The Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG) is a Connecticut-based lobbying group which advocates for environmentalist policies and anti-market regulations. Though it is nominally nonpartisan, the CCAG typically supports Democratic Party policies and calls for left-of-center economic legislation. ^[1]

Founding and History

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. ^[4] 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. ^[5]

The CCAG has been led by environmentalist Tom Swan since 1993. ^[6]

Present Activities

CCAG has been less active and influential in recent decades. Despite its downtrend, CCAG still hosts rallies and events in favor of Democratic candidates and left-progressive policies. As recently as July 2021, representatives from 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). ^[7] Other Democratic state legislators are frequently present at the group’s fundraisers and events. ^[8]

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. ^[9]

CCAG ia also affiliated with the Connecticut Citizen Research Group (CCRG), a charitable organization which shares its office space and chief financial officer with the CCAG. ^[10]

Finances

The CCAG’s 2018 publicly available financial filings show total revenues of $322,460 and total expenses of $259,524. ^[11]

As of 2018, the CCAG reported $756,921 in unpaid liabilities. Nearly all its liabilities were due to outstanding loans, of which $234,881 were due back to board members Steven Derby and Judith Maslen. ^[12]

Leadership

Tom Swan is executive director of 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 now-defunct, left-progressive YouthAction nonprofit. ^[13] Swan receives a yearly salary of $58,722 from CCAG. ^[14]