End Citizens United // Let America Vote Democracy Defenders Work to Protect the American People from Corporate Greed

End Citizens United // Let America Vote has endorsed 11 candidates for secretary of state and attorney general offices as part of the Democracy Defenders program—a $7 million initiative to support Democratic attorney general and secretary of state candidates in battleground states across the country. From Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nesselcalling out the self-serving lies of former President Trump’s anti-voting slate of candidates, to Bee Nguyen honoring her commitment as a state representative to uphold our democracy and promote justice, to Nevada Attorney General Aaron Fordwinning a $285.2 million settlement from the wealthy corporations that exacerbated the opioid crisis, ECU // LAV’s Democracy Defenders are fighting every day for the hard-working people they represent.

See below for updates on our Democracy Defenders’ work to protect the freedom to vote and take on corporate greed:

Jocelyn Benson, MI-SOS: Protecting the freedom to vote

• M Live

  • Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson issued a stern warning to voters Wednesday that “democracy is on the ballot” this November as Donald Trump-endorsed candidates continue to mislead voters over the results of the 2020 general election.

• FOX 2 – Detroit, MI

  • Both Benson and Tiffany Muller believe the November midterm elections are just as high stakes. “In Michigan, every voter will have an opportunity to choose Democracy or to choose a system that will not protect their right to vote, to choose leaders who have actively shown themselves to be willing to overturn or thwart the will of the people simply because they disagree with it,” Benson said.

Dana Nessel, MI-AG: Standing up to Polluters

• CBS 62 – Detroit, MI

  • Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and 19 state attorneys general are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen protections against lead poisoning, particularly for children in low-income communities and communities of color. The coalition said the EPA’s “Draft Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities” had a “strong starting point,” however they laid out recommendations on how the agency can be more aggressive with its plan.

• Fox 2 – Detroit, MI

  • Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was joined by allies Saturday night for a livestream where the Democrat provided a fact check of former President Donald Trump’s rally in Macomb County. Joined by Ingham County Election Clerk Barb Byrum and state Sen. Jeff Irwin, the three pushed back on unsubstantiated claims of fraud made by Trump concerning the 2020 election.

Josh Kaul, WI-AG: Fighting the Opioid Crisis 

• The Dryden Wire

  • Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul yesterday released a report to the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance (JCF) regarding the two Assistant Attorney General positions created as part of the HOPE Agenda to assist the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Appleton and Wausau field offices and local district attorneys with the investigation and prosecution of significant drug-related offenses. “DOJ’s regional drug prosecutors have helped fight the drug epidemic by prosecuting drug dealers who sell dangerous narcotics like fentanyl and meth,” said AG Kaul. “The legislature should extend these positions to ensure that regional drug prosecutors can continue providing expertise and assistance in the prosecution of drug traffickers.”

Jena Griswold, CO-SOS: Stopping Voter Intimidation

• The Daily Sentinel

  • The Colorado Senate gave final approval to a bill Monday that would ban openly carrying a firearm within 100 feet of a polling center. Democrats who supported the bill say the measure is needed to ensure that voters feel safe while casting a ballot, and don’t feel intimidated when doing so… Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat who pushed for the measure, said there is a bigger picture behind the need for the bill, and that is to send a message that threatening behavior of any kind is not to be tolerated, particularly when it comes to voting.

Aaron Ford, NV-AG: Holding Exploitative Companies Accountable

• KTNV ABC 13, Las Vegas, NV

  • Attorney General Aaron D. Ford will hold a press conference in Las Vegas Monday morning to discuss Nevada’s initial receipt of funds from $285.2 million opioid settlement with several drug manufacturers and distributors. Settlement funds will come from opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and its U.S-based Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies as well as opioid distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson.

Phil Weiser, CO-AG: Protecting Colorado Children

• NBC 9 – Denver, Colorado

  • Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said Wednesday he has joined a multistate investigation into the social media platform TikTok and its effect on children and young adults. Attorneys general from many states will examine whether TikTok violated state consumer protection laws, according to a news release from Weiser’s office.

Bee Nguyen, GA-SOS: Calling Out Election Sabotage

• The Albany Herald

  • Rep. Bee Nguyen, D-Atlanta, who is running for secretary of state, said Republicans are still rehashing the 2020 elections and the disproven allegations of fraud in Georgia by former President Donald Trump. “Stop passing legislation predicated on the Big Lie,” she said.

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