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Already our coalition is growing. In the fall of 2011, we joined forces with Rootstrikers, a group founded by Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig that shares the goal of ending the domination of Big Money over the political process. The group’s name is inspired by the Henry David Thoreau quote, “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.” And we've recently merged with the Get Money Out campaign, an effort started by MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan that shares similar goals.
Stay tuned. Over the next several months, we’ll be rolling out a better website (this one is temporary) and tools to empower people to get involved in the fight.
What can you do to help right now?
1. Join The Republic, and add your name to thousands of others demanding fundamental reform.
2. Donate to United Republic. This is a grassroots movement, so even $10 makes a difference.
3. Surprise us with a creative idea of your own. If we like it, we’ll partner with you to share your work with the United Republic community and beyond.
Mission
United Republic envisions a nation where the will and concerns of the people aren’t drowned out by the financial influence of the few. Where politicians devote more time to their constituents than to their fundraising. Where political decisions are made on principle, without the distorting effect of lobbyists. Where individual citizens have access to clear information about their leaders and are empowered to end the imbalance of power in Washington and our state capitals. We believe this vision is achievable and central to the success of the republic.
Team
Josh Silver, CEO, is a veteran election and media reform executive. He was the campaign manager for the successful 1998 Arizona Clean Elections (public funding) ballot initiative campaign, and is the cofounder and former CEO of Free Press, the nation’s leading media and technology reform advocacy organization. He was the director of development for the cultural arm of the Smithsonian Institution.
Nick Penniman, President, is the former executive director of the Huffington Post Investigative Fund, publisher of Washington Monthly magazine, DC director of the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy, associate editor of American Prospect magazine and director of the Alliance for Democracy.
Amelia Leonardi, Chief Operating Officer, oversees organizational development, staffing and financial management activities. Previously, Amelia had spent her career in the field of international education serving as associate director for the Forum on Education Abroad and then director of operations for the Center for International Studies.
Jimmy Williams, Co-Founder/Senior Strategist, joined United Republic when it merged with the Get Money Out campaign, which he started with MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan and served as its Executive Director. He is a regular contributor to MSNBC and a former lobbyist for, among others, billionaire financier Carl Icahn. Before working as a lobbyist, he served nearly seven years on Capitol Hill as Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin's Senior Economic Policy Advisor as well as the Majority Staff Director of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy. Williams' shift directly from lobbyist to reformer sent shockwaves throughout Washington's lobbing community.
Tom Fazzini, Deputy Communications Director, previously served as a press secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was a member of the communications staff for two U.S. senators, and worked as a deputy communications director for Indiana with the Obama-Biden campaign in 2008. He began his career at a private public relations firm in Philadelphia.
Joshua Lynn, Marketing Director, is a seasoned marketer and communications specialist. As a creative director, his work has been honored by the Rebrand 100 Awards, The Webby Awards, The American Package Design Awards and the Addys. Josh has launched and managed numerous international brands, and has developed membership and consumer outreach campaigns for organizations ranging from credit unions to progressive communities.
Suzanne Merkelson, Associate Web Editor (starting December 2011), comes to United Republic from Foreign Policy magazine where she worked as a web producer. She has also interned at The Atlantic and NPR's On Point with Tom Ashbrook. Suzanne has written for the Chicago Tribune, Foreign Policy, and the Atlantic, among others.
Joseph Mornin, Online Director, is a technologist and activist. He has led the online strategy for a range of initiatives, including Rootstrikers, Change Congress, the Pickens Plan alternative energy campaign, and numerous political campaigns. He played a leading role in developing online voter registration systems in Washington and Oregon. He researches technology and democracy at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.
Hannah Ray, Program Assistant, recently switched careers, leaving her work in design and the arts because of her enthusiasm for democracy reform. Prior to joining United Republic, Hannah served as a textile designer for the home goods industry and worked as an independent clothing designer.
Paul D. Thacker, Chief of Investigations (starting December 2011), is a former journalist and congressional investigator. For stories he wrote on corruption in science, he was profiled on the PBS series "Expose: America's Investigative Reports." He spent almost four years as an investigator for U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley where he dug into corruption in medicine, which led to reforms that were passed as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010.
Todd Van Vuuren, Executive Assistant, brings to the organization over 11 years of executive and human resource management experience. A former AmeriCorps member, Todd is a volunteer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Stonewall Center and the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking.
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