Rep. Rashid, US Senator Markey Honored by Public Citizen

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Public Citizen, a renowned nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, recognized State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) with the prestigious Democracy Champion award. The award was presented at their gala at the National Press Club, where they also recognized U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts.

Public Citizen, founded in 1971, has a mission to defend democracy, resist corporate power, and fight for a government that serves the public interest. With a membership of 500,000 supporters nationwide, the organization remains fiercely independent, taking no government or corporate money.

“We are proud to recognize Representative Rashid’s dedication to safeguarding our democracy and defending the interests of working families, including through his proactive leadership on complex issues such as artificial intelligence,” said Public Citizen President Robert Weissman. “We are honored to acknowledge his valuable contributions.”

Rep. Rashid has been working with Public Citizen on legislation to regulate AI-powered political deepfakes that aim to deceive voters with false audio, video or images of candidates for public office. The Federal Communications Commission recently announced it would begin a rulemaking process to require disclosure of AI in political ads.

Earlier this year, Rep. Rashid announced a legislative package aimed at tackling new challenges posed by AI. Dedicated to steering Illinois toward a more safe, effective, and responsible use of AI technologies, the representative’s legislative package underscores his commitment to both optimizing AI innovation and implementing essential guardrails. Rep. Rashid is the co-chair of Illinois’ AI Task Force.