Fred Wertheimer

Fredric Michael "Fred" Wertheimer (born 1939) is an American activist notable for his work on campaign finance reform. He served as president of Common Cause and is currently the President and CEO of Democracy 21 and Democracy 21 Education Fund, which he founded in 1997.

He has received honorary Doctorates from Colby College in 1990 and Grinnell College in 1999.

His wife is Linda Wertheimer of the National Public Radio, former co-anchor of the program All Things Considered.

In 2001 he filed suit in Fred Wertheimer, et al., v. Federal Election Commission. One position he holds is that the government has the right to ban or regulate certain forms of political expression. In reference to the section of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act limiting corporate and labor union funding of broadcast ads advocating a candidate within 30 days of a primary or caucus or 60 days of a general election, he stated in an August 29, 2009 interview in the New York Times, "A campaign document in the form of a book can be banned." ¹

References

• Staff report (May 28, 1990). COMMENCEMENTS; Colby College. New York Times

1. Supreme Court to Revisit ‘Hillary’ Documentary (August 29, 2009). http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/us/30scotus.html

External links

• Democracy 21