The American Issues Project is a political action group organized as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, so that it can engage in limited amounts of civic campaigning, but cannot legally advocate for or against candidates.[1] During the United States presidential election, 2008, it became known for commercials linking Barack Obama to former Weather Underground founder William Ayers.[2] The group has received substantial media attention.[3][4] After Obama came into office, the group concentrated on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.[5]
The AIP was co-founded by conservative political activists Tony Feather (also a co-founder of the conservative 527 group Progress for America) and Chris LaCivita.[2][6]
Funding for AIP, which spent close to $3 million for the Ayers ads, is provided by Harold Simmons, who previously gave $3 million to fund Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and another $500,000 to Progress for America.[7]