University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen will present Fred Wertheimer with the 2025 Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government on Wednesday, April 30, in a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The U of I System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs presents the award annually. Nominations are nonpartisan and include elected or career government officials at any level of government and private citizens who significantly contribute to the practice and understanding of ethical behavior and fair play in government.
“My father, Senator Paul Douglas, spent most of his professional and public life working for improved ethics in government. He introduced legislation to require full financial disclosures by public officials, sought fair elections and more effective transparency in government, and wrote books on the topic. We are grateful for the work of the University of Illinois System for their continued support of the cause of ethics in government championed by Paul Douglas. This year, we look forward to honoring Fred Wertheimer’s years of service in this fight,” said Jean Taft Douglas Bandler.
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 Magazine. 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.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government. Senator Douglas was a true representative of the people. He understood the importance of public servants living up to the highest ethical standards and was recognized by his colleagues as “the conscience” of the Senate. His lifetime of public service is an inspiration and model for us all,” said Wertheimer.
The more than two dozen past recipients include former President Barack Obama; Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and John Paul Stevens; Sens. John McCain and Barbara Mikulski; Rep. John Lewis; Dr. Anthony Fauci; Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch; and former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney.
Sen. Paul H. Douglas represented Illinois from 1949 to 1967. Douglas was an economist and enjoyed a distinguished academic career. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II. In the Senate, Douglas was a forceful champion of civil rights, social welfare programs, public housing, extension of Social Security, federal aid to education, the environment and labor unions.