Why It Matters

The Community Justice Action Fund (CJAF) ended its lobbying relationship with ML Strategies LLC as of April 30, 2026, according to a Q2 2026 Lobbying Disclosure Agreement termination filing signed June 9. The filing listed $10,000 in lobbying activity for the quarter.

CJAF is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organization, a project of Tides Advocacy, focused on gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform in urban communities of color. As a donation-funded organization with no independent revenue stream, its federal lobbying budget is constrained relative to corporate clients, making the $10,000 filing modest by Washington standards.

The sole lobbyist listed on the termination filing was Pamela Mejia, who holds the title of Director of Government Relations at ML Strategies. No specific issues or legislation were identified in the disclosure filing itself.

The Big Picture

CJAF's federal lobbying priorities have historically centered on gun violence research funding, community-based violence intervention programs, and criminal justice reform. The organization has previously advocated for federal appropriations to the CDC and NIH for gun violence research, and has pushed the Department of Justice to redirect grant funding toward public-health-centered, community-based solutions rather than traditional law enforcement approaches.

Those policy priorities face a difficult environment in the current Congress. Gun violence research funding at the CDC and NIH has been a recurring target in appropriations debates, and community-based violence intervention programs have faced scrutiny in recent budget cycles. No specific legislation tied to this lobbying relationship was identified in the termination filing.

No congressional mentions of CJAF or related hearings were identified in the available data that would directly illuminate the circumstances of this termination.

The Bottom Line

The lobbying disclosure termination leaves CJAF without a listed outside lobbying firm on record as of the end of April 2026.

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