On April 11, a local anti-corruption group held the Columbus Grassroots Anti-Corruption Forum from 6:30pm-8:00pm EST, at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, 850 N. Nelson Rd., Columbus, OH, 43219. Anti-corruption activists, local leaders, and national experts attended the forum to discuss state-based strategies to to pass anti-corruption reform, gerrymandering reform, and open primaries.
“After almost 100 days of a new administration, it’s clear that the government still won’t drain the swamp: we have to fix corruption ourselves.” Said Barbara Eakins, local member of Represent.Us, the nation’s largest grassroots anti-corruption campaign, which brings together conservatives, progressives and everyone in between to pass anti-corruption laws in cities and states around the country. Represent.Us’ local members helped organize the forum. “There is an anti-corruption movement growing in Ohio, and this forum gives local activists what they need to get involved in fighting our corrupt political system, starting right here in Columbus.” continued Eakins.
Speakers at the forum included:
Jenny Landon, Represent.Us Organizer. Jenny is a seasoned organizer with Represent.Us. She has helped Represent.Us members build powerful chapters around the country and pass over a dozen anti-corruption laws. Represent.Us has 662,991 members and volunteers in all 50 states, with conservatives, progressives and moderates coming together to fight corruption.
Catherine Turcer, Common Cause Ohio Policy Analyst. In addition to being the chief policy analyst for Common Cause Ohio, Catherine coordinates the Fair Districts = Fair Elections Coalition, formed to pass successful state legislative reform ballot measures in 2015 and now promoting congressional redistricting reform. She is on the board of Ohio Coalition for Open Government and serves on Move to Amend Ohio’s coordinating committee. Catherine was the director of Ohio Citizen Action’s Money in Politics Project for 15 years and in 2006 she received the Spirit of Democracy Award from the Ohio Secretary of State.
Will Petrick, Yes We Can Ohio Organizer. As State Director of Advocates for Ohio’s Future, he helped lead the statewide effort to expand healthcare coverage in Ohio, resulting in 700,000 more Ohioans with healthcare coverage. He believes that our democracy is broken at every level and it committed to getting big money out of politics and focusing on the needs of families and communities. He is also committed to transforming city hall by increasing access, accountability and transparency with new technology.
Tzipora Lederman, Represent.Us Associate Communications Director, press@represent.us, (413) 333 - 5656
