Issue One in the news: November 2021 media mentions recap

November saw a number of notable press mentions at Issue One — led by Founder and CEO Nick Penniman being included in a New York Times story about Jared Kushner’s efforts to raise money from Persian Gulf states for his new investment firm. “When former White House officials start cashing in their time served with our government by cozying up to monarchs, it turns the stomach a bit. Is it illegal? No,” Penniman said. “Is it swampy and seemingly hypocritical? Yes.”

The quote was picked up by a wide variety of news outlets, including Vanity Fair, Insider, The Australian, Daily Mail, i24 News, The Times of London, and the Middle East Monitor.

Penniman also spoke with The Washington Post about the influence of the pharmaceutical industry and their involvement in the ongoing reconciliation process, saying: “The intensity right now of K Street and the deployment of lobbying and dark money is extraordinary. It is a frenzied state right now.”

We also launched the second episode of our “Truthtellers” series with “Swamp Stories” host Weston Wamp explaining what really happened in Pennsylvania in 2020. The video has received roughly 90,000 views across social media, and Weston appeared on SiriusXM last week to discuss the project with host Laura Coates.

Additionally, ReFormers Caucus Co-chair Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) spoke with Talking Points Memo about the need to modernize the Electoral Count Act, and Research Director Michael Beckel spoke about our Coordination Watch project with WSHC’s “Upstream Downstream” radio program, sponsored by the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University in West Virginia. Michael was also featured by Insider in an investigative piece examining a shady PAC called When Democrats Turn Out.

We also placed three op-eds in The Hill: one from former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), an Issue One board member and member of the ReFormers Caucus and National Council on Election Integrity, on the need for Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, another from ReFormers Caucus Co-chair Amb. Tim Roemer (D-IN) on key takeaways from Virginia’s gubernatorial election, and a piece by Legislative Affairs Associate Jamie Neikrie on the GOP’s post-1/6 playbook in the lead-up to next year’s midterms.

Finally, our recent staff hires and promotions were included in Politico’s Playbook PM and Influence newsletters.