Democracy 21 is a nonprofit advocacy group founded in 1997 by longtime campaign finance reform activist Fred Wertheimer. Operating as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., it is dedicated to campaign finance reform, ethics in government, and reducing money's role and influence in American politics through litigation, advocacy, and public education efforts. The organization supports stricter campaign finance limits and regulations, including opposition to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which allowed unlimited corporate and union spending in elections. Democracy 21 has played a significant role in pushing for comprehensive democracy reforms, such as contributing to the development and drafting of key provisions in the For the People Act (H.R. 1) and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, both aimed at enhancing election integrity, expanding voting rights, and reducing the role of big money in politics. The group engages in litigation to enforce campaign finance laws, provides commentary on Supreme Court rulings—including criticizing the 2024 Trump v. United States decision on presidential immunity—and advocates for greater transparency and fairness in political funding. Through nonpartisan efforts, Democracy 21 collaborates with other advocacy groups and policymakers to strengthen government ethics and transparency, monitor evolving threats to democratic processes (such as dark money in elections and weakening ethics rules), and build support for systemic reforms. Despite its progressive-leaning focus on reform, the organization maintains a commitment to bipartisan solutions where possible, though it has faced criticism from conservative circles for advocating restrictions on political spending. Its work extends to public outreach and collaboration with related entities like the Democracy 21 Education Fund to amplify citizen participation and integrity in government, positioning it as a key player in the broader movement for accountable democracy.