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Between college and medical school in 1992, I had the amazing opportunity to work for Dr. Sidney Wolfe at Public Citizen’s Health Research Group. I arrived committed to change but unsure of my own role in achieving it; I left with insights and skills that have made my career possible. At Public Citizen, I helped to expose the names of drug companies that produced flawed advertisements as well as the national scale of a mental health crisis that kept young people held without charges in juvenile detention centers. Not yet 23 years old, I found myself quoted in the newspaper, participating in radio debates, and fielding calls from policymakers. Over just a few months, I came to recognize the value of creativity, clarity, and evidence – and the power of a resolute and compelling objection to something that’s just wrong.

Thank you, Sid, and thank you, Public Citizen.

Michael and I have supported Public Citizen for eleven years because it’s an easy way to do something about big, sometimes overwhelming issues we care about such as campaign finance. When we are trying to get truly progressive candidates elected here in Chicago, people sometimes complain to us about how much money is in politics. So for us it’s a both/and–at the same time that we are raising money to get good people into office, we are also supporting Public Citizen so that one day it won’t take so much money to get good people into office. It’s how we feel about our imperfect democracy–at the same time that we do participate in this imperfect system for example by working to get good people in office, we are also striving for a more participatory
truly representative democracy. We appreciate that Public Citizen works relentlessly to analyze issues and strategically resources campaigns for long-term change.

We trust Public Citizen. As people who are very involved locally here in Chicago, Public Citizen provides us the opportunity to act on a national level. Financial support is action. When people feel that issues such as campaign finance reform or fracking are too big and overwhelming and hopeless, Public Citizen provides a concrete way to do something.

I was the Office Manager for the Litigation Group from 2005-2006. Even though I was at Public Citizen avery short time, it had an enormous impact on my life, particularly my professional and politicalcommitments. As a 23 year oldand the lone non-lawyer for a group of insanely dedicated, smart, andfunny colleagues, I must say that I was very intimidated by them at first. A few weeks after I started, Iwatched two of the attorneys argue in front of the Supreme Court. In fact, during my brief tenure, I sawLitigation Group lawyers appear in front of the Supreme Court three times. It was so exciting for me tosee how focused, strategic, and quality efforts could actually make change at the highest levels of thejudicial and politicalsystem, and it was inspiring to be around the lawyers who did this day in and dayout. Yet, what I think really impressed upon me about the attorneys at the Litigation Group (and themany others in other divisions of Public Citizen) was just how humble and down-to-earth they were.After mornings where attorneys would argue at the Supreme Court, the whole Lit Group would stillmeet in the small basement break room to eat their brown bag lunches together, talking about thelatest political issues of the day,followed by the ritual “post-lunch Google search” about some point oftrivia raised in discussion (this was before smartphones!).Theattorneys left a powerful impression on me as a recent college graduate-even those who wereadvocating for change atthe highest levels of politics and the law could still be humble, friendly, andgenerous. It also taught me that powerful, lasting change is not usually the result of flashy politicalcampaigns or movements, but it is the result of everyday people who makethe commitment to it day inand day out. I saw that everywhere at Public Citizen-people dedicated to consistent advocacy, notbecause they wanted the spotlight, but because they knew it was the right thing to do, and becausethey just couldn’t let injustice pass them by. Even though I did not eventually go to law school to followin their footsteps, the attorneys at the Lit Group made such a huge impact on me. They taught me that alife dedicated to my ideals may involve some difficult financial sacrifices, but ultimately there’ssomething so honorable and fulfilling about waking up each day to doggedly work toward a more justsociety. I’m so grateful to be part of Public Citizen and particularly the Litigation Group.

Michael and I have supported Public Citizen for eleven years because it’s an easy way to do something about big, sometimes overwhelming issues we care about such as campaign finance. When we are trying to get truly progressive candidates elected here in Chicago, people sometimes complain to us about how much money is in politics. So for us it’s a both/and–at the same time that we are raising money to get good people into office, we are also supporting Public Citizen so that one day it won’t take so much money to get good people into office. It’s how we feel about our imperfect democracy–at the same time that we do participate in this imperfect system for example by working to get good people in office, we are also striving for a more participatory
truly representative democracy. We appreciate that Public Citizen works relentlessly to analyze issues and strategically resources campaigns for long-term change.

We trust Public Citizen. As people who are very involved locally here in Chicago, Public Citizen provides us the opportunity to act on a national level. Financial support is action. When people feel that issues such as campaign finance reform or fracking are too big and overwhelming and hopeless, Public Citizen provides a concrete way to do something.

In the summer of 1990, I spent 3 months as a law clerk with Public Citizen Litigation Group. I had just completed my first year of Harvard Law School, and was seriously considering not going back to finish the degree. In those days, Harvard Law School was overwhelmingly led and populated by conservative white men. But my summer with PCLG was phenomenal and opened my eyes to how the law can be used for the public good. The Supreme Court Project was still an idea rattling around Alan Morrison’s brain. The other summer clerk and I did a ton of research to help get that off the ground. And I did other fascinating research and writing projects with David Vladeck, Brian Wolfman, and Paul Alan Levy. That summer convinced me to return and finish my law degree. And it was damn fun, too.

I was a spankin’ newbie lawyer trying to get into environmental law so I joined just about every environmental group and every public interest group (which weren’t all that many) I could find and read everything there was to read (which also wasn’t all that much).Fortunately, the environmental groups were hiring lawyers far smarter than I, so I became an ardent admirer–same for Public Citizen. Thanks for the great wonderful work y’all have been doing for the last 50 years.

Ron Dean, Pacific Palisades, CA

In 1992, at the ripe old age of 28, I teamed up with Christine Triano from OMB Watch to write a series of reports exposing how the secretive Quayle Council on Competitiveness was weakening
and eliminating health, safety and environmental protections. We succeeded (with a lot of help from other advocates) in convincing Congress to defund the Quayle Council. These were heady
accomplishments for a couple of recent college graduates. And we have been fast friends ever since.

Phyllis Ohlemacher and Bob Wages have been involved with Public Citizen since it’s early days in the 1970s. Both worked for the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union (OCAW). OCAW’s Legislative Director at the time, Tony Mazzocchi, was a well-known advocate for worker health and safety who worked closely with Ralph Nader, Sid Wolfe, and others at Public Citizen. Phyllis and Bob and the staff came to know Public Citizen and Ralph Nader, a beloved speaker at many union conventions and conferences.

Over the years, Phyllis and Bob would find that their union work intersected with Public Citizen’s work time and time again—from fighting for worker protections with Sid Wolfe and the Health Research Group to fighting global trade deals with Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch Group to working with Alan Morrison and Public Citizen’s Litigation Group.

OCAW would prove to be fertile ground for another partnership as well, as Phyllis and Bob met there in 1976. They were married in 1991—a big year for the two as Bob was also elected president of OCAW in that year’s August Convention. Nader was a speaker at the event and Phyllis remembers Mazzocchi introducing him as “the shop steward of the American People.” Nader’s speech focused on the corporate takeover of America.

For fun, Phyllis and Bob like to bike, hike, and ski. In the last year, they have become avid snow-hikers to avoid the ski slopes during the pandemic. They also love to read, cook, and travel. Each year, they split their time between Denver and Frisco, Colorado.