Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG)

Founding and History

Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG) was founded in 1971 by left-wing environmentalist Ralph Nader and former U.S. Representative Toby Moffett (D-CT). Moffet worked as the group’s first executive director. According to the University of Connecticut, CCAG was the first state-based consumer interest group. ² Its first project was compiling legislative profiles on every Connecticut state legislator, ranking them based on their receptiveness to left-of-center environmentalist policy. ³

After instituting a community canvassing program in the mid-1970s, CCAG tripled its budget and increased its membership from 3,000 to 28,000 in under a decade, becoming one of Connecticut’s largest public interest groups. ² The organization has claimed responsibility for Connecticut’s 1980 ”Bottle Bill,” a bottle deposit law that mandated a 5-cent refundable deposit on recyclable beverage bottles. ²

The CCAG has been led by environmentalist Tom Swan since 1993. ⁴

Activities

In July 2021, representatives from Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG) spoke at a rally for expanding the Child Tax Credit alongside left-wing U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). ⁵ Other Democratic state legislators are frequently present at the group’s fundraisers and events. ⁶

CCAG has also continued its lobbying, advocating in favor of left-progressive policies on the environment, the economy, and racial issues. CCAG has listed 2021 legislative “victories” in Connecticut, including a bill that “officially declares racism as a public health crisis,” a bill which extends state healthcare benefits to illegal immigrants, and an increase in the state bottle deposit from 5 cents to 10 cents. ¹

CCAG is also affiliated with the Connecticut Citizen Research Group (CCRG), a charitable organization which shares its office space and chief financial officer with the CCAG. ⁷

In June 2025, CCAG participated in organizing or supporting protests branded under the “#NoKings” banner, a national day of demonstrations positioned as a defense of democratic norms against Donald Trump. These events were part of a larger mobilization involving over 70 Democratic Party affiliates and allied organizations across at least 19 U.S. states and multiple international locations, according to publicly available event listings on Mobilize.us, a Democratic Party-aligned organizing platform. ^{8 9}

Finances

According to its 2023 990 form, Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG) reported a revenue of $518,744, expenses of $510,258, and total assets of $78,634. ¹⁰

Leadership

Tom Swan is the executive director of Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG). Swan has led CCAG since 1993, taking leaves of absence to manage local and statewide Democratic campaigns. Swan has led campaigns for now-Governor Ned Lamont’s (D-CT) failed 2006 U.S. Senate campaign. Prior to leading the CCAG, Swan founded the defunct YouthAction nonprofit (defunct as of 2025). ⁴ Swan receives a yearly salary of $58,722 from CCAG. ¹¹