Fredric Michael Wertheimer, commonly known as Fred Wertheimer, is a prominent American attorney, lobbyist, nonprofit executive, and activist renowned for his lifelong dedication to campaign finance reform, government ethics, transparency, and accountability. Born on January 9, 1939, in Buffalo, New York, Wertheimer graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1960 with a B.A. in political science and earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1964. Early in his career, he served as legislative counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) from 1968 to 1971, focusing on issues of government reform. He later became a key figure in public interest advocacy, serving as president of Common Cause from 1980 to 1992, where he led efforts to strengthen ethics rules and limit the influence of money in politics. In 2006, Wertheimer founded Democracy 21, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, and has served as its president ever since, continuing his advocacy for comprehensive campaign finance reforms, including support for the DISCLOSE Act and opposition to super PACs and dark money in elections. He has testified before Congress numerous times and co-authored influential reports on political corruption. Wertheimer's work has earned him recognition as a leading voice in the fight against undue influence in American democracy, though he has faced criticism from opponents of reform for being overly restrictive on political speech. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with organizations like the Campaign Legal Center and remains active in public commentary on electoral integrity.