Difference between revisions of "Coalition for American Values"
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| − | == Funding | + | == Funding == |
| − | The | + | The CAV has not offered any information on the group's funding sources, leadership, or political strategy. |
| − | The Coalition's FEC filings list the group's treasurer as Brent Downs of Mt. Prospect, Illinois. | + | Documents available long after the end of the 2012 election cycle revealed that "the primary source of the group's funding in 2012 was the [[Center to Protect Patient Rights]] (CPPR), a conduit for $156 million in political spending raised by the Kochs and their network of funders," according to reporting by the Center for Media and Democracy.<ref name="koch network funded">Brendan Fischer, "[http://www.prwatch.org/news/2014/01/12354/exclusive-koch-network-funded-ads-telling-voters-recall-not-wisconsin-way Exclusive: Ads Telling Voters "Recall Is Not the Wisconsin Way" Funded by Out-of-State Koch Network]," Center for Media and Democracy, January 8, 2014. Accessed July 9, 2014.</ref> The CPPR gave $510,000 to the CAV, meaning that the bulk of the group's budget for that year came from out of state. The CPPR, which has also provided funding to the [[Wisconsin Club for Growth]], received a record fine in California "for its role in what [California] called a "campaign money laundering" scheme to influence a 2012 ballot initiative in that state, where $15 million was passed between four nonprofits to evade the state's disclosure laws."<ref name="koch network funded"/> |
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| + | Data collected by the Center for Responsive politics for the 2012 cycle revealed only one large individual donor, Rebekha Mercer of New York, who gave the group 50,000 dollars on November 1st, 2011<ref>Center for Responsive Politics, [http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgave2.php?cmte=C00506113&cycle=2012 Coalition for American Values], PAC donor profile. Accessed July 9, 2014.</ref>. Mercer has also given money to support the campaigns of Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Steve King (R-IA).<ref> Andy Kroll: [http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/06/wisconsin-recall-coalition-american-values-scott-walker Could this Pro-Walker Dark-Money Group Torpedo Recall Turnout </ref>. The Wall Street Journal reports that Mercer runs a bakery and is the daughter of a hedge fund manager. In 2010, she and her husband spent $28 million purchasing 13,000 square feet of real estate in New York's Trump Place. <ref> Juliet Chung: [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704446704575207193495569502.html Six Apartments May Make One] Wall Street Journal, Published April 27th, 2010. Accessed June 13th, 2012 </ref> | ||
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| + | ==Personnel== | ||
| + | |||
| + | The CAV's FEC filings list the group's treasurer as Brent Downs of Mt. Prospect, Illinois. CAV's lawyer is James D. Skyles.<ref name="koch network funded"/> | ||
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| + | ===Ties to the Right-Wing Franklin Center=== | ||
| + | The CAV's lawyer, James D. Skyles, previously worked as a lawyer for the [[Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity]], a conservative think tank based in Bismark North Dakota which is part of the [[State Policy Network]].<ref>Andy Kroll, "[http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/06/wisconsin-recall-coalition-american-values-scott-walker Could this Pro-Walker Dark-Money Group Torpedo Recall Turnout?],", June 5, 2012. Accessed July 9, 2014.</ref> The CAV has also paid money to a consulting firm run by John Connors, director of operations of the Franklin Center.<ref name="koch network funded"/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Franklin Center was founded in party by Koch operative [[Eric O'Keefe]], head of the [[Wisconsin Club for Growth]]. | ||
== Contact == | == Contact == | ||
Revision as of 14:29, 9 July 2014
The Coalition for American Values is a Super PAC incorporated in November of 2011. Thus far, the group's activities have primarily focused on influencing the 2011-2012 Wisconsin Recall of Governor Scott Walker. According to their website, their stated goal is to "mobilize millions of Americans to come together to fight back and protect the values that make our country the greatest in the world." [1] The group is based in Illinois [2]
Contents
Political Activities
The Coalition has constructed websites for two causes independent of the Wisconsin recall: an effort to Elect to the Plumber to Congress in Ohio and an (apparently unfinished) site called "White Noise" which defends Sand Mining in Wisconsin. "White Noise" praises the frac-sand mining industry for providing "Thousands of good paying jobs throughout the state" while overlooking the environmental damage caused by fracking.
They have produced ads for their campaign to elect Joe "the Plumber" Wurtzlebacher to Congress (viewable here) but it is unclear if they have ever aired on television.
Involvement in the 2011-2012 Wisconsin Recall
The Coalition for American Values registered on May 23rd to make independent expenditures in the 2012 recall in support of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Their application was less than 2 weeks before the recall began, and past the deadline of the final report on campaign spending before the recall.
The Coalition produced three ads, two 30-second spots and a 60 second spot. [3] While the ads do directly support Walker by telling the viewer to vote for him on June 5th, the primary target of the ads is the recall process itself, and they do not mention Walker's opponent, Tom Barret, by name. In the ads, actors attack the recall process for "tearing people apart". One actor insists that the recall is "not the Wisconsin way". The ads encourage viewers to vote for Walker in order to "end the recall madness"
Funding
The CAV has not offered any information on the group's funding sources, leadership, or political strategy.
Documents available long after the end of the 2012 election cycle revealed that "the primary source of the group's funding in 2012 was the Center to Protect Patient Rights (CPPR), a conduit for $156 million in political spending raised by the Kochs and their network of funders," according to reporting by the Center for Media and Democracy.[4] The CPPR gave $510,000 to the CAV, meaning that the bulk of the group's budget for that year came from out of state. The CPPR, which has also provided funding to the Wisconsin Club for Growth, received a record fine in California "for its role in what [California] called a "campaign money laundering" scheme to influence a 2012 ballot initiative in that state, where $15 million was passed between four nonprofits to evade the state's disclosure laws."[4]
Data collected by the Center for Responsive politics for the 2012 cycle revealed only one large individual donor, Rebekha Mercer of New York, who gave the group 50,000 dollars on November 1st, 2011[5]. Mercer has also given money to support the campaigns of Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Steve King (R-IA).[6]. The Wall Street Journal reports that Mercer runs a bakery and is the daughter of a hedge fund manager. In 2010, she and her husband spent $28 million purchasing 13,000 square feet of real estate in New York's Trump Place. [7]
Personnel
The CAV's FEC filings list the group's treasurer as Brent Downs of Mt. Prospect, Illinois. CAV's lawyer is James D. Skyles.[4]
Ties to the Right-Wing Franklin Center
The CAV's lawyer, James D. Skyles, previously worked as a lawyer for the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a conservative think tank based in Bismark North Dakota which is part of the State Policy Network.[8] The CAV has also paid money to a consulting firm run by John Connors, director of operations of the Franklin Center.[4]
The Franklin Center was founded in party by Koch operative Eric O'Keefe, head of the Wisconsin Club for Growth.
Contact
Organization:
4201 Wilson Blvd, Suite 110-468 Arlington, VA 22203
Phone: (703) 996-9843
Attorney:
Skyles Law Group 109 S Emerson, #23 Mt. Prospect, Il, 60056
Phone: 897-721-7560
References
- ↑ Coalition for American Values: About Us, Coalitionforamericanvalues.org. Accessed June 13th, 2012
- ↑ Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Profile: Coalition for American Values. June 4th, 2012. Accessed June 13th, 2012
- ↑ Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Profile: Coalition for American Values. June 4th, 2012. Accessed June 13th, 2012
- ↑ Jump up to: 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Brendan Fischer, "Exclusive: Ads Telling Voters "Recall Is Not the Wisconsin Way" Funded by Out-of-State Koch Network," Center for Media and Democracy, January 8, 2014. Accessed July 9, 2014.
- ↑ Center for Responsive Politics, Coalition for American Values, PAC donor profile. Accessed July 9, 2014.
- ↑ Andy Kroll: [http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/06/wisconsin-recall-coalition-american-values-scott-walker Could this Pro-Walker Dark-Money Group Torpedo Recall Turnout
- ↑ Juliet Chung: Six Apartments May Make One Wall Street Journal, Published April 27th, 2010. Accessed June 13th, 2012
- ↑ Andy Kroll, "Could this Pro-Walker Dark-Money Group Torpedo Recall Turnout?,", June 5, 2012. Accessed July 9, 2014.
