| Americans for Prosperity | |
|---|---|
Americans for Prosperity logo |
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| Formation | 2004 |
| Type | non-profit political advocacy group |
| Purpose/focus | AFP is committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process.[1] |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| President | Tim Phillips |
| Vice President | Phil Kerpen |
| Website | www.americansforprosperity.org |
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a Washington, D.C.–based political advocacy group. According to their literature, they promote economic policy that supports business, and restrains regulation by government. AFP was a major supporter of Republican candidates in the 2010 election cycle and is heavily involved in political activities aimed at reducing regulation of the oil and gas industry.[2] It was formerly part of Citizens for a Sound Economy, which split into AFP and FreedomWorks in 2004.
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AFP was founded in 2004 when Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) split into FreedomWorks (formerly Citizens for a Sound Economy), for 501(c)(4) advocacy activity, and the Americans for Prosperity Foundation (formerly the Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation). Dick Armey, who had become chair of CSE in 2003 after retiring from Congress,[3] stayed as chairman of FreedomWorks, while David H. Koch stayed as Chairman of Americans for Prosperity Foundation. Like CSE, AFP was founded with the support of David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch of Koch Industries.[4][5][6] Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) had been established in 1984 by David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch. "CSE received almost $5 million from various Koch foundations between 1986 and 1990, and David Koch and several Koch Industries employees serve[d] as directors of CSE and the CSE Foundation."[7]
AFP describes their mission as educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing them as public policy advocates of lower taxes and limited government.[1]
Like Citizens for a Sound Economy before it, Americans for Prosperity consists of two separate entities: Americans for Prosperity (a 501(c)(4) organization[8] established in 2004) and Americans for Prosperity Foundation (a 501(c)(3) organization[8] established in 1984 as the Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation. Americans for Prosperity is led on the national level by its president, Tim Phillips, a former partner in the public affairs and public relations firm, Century Strategies with Ralph Reed (of Christian Coalition fame).[9][10][11] Other national staff include: Phil Kerpen, director of policy; and Erik Telford, director of AFP's RightOnline new media program. Art Pope,[12][13] James C. Miller, James E. Stephenson, and Frayda Levy serve on the board of directors.
From 2003 to 2007 AFP was led by Nancy Pfotenhauer (Koch Industries' chief lobbyist from 1996 to 2001), who left to become an adviser for the 2008 John McCain presidential campaign.
AFP's web site lists 28 staffed state chapters.[14]
According to Media Matters, Americans for Prosperity Foundation has received grants totaling over $5 million between 2004 and 2009, with over $4 million coming from the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, one of the Koch Family Foundations.[15]
Koch Industries reports that, in 2009, less than 10 percent of AFP and AFP Foundation’s funding was Koch-related.[16]
In its 2007 annual tax return, the AFP Foundation reported revenue of $5.7 million with expenditures of nearly $6.8 million. While the AFP Foundation ran at a loss that year, it had reserves. Of its expenditure, $2.1 million went to national office operations with just over $2.9 million allocated to the state-based chapters. It was reported in early 2011 that AFP's budget grew to $40 million in 2010 from $7 million three years prior.[17]
In a August 2010 article in The New Yorker, Jane Mayer reported that the brothers, David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch, and Koch Industries are providing financial and organizational support to the tea party movement through Americans for Prosperity.[18]
Based on its financial operations and programs, the independent Charity Navigator nonprofit review organization gave Americans For Prosperity Foundation a three-star rating out of four stars, and a 58 out of a possible 60 points.[19]
AFP hosted an event in Washington D.C. entitled "Defending the American Dream Summit" on October 5, 2007. The topic was government spending and taxation. Presidential candidates who attended included Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul, Sam Brownback, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson. Other speakers included John Stossel, Steve Lonegan, Dinesh D'Souza, Art Laffer, John Fund, Steve Moore, Herman Cain, Dr. Barry Poulson, and AFP founder David H. Koch.
A second Summit was held October 11, 2008.[20] The 2009 Summit was held October 3, in Washington, DC to address health care reform legislation, economic policy, and proposed energy legislation.[21] Speakers included Newt Gingrich, Jim DeMint, Mike Pence, Paul Ryan, and Michele Bachmann.[22]
Another event related to activism against carbon emission cuts is the Hot Air Tour featuring webcasts from the United Nations meetings COP15 in Copenhagen 2009[23] and COP16 in Cancun 2010. AFP's goal at these events is to "send a message to the bureaucrats that energy rationing will kill jobs, raise taxes, and crush our freedoms.".[24]
In July 2008, Americans for Prosperity hosted RightOnline, a conference of conservative bloggers in Austin, Texas. Eric Telford was the impresario of the conference that ran opposite the DailyKos NetRoots Nation conference in Austin in July 2008 and was regarded as a growing conservative answer to the online left.[25] The conference brought together conservative activists to develop strategies to counter left-wing bloggers and develop conservative New Media techniques.[25][26] The meeting was held in conjunction with the Texas AFP chapter's conference.
In 2011, Phillips helped lead a counterprotest in Madison, Wisconsin, where the governor's budget and labor-law initiatives had drawn considerable opposition in the streets. Phillips' counterprotest supported the governor's cuts saying they were necessary and "represented the start of a much-needed nationwide move to slash public-sector union benefits". The report said Phillips did not the disclose the source of AFP's funding when he addressed a crowd of counterprotesters. Phillips was quoted as saying that "his group is already working with activists and state officials in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania."[17]
Americans for Prosperity circulated a pledge to government officials that states they will not increase taxes to deal with climate change.[27]
As of August 2010, more than 600 lawmakers and candidates, primarily Republicans, had signed the pledge. Prominent signers include Senators Pat Roberts and Roger Wicker; U.S. Representatives Michele Bachmann, John Carter, Jeff Flake, Jim Jordan, Doug Lamborn, Lynn Westmoreland, Phil Gingrey, Tom Price, Fred Upton, Candice Miller, Bill Huizenga, Justin Amash, Tim Walberg, and Rocky Raczkowski; and candidates Jack Hoogendyk, Dan Benishek, Pete Olson, and Greg Davis.[28]
In May 2009, Americans for Prosperity launched Patients United Now, a website self-described as a project offering information for those opposed to "a government takeover of the United States health care system." On the site, they state their support for "health care reform focused on delivering affordable, quality choices to all Americans" and believe that a government takeover of healthcare can lead to "delaying - and denying - critical treatments."[29]
A subsequent series of television ads opposing the Democratic health care reform proposals was launched by the Patients United Now organization. In one TV ad, a Canadian woman "Shona Holmes" is featured saying she got a runaround for brain tumor surgery and ultimately was treated in the U.S. Columnist David Lazarus of the Los Angeles Times wrote that a single-payer Canadian style insurance system is not part of any leading reform proposal as the ad suggests.[30] However, Amy Menefee, a spokeswoman for Patients United Now, replied, saying "The point of the ad is to show the extremes where things could go. This would be a bigger role for government than we've ever seen. It's a power grab in this area of the economy."[30]
During the 2010 election cycle, Americans for Prosperity claims to have spent $40 million dollars on rallies, phone banks, and canvassing.[2] One beneficiary was Morgan Griffith (R-VA). Of the six Republican members who were elected to the United States Senate for the first time, Americans for Prosperity supported five of their campaigns.[2] Of twelve Republicans newly appointed to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, nine signed a pledge distributed by Americans for Prosperity to oppose greenhouse gas regulation.[2]
In June 2011, Americans for Prosperity placed a handful of fake eviction notices on people's doors in the Delray neighborhood of Detroit. The group's state director said that the intent was to get peoples' attention and to startle residents into lobbying against the building of the Detroit River International Crossing bridge because, as the flyer stated, "their properties could be taken by the Michigan Department of Transportation to make way for the New International Trade Crossing bridge project."[31]
According to Politico, in August 2011 Americans for Prosperity "sent absentee voter applications instructing voters to return the paperwork two days late in at least two recall elections."[32] In addition, the PO Box that was listed on the "Ballot Application" is the address of an anti-abortion group, Wisconsin Family Action, as opposed to an official state address.[32] AFP responded, claiming that the misleading date was the result of a mistake and "was only intended for voters in the two districts where Democrats are set to face recalls on a later date, August 16th."[33]
In 2011, AFP said that it will review payments it had made to Mark Block's Prosperity USA, which is alleged to have made improper payments to the Herman Cain presidential campaign, 2012.[34][35][36] As a tax-exempt charity, Prosperity USA is not allowed to donate money or services to a political campaign.[37]
In August 2010, the AFP and its sister foundation Americans for Prosperity Foundation were criticized by the Democratic Party and the Obama White House as a de facto political action group in violation of their tax-exempt status.[38] The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee filed a complaint against the Americans for Prosperity, a 501(c)(4) organization, for running political advertisements that allegedly constitute political campaign intervention. A spokesman for the AFPF said the DCCC complaint was a "nuisance complaint to intimidate" that was without merit.[39] Phillips, AFP President, said the insinuation that AFP is taking money from foreign sources is “ludicrous.”[40] He also noted that following the President’s statement, AFP has seen increased financial contributions, saying that “they know if the president of the United States is attacking you because you’re opposing his agenda, you’re probably doing something that’s effective.”[40]
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