FUND FOR AMERICA
The fund was created in 2007 to finance pro-Democratic advocacy groups in 2008. Its predecessors are America Coming Together, a voter-mobilization effort in 2004; the Media Fund in 2004; and the September Fund, a financing pool for pro-Democratic activities in 2006.
Funders:
- Lee Fikes: President of the Bonanza Oil Co. and president and CEO of the Leland Fikes Foundation in Dallas, which supports medical research, health care and scientific integrity.
- Sacramento Street Partners: Rob McKay, secretary-treasurer of the Fund for America, is a partner in Sacramento Street Partners.
- Donald Sussman: Chairman of Trust Asset Management LLP, a hedge-fund management firm in the Virgin Islands. Sussman is a generous donor to Democratic causes, including $400,000 to America Coming Together in 2004 and $350,000 to the September Fund in 2006.
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU): The union represents workers in health care, property services and public services. SEIU gave $22 million in contributions and in-kind contributions to America Coming Together in 2004, and $800,000 to the September Fund in 2006.
- AKT Investments: A Sacramento, Calif., development firm. Its chairman is Angelo Tsakopoulos, a longtime Democratic donor and fundraiser for John Kerry in 2004. The Tsakopoulos family has long supported the Clintons.
- George Soros: The hedge-fund trader and investor is a financial anchor of the Democratic Party and the progressive movement. Soros gave more than $25 million in 2003-2004, including $7.5 million to America Coming Together and $12 million to the Joint Victory Campaign 2004, which in turn gave to other liberal political groups.
Leaders
- John Podesta, director: CEO of the Center for American Progress, a think tank which he launched with others to develop and promote progressive ideas. The CAP Action Fund is the group's advocacy arm and belongs to the anti-Iraq war coalition. Podesta previously served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton.
- Rob McKay, secretary-treasurer: McKay is a partner in Sacramento Street Partners and heir to the Taco Bell fortune. He is also head of the Democracy Alliance and president of the McKay Foundation; in 2006, the most recent year for which data is available, the foundation's grantees included groups working on social justice, environmental and economic issues.
- John Stocks, director: Stocks is the deputy executive director of the National Education Association, the nation's largest union and a powerful force in the Democratic Party. It has not endorsed any presidential candidate.
- Anna Burger, director: Burger is the secretary-treasurer at SEIU, the No. 2 job at the union. She is also chair of the Change to Win labor federation, a coalition of SEIU and six other unions that was formed in 2005 as a breakaway group from the AFL-CIO.
- Amy K. Dacey, executive director: Dacey is a former adviser to Anna Burger.
CAMPAIGN TO DEFEND AMERICA
The Campaign to Defend America is a political nonprofit corporation. In February, CDA spent $400,000 from Fund for America on anti-McCain ads in the Erie, Pa., market. On March 5, the CDA announced a "million-dollar-plus" ad buy.
Leaders:
- Jeff Blum, president: Blum is also the executive director of USAction.
- Tom Matzzie, treasurer: Matzzie left his position as Washington director of MoveOn.org to become a chief operative of CDA.
- Wes Boyd, secretary: Boyd is a cofounder of MoveOn.org.
IRAQ 2008 COALITION
Members of the coalition include the Campaign to Defend America, MoveOn.org, SEIU, USAction, VoteVets.org, Americans United for Change, and the Center for American Progress Fund.
Credit: Peter Overby, NPR, and Will Evans, Center for Investigative Reporting
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