Janet Domenitz is a left-of-center activist and executive director of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG), one of the largest members of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US-PIRG), an alliance of left-of-center research and advocacy groups founded by former left-wing activist and presidential candidate Ralph Nader. ¹ US-PIRG, and by extension MASSPIRG, is itself a member of the Public Interest Network (PIN), another alliance of left-wing organizations led by prominent left-wing operative Doug Phelps. ²

Domenitz is affiliated with several additional organizations. These organizations include the Consumer Federation of America, Department of Environment Protection Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Common Cause Massachusetts, Massachusetts Voter Table, Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, and the Fund for Public Interest. ³

Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG)

Domenitz has served as the executive director of the left-wing Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) since 1990. ⁴ She is further the executive director of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, MASSPIRG’s educational arm. ⁵ In this capacity, she oversees the organization’s research and advocacy efforts as they relate to advancing a left-of-center perspective on an issues such as environmentalism, health care provision, and transportation. ⁶

Public Interest Network (PIN)

The Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) is one of the largest members of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US-PIRG), an alliance of left-of-center research and advocacy groups founded by former left-wing activist and presidential candidate Ralph Nader. ⁷ US-PIRG, and by extension MASSPIRG, is itself a member of the Public Interest Network (PIN), another alliance of left-wing organizations led by prominent left-wing activist Doug Phelps. ⁸ The Public Interest Network lists Domenitz as a member of the staff on the organization’s website. ⁹

According to the organization’s tax return for fiscal year 2017, MASSPIRG had invested $7,124,307 in Phelps’s Denver, Colorado-based holding company, Paradigm Partners. ¹⁰ A 2017 job listing seeking an administrator for PIN lists supporting MASSPIRG as one of the role’s primary responsibilities. ¹¹

Fund for the Public Interest

Domenitz is the vice president of the Fund for the Public Interest,¹² another member of the Public Interest Network (PIN),¹³ which serves as a fundraising clearinghouse for the Public Interest organizations. ¹⁴ The Fund also shares an office with the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG). According to the organization’s tax return for fiscal year 2017, the Fund had invested $1,966,760 in left-wing activist Doug Phelps’s Denver, Colorado-based holding company Paradigm Partners. ¹⁵

The Fund has been described as a “liberal sweatshop” by the progressive media outlet HuffPost as the result of a 2006 class-action lawsuit which detailed several allegations of the Fund’s mistreatment of staff. ¹⁶ According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), an additional case was brought against the Fund in 2012 for allegations of “coercive statements.” ¹⁷ Employee reviews for both MASSPIRG¹⁸ and the Fund for the Public Interest¹⁹ provide evidence of commission-based compensation for fundraising staff, a practice deemed unethical by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. ²⁰

Additional Affiliations

Domenitz is affiliated with several additional organizations to include the Consumer Federation of America, Department of Environment Protection Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Common Cause Massachusetts, Massachusetts Voter Table, and Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow. ²¹

1. “Advocate for the Public Interest.” MASSPIRG. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://masspirg.org/feature/map/about-us.
2. The Public Interest Network. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://publicinterestnetwork.org/about.html.
3. Domenitz, Janet. LinkedIn. LinkedIn. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-domenitz-8438886/.
4. “MASSPIRG Staff.” MASSPIRG. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://masspirg.org/staff/usp/janet-domenitz.
5. “Staff & Principals.” Staff & Principals | MASSPIRG Education Fund. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://masspirgedfund.org/staff.
6. “MASSPIRG Staff.” MASSPIRG. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://masspirg.org/staff/usp/janet-domenitz.
7. “Advocate for the Public Interest.” MASSPIRG. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://masspirg.org/feature/map/about-us.
8. The Public Interest Network. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://publicinterestnetwork.org/about.html.
9. The Public Interest Network. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://publicinterestnetwork.org/our-staff.html.
10. Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, Inc., Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Schedule D, Part VII, Line 3a.
11. “Urgent Administrator Needed at a National Nonprofit.” Google Groups. Google. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!msg/jobsthatareleft/4e-dnIGuuGs/L8s2PJbqAAAJ.
12. Fund For The Public Interest, Inc., Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Part VII, Section A, Line 2.
13. The Public Interest Network. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://publicinterestnetwork.org/about.html.
14. Connolly, Michael Joseph. Articles of Organization, Articles of Organization §. Accessed February 2, 2020. http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx.
15. Fund For The Public Interest, Inc., Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Schedule D, Part VII, Line 3a.
16. Kaufman, Alexander C., and Molly Redden. “A ‘Liberal Sweatshop’ Is Quashing Its Workers’ Efforts To Unionize.” HuffPost. HuffPost, August 26, 2019. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fund-for-public-interest-union_n_5d5c5e04e4b05f62fbd69dcb.
17. “NLRB.gov.” NLRB. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://www.nlrb.gov/case/19-CA-084586.
18. “MASSPIRG Reviews.” Glassdoor, August 15, 2018. https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/MASS-PIRG-Reviews-E407675.htm.
19. “Fund for the Public Interest Reviews.” Glassdoor, May 7, 2019. https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Fund-for-the-Public-Interest-Reviews-E215980.htm.
20. “PROFESSIONAL COMPENSATION: A Position Paper.” Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Accessed February 2, 2020. https://afpglobal.org/sites/default/files/attachments/2018-10/2016ProfCompensationPositionPaper.pdf.
21. Domenitz, Janet. LinkedIn. LinkedIn. Accessed February 2, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-domenitz-8438886/.