PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS 5 • Jan/Feb 2017 2016: ADVANCING A PROGRESSIVE AGENDA the rhythms of the nation’s capital, election years are unique. They present challenges—members of Congress spend less time In legislating and more time campaigning, and the country and media are focused on the daily developments of races. But election years also offer unique opportunities—more attention is focused on attacks on our democracy and the problem of big money in politics, as well as the need to curb the power corporations hold over government. In 2016, Public Citizen took ad- patients and medical profession- vantage of these opportunities als from the dangers of powdered and drove forward an agenda of gloves; blocking from a budget bill a more just and inclusive democ- hundreds of riders that would have racy; a trade policy that benefits gutted many environmental and people, not multinational corpora- consumer safeguards; and sending tions; safe workplaces; access for a strong message to pharmaceuti- all to affordable medications and cal companies that they can’t keep safer health care; energy policies price gouging. that benefit people, not major utili- We continue to press our lawsuit ties; access to the courts so people against the Federal Election Com- can hold corporations accountable mission (FEC), contending that the for wrongdoing; and much more. agency was wrong when it failed to We did so by tapping the energy investigate Crossroads GPS for not of activists, building coalitions registering as a political committee. with local and national organiza- We are urging the court to direct tions, conducting research, argu- the FEC to reconsider. ing consumers’ interests in courts, November’s elections showed petitioning agencies and lobbying that Public Citizen is needed now members of Congress. more than ever. President-elect One of the year’s highlights was Donald Trump quickly began iden- the three-day mobilization we tifying corporate insiders and bil- helped organize in April called “De- lionaires he wants in his Cabinet mocracy Awakening.” Thousands and as top agency heads. They of people came to Washington, are sure to put corporate inter- D.C., from throughout the country ests ahead of the public interest. to rally to get big money out of poli- A Congress dominated by corpo- tics and restore voters’ access to the rate-minded lawmakers already ballot box. We continue to build on is targeting critical and hard-won the energy generated at that event. protections, putting safeguards in Other highlights include halting their crosshairs. the dangerous Trans-Pacific Part- We have proven in the past that we nership agreement; successfully can accomplish much despite a hos- persuading agencies to curb the use tile administration and Congress. We of forced arbitration clauses, which intend to resist Trump and the corpo- shut consumers out of courts; win- rate agenda at every turn. ning state measures that help to A single “Year in Review” issue curb money in politics; winning alone cannot do justice to the en- major court cases that help en- ergy and dedication of our support- sure consumers can band together ers, but this one highlights mile- to hold corporations accountable stones of 2016, all united under a for wrongdoing; gaining stronger common banner of progressivism (Top) Thousands march past the U.S. Capitol as part of the Democracy Awakening mobilization in April. Participants called for an end to big money in politics. Photo protections for workers exposed that maintains ambitious hopes for courtesy of Rich Kessler. (Bottom) Activists rally at the White House in June 2016, to beryllium and silica; protecting tomorrow’s possibilities. u demanding democracy reforms. Public Citizen file photo. 6 • Jan/Feb 2017 PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS Power to #WeThePeople espite the nearly $7 billion spent on dorsed by 300 organizations and de- November, it is clear that we are enter- Dthe presidential elections, strides manded that every voter have access ing an era of unprecedented conflicts were made in 2016—especially at the to the ballot box and that big money be of interest and potential for corrup- local and state level—to get big money purged from the political system. tion. Public Citizen’s role as a watchdog out of politics and restore democracy In 2016, Public Citizen also worked in the nation’s capital is more essential to the people. with allies and local leaders to help than ever, and we will be even more re- Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s di- two states call for a constitutional lentless and vigilant. sastrous 2010 Citizens United ruling, amendment to overturn Citizens Unit- Among the things we have done which gave corporations and the su- ed—bringing the total to 18 states plus since the election include calling on perwealthy the green light to spend the District of Columbia in favor of an Trump to sell his business to avoid un- unlimited sums in elections, Public amendment. precedented and far-reaching conflicts Citizen has been fighting to get it over- Additionally, six ballot initiatives of interest, releasing research showing turned. We’ve been part of building a around the country were passed on the extent of corporate ties of his Cabi- large and diverse movement of people Election Day in support of campaign net nominees and running an ad dur- and organizations that have come to- finance reform and government trans- ing Fox & Friends highlighting Trump’s gether to restore our democracy. parency, from Washington state to hypocrisy in appointing wealthy, elite In April 2016—following months of South Dakota. Washington insiders to his team. We’ve organizing and coalition building— Public Citizen is leading the coalition been prominent in the media and have more than 5,000 people converged effort to pass a small-donor public fi- helped lead efforts among allies to de- on Washington, D.C., for Democracy nancing measure in Washington, D.C. velop strategies to fight back. Awakening—a historic three-day mass The bill has a majority of Councilmem- Follow Public Citizen's work to ex- mobilization. Public Citizen was a lead bers in support going into 2017. pose the real Donald Trump at www. organizer of the effort, which was en- Following Donald Trump’s victory in citizen.org/trump. u DEMOCRACY Public Citizen’s 2016 democracy reports include: • “Disrupting Democracy: How Uber Deploys Corporate Power to Overwhelm and Undermine Local Government” (May): Uber uses its vast wealth to lobby and undermine local governments. • “District Development: D.C. Contractors Dominate 2016 District Primaries, Fair Elections Proposal Provides a Viable Alternative“ (June): In a city famed for corruption, 40 percent of D.C. Council candidates' funding came from the construction and real estate sectors. Public fi nancing of elections would restore balance. • “Big Business Ballot Bullies: In 2016 State Ballot Initiative Races, Corporate-Backed Groups’ Campaign War Chests Outmatch Their Opposition by an Average of 10-to-1” (September): Corporations spent nearly $140 million in eight state ballot initiative races, crushing the opposition by as much as 24-to-1. • “Promoting a Transparent and Democratic Presidential Transition” Series: A series of reports outlining good government principles that the new presidential transition team should adopt. • “Corporation-Backed Ballot Initiative Campaigns Spent More than $335 Million, Won 62% of Races Where One Side Was Mostly Funded by Corporate Interests” (November): Of 37 ballot initiative races in 17 states where at least one side was mostly funded by corporations and business interests, the corporation-backed side was victorious in 23 contests. • “Corporate Interests Infest Trump Transition at Federal Agencies” (November): Of the 75 landing team members announced by the Trump transition, 70 percent have a corporate affi liation. “Public Citizen fights the good fight, taking right action with no frills, no boasting – just knowing what has to be done and doing it. Honest, moral, hard working. They keep their eye on the most important thing – the promotion of equal rights, the defense of the individual, with compassion for all.” – Polly Cherner, Public Citizen member PUBLIC CITIZEN NEWS 7 • Jan/Feb 2017 On previous page: Thousands march past the U.S. Capitol as part of the three-day Democracy Awakening mobilization in April. Photo courtesy of Rich Kessler. Above: A group demonstrates during a march in April. Public Citizen file photo. State voices rise • California passed a ballot measure requir- tions bill, which would empower small against big money: ing that all bills be publicly available for 72 donors in District of Columbia races by hours before they are put to a vote in the providing a public match for small dollar • Public Citizen led grassroots groups in state legislature. Public Citizen endorsed contributions. The organization will con- New York to help make that state the the measure. tinue to push for this in 2017. u 17th to call for a constitutional amend- • Public Citizen worked to build national ment to rein in election spending. New support for South Dakota’s IM-22. Voters York’s legislature is the first with at least passed the campaign finance and ethics Pushing for disclosure of one chamber controlled by Republicans to reform package, designed to increase ac- dark money in elections: do so—signaling that the public’s biparti- countability and transparency in state san dismay over Citizens United is finally government and set up a small donor pub- In August, Public Citizen appeared in catching up with our elected officials. lic financing system for state offices. court for a key hearing in Public Citizen • Washington state residents voted 64 percent • With Public Citizen staff and volunteer v. Federal Election Commission (FEC). We to 36 percent in favor of I-735, which made it support Howard County, Md., and Berke- asked the court to declare that the FEC the 18th state to formally call for a constitu- ley, Calif., voters passed robust public fi- was wrong when it failed to investigate tional amendment to overturn Citizens Unit- nancing measures.