Durbin Delivers Remarks Honoring Fred Wertheimer As He Receives The Senator Paul H. Douglas Award For Ethics In Government
In his remarks, Durbin praised the Paul Douglas Award recipient, Fred Wertheimer, for his dedication to strengthening American democracy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered remarks honoring Fred Wertheimer, this year’s recipient for the University of Illinois System’s Senator Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government. In his remarks, Durbin praised Mr. Wertheimer’s work as founder and President of Democracy 21, a nonpartisan, nonprofit dedicated to strengthening American democracy, safeguarding election integrity, and promoting government accountability.
Named for the late Illinois Senator, the Senator Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government is presented to a person whose public actions and contributions have demonstrated a deep understanding and respect for ethical behavior and standards in government. Past recipients include former President Barack Obama, the late Senator Paul Simon, the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the late Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and former Representative Liz Cheney.
Photos of Durbin delivering his remarks can be found here.
Durbin’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin Remarks at Paul Douglas Award Ceremony
April 30, 2025
As prepared for delivery
Thank you, President Killeen, for those kind words. I want to welcome my dear friends, Jean Douglas Bandler and Ned Bandler, Senator Douglas’s daughter and son-in-law, his great-grandson, Matthew Douglas.
It is always an honor to join the Douglas family, the University of Illinois, and its outstanding Institute of Government and Public Affairs in presenting the Senator Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award.
People ask me how I’ve survived 42 years in Congress. The short answer is: I try to follow the Gospel of St. Paul—by which I mean, I try to follow the examples of Paul Simon and Paul Douglas.
They showed me that the bedrock of a long career in public service is a commitment to honesty and integrity. Without that North Star to guide you, you are liable to get lost. I’ve seen it happen.
Paul Douglas held himself to high ethical standards—even stronger than Congress required—because he understood when people lose faith in their government, democracy crumbles. That basic truth is also what has driven Fred Wertheimer for more than 50 years.
I have known Fred for many of those years. I admire him greatly. I am also a big fan of his brilliant wife, Linda Wertheimer. We’re honored that you could join us, Linda.
For more than five decades—first at Common Cause and then at Democracy 21—he has been a leading voice in advancing the causes of honesty and integrity in government, free and fair elections, and protecting Americans’ right to vote. The bedrock issues of democracy.
Fred Wertheimer is not intimidated by Big Money or long odds, and he is not afraid of bullies—which means he is exactly the kind of leader America needs, urgently, now.
Today is Day 101 of the second Trump Administration. If America had been invaded by a hostile nation, I’m not sure they could have done so much damage, in such a short period of time, to our economy, our democracy, and our standing in the world.
What would Professor Paul Douglas say about an Administration threatening to withhold federal funding for education and research—and jeopardizing universities’ solvency--in order to dictate what can be taught, and who can teach?
What would economist Paul Douglas think of a President who needlessly drives up costs for America’s families and businesses and harms the global economy at risk by waging an
incoherent trade war against our foes and allies?
Our government is being dismantled, essential services are being crippled, and tens of thousands of federal workers are being fired, many illegally, on instructions from the richest man on Earth, who bought his influence in this Administration with hundreds of millions of dollars in cold, hard campaign cash.
The autocrats and oligarchs are at the gate. If Paul Douglas were here, he would be appalled, as we all should be.
So, what do we do to save our democracy? First, we need to break the corrupt chokehold of unlimited, unaccountable special interest money on our elections and public policies.
Second, we need to protect the right to vote.
I know that you are committed to both of these imperatives, Fred, and I am with you.
Finally, we must safeguard the independence and integrity of the judiciary.
During the Biden Administration, Democrats held a majority, and I held the gavel on the Senate Judiciary Committee. And the Senate confirmed 235 federal judges of impeccable character and qualifications—including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
These and other federal judges are now holding the line against his most serious assaults on the rule of law. We must continue to defend this line. Without the rule of law, there is no democracy.
In 1970, when John Gardner founded Common Cause, he knew he wanted Fred Wertheimer to spearhead its campaign finance reform efforts. He warned Fred that that, quote: “Reform is not for the short-winded.”
Fortunately, in the race to make our democracy more open, honest, and accountable, Fred Wertheimer is a long-distance runner and a champion. He is a leader for these times, and a worthy recipient of the 2025 Senator Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award.
Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Fred, and thank you for your decades of service to our democracy.
And now, it is my pleasure to introduce Senator Douglas’ great-grandson Matthew Douglas, who is representing the Douglas family.
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