2025 Douglas Award for Ethics in Government

Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 at 4:30 PM

Senate Hart Office Building

The University of Illinois System will be awarding the 2025 Douglas Award for Ethics in Government awardee, Fred Wertheimer, at a ceremony in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time at the Senate Hart Office Building.  To RSVP for the event, please click HERE to register.

Fred Wertheimer is the founder and President of Democracy 21, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to strengthening American democracy, safeguarding election integrity, and promoting government accountability. For over five decades, Wertheimer has been a national leader in campaign finance reform, voting rights, and democracy advocacy. He has spearheaded successful lobbying campaigns in Congress to enact major reforms and has participated as a lawyer in key Supreme Court cases, including Buckley v. Valeo. 

Often described as “the dean of campaign finance reformers,” Wertheimer’s efforts have been praised by outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time. Under his leadership, Democracy 21 and its Education Fund have shaped numerous democracy reform proposals and served as watchdogs for government integrity. Wertheimer is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Harvard Law School and has held prominent roles, including President of Common Cause and Fellow at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center. 

For more information on the Douglas Award, click HERE.