terms were too public interest policies and send a signal Trade Organization (WTO). The protests, weak to counteract NAFTA’s outsourcing worldwide to the many countries also eager which Public Citizen helped organize, raised awareness that the WTO was deeply un- of jobs and pollution. to exit the illegitimate ISDS regime. democratic and inimical to workers, the en- Public Citizen spent 2019 rallying sup- The unusually large, bipartisan vote on vironment, food safety, access to medicines port for critical improvements. We orga- the revised NAFTA shows that to be politi- and more. nized congressional briefings, nationwide cally viable, U.S. trade pacts no longer can Since then, Public Citizen’s Global Trade petition drives, rallies and press confer- include extreme corporate investor privi- Watch has worked with an international net- ences, released pivotal reports, met with leges or broad monopoly protections for Big work of like-minded organizations to shine a members of Congress and empowered Pharma. They must have enforceable labor light on the WTO, organizing activists, edu- people across the country to take action. and environmental standards, in contrast to cating policymakers and the media, and do- In June, a congressional letter to U.S. the 2016 Trans-Pacific Partnership, which ing groundbreaking research showing how the WTO eroded democracy by enabling Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer that never secured majority House support. corporations to undermine public protec- we helped organize to demand removal of Although the efforts of our three-year- tions by claiming them to be trade barri- the Big Pharma giveaways gained more long Replace NAFTA campaign are reflected ers. Over time, Public Citizen and its allies than 100 signers. It included most House in the new NAFTA package, the deal still helped to derail a corporate-boosted expan- committee chairs, many in leadership, includes problematic terms. This new deal sion of WTO powers and scope. freshmen from border states and districts won’t bring back hundreds of thousands of In December 2019, the WTO’s ability to is- that Trump carried in 2016. manufacturing jobs, as the Trump admin- sue final enforcement rulings effectively One month later, we organized our istration claims. However, the final deal is ended because its appellate tribunal no lon- eighth national NAFTA petition drive — better than the original and might reduce ger had a quorum. This happened after a series of WTO decisions in which tribunals this one demanding that no vote be held on some of NAFTA’s ongoing damage. cooked up new standards – never agreed the pact until it was fixed, and we garnered Fixing an existing agreement to reduce to by member nations. The Obama admin- more than 300,000 signatures in conjunc- its ongoing damage is not the same as cre- istration initiated a protest, and last year, the tion with more than 40 coalition partners. ating a good trade agreement that creates Trump administration doubled down, block- We delivered the signatures to Congress at jobs, raises wages and protects the environ- ing the appointment of new appellate adju- dicators. a rally where members of Congress, union ment and public health. That would addi- leaders and Lori Wallach, director of Public tionally require climate provisions, stronger As Public Citizen predicted when oppos- Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, spoke. labor and environmental terms, and truly ing the WTO’s establishment, its overreach In December, the U.S. House of enforceable currency disciplines, and not could prove to be its undoing. Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Representatives passed the new NAFTA limit consumer protections for food and Watch, penned a New York Times op-ed by 385-41. The final deal eliminated the product safety and labeling, the service marking the 20-year anniversary of the Se- Big Pharma giveaways and strengthened sector, online platforms and more. attle protests, spotlighting the next corporate labor and environmental terms and their The new NAFTA is not a template for encroachment-via-WTO we will fight: The enforcement. organization’s efforts to limit regulation of future agreements, but rather, it sets the the online monopolies like Amazon, Google floor from which we will continue the fight and Facebook. ELIMINATING ISDS for good trade policies that put working people and the planet first. Public Citizen will work to ensure that the In a significant win, the final deal gutted WTO’s enforcement capacity is not restored the Investor-State Dispute Settement (ISDS) Public Citizen will monitor the deal’s unless and until major changes are made to system. ISDS — which was a prominent implementation and outcomes to hold WTO rules. aspect of the original NAFTA — empow- Trump accountable and be sure the labor ers multinational corporations to go and other improvements result in the before panels of three corporate lawyers promised outcomes.

12 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS ENERGY & CLIMATE

hroughout the year, we pushed for legislation that would protect workers from excessive heat, urged reporters to cover Tclimate change as a crisis and watchdogged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), successfully intervening in cases to promote greater transparency, fight unfair electric utility rate hikes and hold energy corporations accountable. PROTECTING WORKERS FROM HEAT severity of the climate crisis. In October, we released a report showing that network July 2019 was the hottest month recorded news’ use of terms like “crisis” and “emer- on Earth. As a vicious summer heat wave gency” to describe climate change jumped CALLING OUT FORD'S draped most of the nation, Public Citizen 700% from 2018 — a significant step toward GREEN HYPOCRISY shepherded the introduction of the properly informing the public about the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality severity and urgency of the issue. What does a 10-foot inflatable Tyrannosaurus rex have to do with climate change? Prevention Act, or H.R. 3668, in the U.S. From May to September, 29% of televi- House of Representatives. sion news segments across the six major As long as President Donald Trump remains in The legislation directs the U.S. networks that mentioned climate change office, environmental progress will be an uphill battle – one that Public Citizen refuses to shy Occupational Safety and Health or global warming described it as a “crisis” Administration to develop national pro- away from. One of our tactics in 2019 to save or “emergency.” This is compared to only the Obama-era fuel economy standards (also tections for workers exposed to high heat. 50 out of 1,429 segments, or just 3.5%, dur- known as clean car standards) was to target It’s a way not only to protect workers but ing all of 2018. May was selected because it Ford and pressure the company to uphold the also to illustrate the real impacts of climate marked the launch of Public Citizen’s “Call standards. change. it a Crisis” campaign, which pushes the Why Ford? It was one of the auto companies We coordinated all aspects of the bill’s media to cover climate change and envi- lobbying the Trump administration behind the introduction in July, including a congres- ronmental destruction like the crisis it is. scenes to undo the standards. sional press conference at which Public As of press time, the campaign has As the international auto industry descended Citizen President Robert Weissman spoke gathered more than 67,000 signatures. on Detroit in January, Public Citizen, Sierra about how the bill will protect workers The Guardian became the first news out- Club, Safe Climate Campaign, Breast Cancer from excessive heat, a support letter from let to adopt urgent language in discussing Action and Center for Auto Safety gathered in Ford’s hometown to highlight the company’s more than 115 groups and an action alert climate change, and a month later, in June, to draw more bill co-sponsors. Our efforts complicity with the Trump administration in at- Telemundo followed suit. tempting to roll back the standards. garnered national media coverage. We brought with us a 10-foot-tall inflatable T. WINNING FERC TRANSPARENCY rex as well as activists dressed in dinosaur CALLING CLIMATE CHANGE A CRISIS In April, Public Citizen persuaded FERC costumes. The prehistoric figure was stationed We can’t address the climate crisis if we to reject Connecticut-based United outside the convention center and meant to il- don’t talk about it. For that reason, Public Illuminating Company’s request for a rate lustrate Ford’s outsized pollution: The annual climate pollution emitted from the company’s Citizen continued its “Cover Climate” cam- increase to build a new substation project. Expedition SUV (nine tons) is the equivalent of paign in 2019, pressing reporters to connect Our intervention saved utility customers in the weight of a T. rex. climate-relevant topics, like hurricanes and Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New swarms of disease-carrying pests, to the cli- Ford and the Alliance of Automobile Manu- Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont facturers have engaged in a costly multi-year mate crisis. $6.57 million. lobbying effort to persuade Trump to roll back In June, Public Citizen and 12 other Over the past year and a half, we inter- vehicle fuel economy and greenhouse gas groups sent a letter to the chief executive vened in nearly a dozen proceedings emissions standards. In August, the Trump ad- officers of ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, MSNBC challenging FERC’s practice of shielding ministration delivered, proposing to freeze the clean car standards at 2020 levels and revoke and CNN, calling on the media outlets to the names of utilities that commit major a waiver that allows California and 12 other cover the climate crisis with the frequency cybersecurity violations from the public. states to protect their citizens from harmful tail- and consistency it merits and to use lan- As a direct result of our advocacy, FERC in pipe pollution. guage signaling that climate change is an August proposed changing its policy and In April, Public Citizen and other groups trav- emergency. in 2020 will begin publicly naming utilities eled with the T. rex to the Washington Auto In the summer, we also issued an anal- that have committed major cybersecurity Show, where they held a press conference and ysis of coverage of pests and pest-borne violations — a big victory for corporate once again called out Ford’s hypocrisy. illnesses by national television news net- accountability. More than 350,000 Americans have submit- works, top newspapers and top digital After prompting from Public Citizen, ted comments supporting the existing rules. media, and found that they too rarely con- FERC in January 2019 rejected a request The standards, which were finalized in 2012 nect these climate-relevant topics to the by the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) and set mile-per-gallon goals for automakers climate crisis. Participants Committee to ban members of to meet by 2025, have curbed climate-causing pollution, improved health, saved consumers The frequent reminders to media may the press from becoming NEPOOL mem- money at the pump and prompted automakers be working; in a period of five months, bers. NEPOOL is the official organization to innovate. broadcast news networks improved in tasked by FERC to develop electric rate communicating the consequences and policy for all of New England.

PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 13 TEXAS

Public Citizen’s Texas office made a big impact on climate, environmental and elections policy in 2019. During the 2019 Texas Legislature, our stra- public awareness campaign helped garner hun- quantifiable reductions of climate pollution tegic lobbying persuaded lawmakers to invest dreds of stories in regional and national media now. Our Texas office also participated in a $154 million in a program that cleans the air by and led to a rare admission by the state’s top national campaign to protect voter rights and getting old and polluting vehicles and engines environmental regulator in late November that ensure election integrity. off the streets. the violent mishaps represent “an unacceptable A San Antonio rally in September pressuring The Republican-led Texas Legislature — trend of significant incidents.” U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) to support elec- notorious for coddling polluters and flouting In December, Public Citizen and residents tion security legislation in Congress resulted in safety concerns — even agreed to new mandates of Port Neches, where a petrochemical plant a meeting among Cornyn’s staff, Public Citizen requiring the replacement of aging and danger- exploded the day before Thanksgiving, even and San Antonio activists. ous iron and steel pipelines. persuaded state regulators to go beyond their U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell For nearly two decades, a for-profit, nuclear typical slap-on-the-wrist penalty for the flagrant (R-Ky.), who over the summer had blocked the waste dump operator in West Texas has received industrial polluter and refer the case to the state appropriation of any new money for states to financial and other concessions from the state attorney general. buy more secure election equipment, even- Legislature. Public Citizen and others convinced Our Texas office also celebrated the passage tually agreed to a package that included $250 lawmakers that the operator, Waste Control of a new city blueprint designed to reduce cli- million by fall. In December, Congress agreed Specialists, had gone too far with its requests. mate-warming emissions in San Antonio. The to increase that amount to $425 million as part Bills offering financial handouts to the company cities of Dallas and Houston are drafting similar of a budget measure that was signed into law. were defeated in committee or vetoed by the plans. Earlier in the year, a coalition of groups, governor. Public Citizen and its members have been including Public Citizen, defeated legislation Throughout 2019, accidents along Houston’s active in helping to craft these climate guide- that would have suppressed the Texas vote petrochemical corridor triggered at least five lines, which include strong targets for reduc- by restricting access to polls and criminalizing explosions that caused dangerous air pollution, ing fossil fuel-generated carbon emissions in all minor mistakes by voters in filling out paper- led to serious injuries and even killed a worker. three cities. work or otherwise complying with election Public Citizen’s participation in a relentless We’ll continue pushing for action to achieve procedures.

PHOTO CREDITS PAGE 5: Public Citizen President Robert Weissman speaks at a January press conference outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. An unprecedented coalition of democracy, environmental, good government and other groups detailed the broad local, state and national support for H.R. 1, the For the People Act. Photo courtesy of Zach Stone. PAGE 6: At a press conference held in June outside the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) calls for reforms to restore voting rights. Activists from Public Citizen and allied organizations held rallies throughout the country on June 25 as part of a national day of action to mark six years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous Shelby v. Holder decision that eroded voting protections. Photo courtesy of Samantha Lai. PAGE 7: Remington Gregg, counsel for civil justice and consumer rights at Public Citizen, testifies in June before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets, telling lawmakers to protect everyday investors from forced arbitration. Photo courtesy of Bret Thompson. PAGE 8: At a February press conference organized by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), lawmakers introduce the Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act (H.R. 1046, S. 377), designed to make medications more affordable by allowing the government to negotiate drug prices for Medicare Part D directly with pharmaceutical corporations. Representatives from Public Citizen, who began working with Doggett to draft the legislation in 2018, and other organizations attended the event. Photo courtesy of Griet van Acker. PAGE 9: Activists from Public Citizen and allied groups deliver more than 2.2 million petition signatures in support of Medicare for All to U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) in October. Photo courtesy of Bret Thompson. PAGE 10: Graphic courtesy of Zach Stone. PAGE 11: Graphic courtesy of John Tomac. PAGE 12: Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, speaks at a rally outside the U.S. Capitol in June demanding changes to President Donald Trump’s revised North American Free Trade Agreement. Photo courtesy of Sally King. PAGE 13: At a press conference in April at the Washington Auto Show, Madeline Page, Public Citizen’s Clean Cars campaign coordinator, denounces Ford Motor Company’s greenwashing. Public Citizen file photo. PAGE 14: Illustration courtesy of Marcus Blackwell.

14 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS Public Citizen Salutes . . . the extraordinary generosity and commitment of our ­donors, who make our mission and goals their own. This list includes 2019 leadership donations.

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Randolph Herman and Christopher McGinn Jane Ronca-Washburn Dan Williams John Eder American Federation Lily and Nelson Adlin David Dressler Angeline Barretta Herman Hugh and Trude Roselle Mason Williams Caragh Glenn Fay of State, County and Hesham Al-Alusi Frederick Duhring John Hershey Linda McMahan Michael Rosenzweig Carol Wills Thomas Fortune Fay Municipal Employees Greg Allen Dave and Peggy Dunlop Jim Hightower Adam McNeil David Rossetti and Theodore and In memory of Greg Allen Amy Allina North Pond Foundation Jerome Hoffman Ilse Melamid Jan Avent Gertrude Winsberg Solomon Fingold Sarah Anderson Albert Alling Jim and Maggie Dunn Wayne Hogan Gail Melhado Peter Rozsa Andrew Wolf Andrew Friedman Attorneys Information George Alvarez-Correa Karen Durlach Lorraine Honig Wilbur Mellema Darleen Russo Paul Wolfson Sheila, Dave and Sherry Exchange Group The Secular Humanist Ann Dusenberry Michael and Edward Merrilees F. 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