Freedom Partners

Freedom Partners

Freedom Partners Logo
Founded November 2011 (2011-11)
Type Chamber of commerce 501(c)(6)
45-3732750 (EIN)
Location
Members
 200
Key people
  • Alan Cobb, vice president
  • Nick Dunn, vice president, communications
  • Peter Lipsett, vice president, special projects
  • Daniel Jorjani, general counsel
Revenue
 $255,674,218 (FY 2011)
Website freedompartners.org
Formerly called
 Association for American Innovation
[1][2]

Freedom Partners is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The organization, which was founded under the name Association for American Innovation in 2011, is purposed to promote "the benefits of free markets and a free society."[3] It is partially funded by the Koch brothers,[4] and sponsors various right-wing politicians and groups.

Membership

Freedom Partners is structured as a chamber of commerce and is composed of around 200 members, each paying a minimum US$100,000 in annual dues. In 2012, the organization raised $256 million.[5]

The organization is partially funded by the Koch brothers.[4] although it operates independently of Koch Industries.[6] A majority of Freedom Partners board is made up of long time employees of the Koch brothers.[7][8][9]

Activities

Freedom Partners has given grants worth a total of $236 million to conservative organizations including Tea Party groups like the Tea Party Patriots and organizations which opposed the Affordable Care Act prior to the 2012 election. In 2012, Freedom Partners made a grant of $115 million to the Center to Protect Patient Rights.[1]

During the first weekend of August, 2015, it was to hold an audition featuring Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, and Carly Fiorina to see who would gets the organization's support in the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign.[10]

It also awards grants to advocacy organizations with the goal of raising public awareness about "important societal and economic issues".[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Surgey, Nick (September 16, 2013). "Revealed: Extensive Koch Links to New Right-Wing $250 Million Mega Fund". PR Watch. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Freedom Partners 2011 Form 990 Federal Tax Return". Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "About Us". Freedom Partners. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  4. 1 2 CHRIS RUFER (23 March 2015). "End This Corporate Welfare" (Opinion Pages). NY Times. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Allen, Mike and Vandehei, Jim (September 11, 2013). "The Koch brothers' secret bank". Politico. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Koch and Freedom Partners". Koch Industries. September 12, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  7. ↑ Confessore, Nicholas (September 12, 2013). "Tax Filings Hint at Extent of Koch Brothers’ Reach". New York Times. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  8. ↑ Seitz-Wald, Alex (September 13, 2013). "Koch Brothers Break New Ground in Dark Money". National Journal. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  9. ↑ Blumenthal, Paul (September 12, 2013). "Koch Brothers Respond To Report On Freedom Partners, Their New Political Organization". Huffington Post. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  10. ↑ Parton, Heather (July 31, 2015). "The Koch Brothers’ twisted beauty pageant: The disturbing way they’re choosing which GOP candidate to buy". Salon.

External links

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