Public Democracy Action is a left-of-center Christian-influenced lobbying group. Originally founded by former Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign advisor Burns Strider as the American Values Network, ¹ Public Democracy Action focuses its lobbying efforts on left-progressive economic, environmental, voting, and national security-related issues. ²

Previously, Public Democracy Action organized a petition calling the restriction of carbon emissions a “pro-life issue,” sending a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do more to restrict carbon emissions ³ and created a challenge fund on Crowdpac that gained 200,000 signatures and demanded then-President Donald Trump release his tax returns. ⁴

In 2018, Public Democracy Action supported left-of-center Oxfam America’s “Ready. Set. Vote.” Campaign, which was recognized by the left-of-center EveryActionHQ as one of the strongest nonprofit campaigns of the 2018 election cycle. ⁵

History and Leadership

Public Democracy Action was originally founded as American Values Network in 2009 ⁶ by former Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign advisor Burns Strider as a left-of-center Christian lobbying firm. ⁷ The New York Times reported that Strider was accused of sexual harassment during the 2008 campaign cycle. ⁸ In 2018, American Values Network changed its name to Public Democracy Action. ⁹

Eric Sapp has been the executive director of Public Democracy Action since January 2009. ¹⁰ He is a senior fellow at the left-of-center Atlantic Council. Sapp is also the founder of the Eleison Group and has been president of Public Democracy since 2008. ¹¹

Activities and Funding

Public Democracy Action is a left-of-center Christian-influenced lobbying and advocacy group that focuses its efforts on left-progressive economic, environmentalist, voting, and national security-related issues. ¹²

Public Democracy Action’s advocacy campaigns began with support for the passage of the New START and United Nations Arms Control Treaties to reduce the size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. ^{13 14} Public Democracy Action has also advocated for Republican Senators to increase the U.S. government’s foreign aid spending, ¹⁵ challenged Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)’s position on releasing U.S. government torture files, ¹⁶ and supported the bipartisan Antiterrorism Clarification Act of 2018, ¹⁷ which would give veterans legal recourse against international financiers of terrorism. ¹⁸

Public Democracy Action operates the Good Steward Campaign to use young Christians to advocate for left-of-center environmentalist policies ¹⁹ and supports left-progressive immigration policies. ²⁰

Previously Public Democracy Action created a challenge fund on Crowdpac that gained 200,000 signatures and demanded then-President Donald Trump release his tax returns, ²¹ organized a petition calling the restriction of carbon emissions a “pro-life issue,” sent a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do more to restrict carbon emissions, ²² and supported Oxfam America’s “Ready. Set. Vote.” campaign, which was recognized by left-of-center EveryActionHQ as one of the strongest nonprofit campaigns of the 2018 election cycle. ²³

Public Democracy Action has also encouraged its supporters to donate to left-of-center and immigration expansionist organizations including the left-of-center American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), New Sanctuary Coalition, immigration expansionist United We Dream (UWD), Americans for Immigrant Justice (AIJ), National Bail Fund Network, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Educational and Legal Services (RAICES), Grassroots Leadership, Immigration Advocates Network (a project of Pro Bono Net), and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). ²⁴

Funding

Public Democracy Action accepts individual donations through left-of-center passthrough ActBlue Civics ²⁵ and is listed in ActBlue’s donor directory. ²⁶

In 2020, Public Democracy Action reported gross receipts not greater than $50,000. ²⁷ While operating as American Values Network, the organization received $17,000 from Oxfam America in 2014 ²⁸ and $66,000 from Oxfam America in 2013. ²⁹

1. Price, Greg. “Who Is Burns Strider? Hillary Clinton Didn’t Fire Faith Adviser Accused of Sexual Harassment During 2008 Campaign.” Newsweek. January 26, 2018. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://www.newsweek.com/clinton-fire-harassment-burns-strider-792322.
2.  “Who We Are.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/.
3. “Carbon Regulations.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/carbon-regulations.
4. “Donald Trump: Release Your Tax Returns!” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/donald-trump-release-your-tax-returns.
5. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted September 13, 2018. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://twitter.com/PubDemAction/status/1040306805438644225?cxt=HHwWgoC8uePh9O8cAAAA.
6. Public Democracy Action Formerly American Value Network Inc. (EIN 26-4222057), Internal Revenue Service Exempt Organizations Query Tool. Queries conducted May 25, 2022.
7. Price, Greg. “Who Is Burns Strider? Hillary Clinton Didn’t Fire Faith Adviser Accused of Sexual Harassment During 2008 Campaign.” Newsweek. January 26, 2018. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://www.newsweek.com/clinton-fire-harassment-burns-strider-792322.
8. Maggie Haberman and Amy Chozik. “Hillary Clinton Chose to Shield a Top Adviser Accused of Harassment in 2008.” New York Times. January 26, 2018. Accessed via Web Archive May 29, 2022. https://archive.ph/jA1BL.
9. Public Democracy Action, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-EZ), 2018, Box B. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/264222057/11_2019_prefixes_26-31%2F264222057_201812_990EO_2019110616822976
10. “Eric Sapp.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-sapp-619ab03/.
11. “Eric Sapp.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-sapp-619ab03/.
12. “Who We Are.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/.
13. “The Nuclear Threat.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/the-nuclear-threat.
14. “The Arms Trade Treaty.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/the-arms-trade-treaty.
15. “Securing Funding for Foreign Aid.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/securing-funding-for-foreign-aid.
16. “Flipping Burr on Torture.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/flipping-burr-on-torture.
17. “Public Democracy for Veterans.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/veterans.
18. “Home.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/.
19. “Creation Care.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/creation-care.
20. “Evangelical Immigration Table.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/evangelical-immigration-table-1.
21. “Donald Trump: Release Your Tax Returns!” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/donald-trump-release-your-tax-returns.
22. “Carbon Regulations.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/carbon-regulations.
23. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted September 13, 2018. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://twitter.com/PubDemAction/status/1040306805438644225?cxt=HHwWgoC8uePh9O8cAAAA.
24. “Public Democracy for Migrants.” Public Democracy Action. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.publicdemocracyaction.org/border-crisis.
25. “Donate to Public Democracy Action.” ActBlue. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/public-democracy-action-1?refcode=directory.
26. “Directory.” ActBlue. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://secure.actblue.com/directory/all/org/state-lg?issue_area=political_organizations&page=6.
27.  Public Democracy Action Formerly American Value Network Inc. (EIN 26-4222057), Internal Revenue Service Exempt Organizations Query Tool. Queries conducted May 25, 2022.
28. “Oxfam-America Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2014. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237069110/201512259349302536/full.
29. “Oxfam-America Inc.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2013. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237069110/201442249349301154/full.