Democrats Are Still Embracing ‘Dark Money’

But Democrats Are Once Again Working With Far Left Dark-Money Groups Like Demand Justice To Attack A Supreme Court Nominee

“Multiple left-leaning dark money groups are spending millions in the final month before the election attacking Barrett…. Fix Our Senate, which OpenSecrets revealed is a project of dark money giant Sixteen Thirty Fund, published a new ad that incorporates 2015 statements from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)…. The night of Barrett’s nomination, Demand Justice, another group launched by Sixteen Thirty Fund, projected the word ‘SAVE HEALTH CARE’ on the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. The group pledged to spend twice as much this year — $10 million — as they did in 2018 when Kavanaugh was nominated. Demand Justice was the left’s top spender in that confirmation fight.” (“Political Ads Bombard Airwaves In Battle Over Supreme Court,” OpenSecrets, 10/02/2020)

• “The executive director of Demand Justice is Brian Fallon, a former top aide to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who later advised Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016.” (“Millions From Anonymous Donors To Influence Kavanaugh Fight,” The Associated Press, 7/12/2018)

“Join us on October 12th at 8pm ET for a virtual tribute and celebration … As the Senate begins confirmation hearings to fill RBG’s seat, we must channel her unstoppable determination as we call on our senators to honor her dying wish that there be no confirmation until inauguration. Appearances by: Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Stacey Abrams, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Ayanna Pressley … Demand Justice © 2020” (Actionnetwork.org, Accessed 10/11/2020)

Demand Justice Has Even Been Pressuring Senate Democrats Over Who Should Lead Them On The Judiciary Committee

“Under President Trump, Republicans have been confirming federal judges at a relentless pace. Now, progressives want Democrats to replace California Sen. Dianne Feinstein atop a key committee to keep up …” (“Progressives Target Dianne Feinstein As Head Of Senate Judiciary Committee,” San Francisco Chronicle, 7/06/2020)

• “‘The lack of fire, the lack of urgency, is a tell that she’s not going to be the person to take a bare-knuckle approach in the trenches,’ said Brian Fallon, a former senior Senate aide who founded the group Demand Justice to push the party left on the judiciary.” (“Progressives Target Dianne Feinstein As Head Of Senate Judiciary Committee,” San Francisco Chronicle, 7/06/2020)

• “‘This whole process has the potential to provide even further evidence of how Democrats ought to think about making a change in terms of who is running the committee,’ said Brian Fallon, a founder of Demand Justice, a liberal advocacy group that lobbies Democrats to prioritize the federal courts.” (“Democrats, Facing Critical Supreme Court Battle, Worry Feinstein Is Not Up to the Task,” The New York Times, 10/10/2020)

“The progressive groups looking for a change also point to the work of committee member Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., as an example of what Feinstein should be doing.” (“Progressives Target Dianne Feinstein As Head Of Senate Judiciary Committee,” San Francisco Chronicle, 7/06/2020)

• “A Democratic senator, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said a group of Feinstein’s colleagues want Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) or Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to serve as the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel for the upcoming nomination hearings, which are expected to be extraordinarily contentious.” (“Democrats Worry Feinstein Can’t Handle Supreme Court Battle,” Politico, 9/23/2020)

JIM MANLEY, former spokesman for Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV): “The groups want blood. Democrats on and off the committee want a real fight.” (“Democrats, Facing Critical Supreme Court Battle, Worry Feinstein Is Not Up to the Task,” The New York Times, 10/10/2020)

Demand Justice Is Funded By Left-Wing Dark Money Group The Sixteen Thirty Fund

“Demand Justice was formed [in 2018] and is structured in such a way that it doesn’t have to file annual tax returns. That’s because it’s ‘fiscally sponsored’ by a tax-exempt social welfare organization called the Sixteen Thirty Fund. The Sixteen Thirty Fund files federal tax returns but doesn’t have to disclose the identities of its donors.” (“Millions From Anonymous Donors To Influence Kavanaugh Fight,” The Associated Press, 7/12/2018)

• “Demand Justice, the courts-focused group helmed by former Hillary Clinton press secretary Brian Fallon, also ran out of Sixteen Thirty Fund. Demand Justice spent millions of dollars on TV ads as Democrats tried to prevent Brett Kavanaugh from being confirmed to the Supreme Court in 2018.” (“Documents Reveal Massive 'Dark-Money' Group Boosted Democrats In 2018,” Politico, 11/19/2020)

• “Demand Justice’s legal setup, first reported by OpenSecrets, is more complex: the group is sponsored by the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a 501(c)(4) that has agreed to provide a legal home for the group. That means Demand Justice won’t be required to file its own 990 tax returns with the IRS, and donors to the group will disclose giving money to the Sixteen Thirty Fund rather than Demand Justice. That adds an additional layer of secrecy to who is giving to the group.” (“Millions Of Dollars In Supreme Court Ads Are Coming And We Won’t Know Who Paid For Them,” Huffington Post, 7/23/2018)

• “Demand Justice, a relatively new organization working against Trump judicial nominees, has promised to spend $5 million. The group is set up such that its funding is arguably even more opaque than the nonprofits against which it competes.” (Editorial, “Who Is Paying For The Next Supreme Court Justice?,” The Washington Post, 7/15/2018)

The Sixteen Thirty Fund ‘Boosted Democrats And Liberal Causes’ With ‘An Unprecedented Gusher Of Secret Money,’ ‘A Sign That Democrats And Allies Have Embraced The Methods Of Groups They Decried As “Dark Money” Earlier’

“The ‘green wave’ of campaign cash that boosted Democrats and liberal causes in 2018 included an unprecedented gusher of secret money, new documents obtained by POLITICO show. The Sixteen Thirty Fund, a little-known nonprofit headquartered in Washington, spent $141 million on more than 100 left-leaning causes during the midterm election year, according to a new tax filing from the group. The money contributed to efforts ranging from fighting Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and other Trump judicial nominees …” (“Documents Reveal Massive 'Dark-Money' Group Boosted Democrats In 2018,” Politico, 11/19/2020)

• “The Sixteen Thirty Fund’s rise [in 2018] is a sign that Democrats and allies have embraced the methods of groups they decried as ‘dark money’ earlier [in the] decade …” (“Documents Reveal Massive 'Dark-Money' Group Boosted Democrats In 2018,” Politico, 11/19/2020)

“The Sixteen Thirty Fund is a social welfare group under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code and, as such, does not have to reveal its donors to the public, in contrast to political action committees that report to the Federal Election Commission, including the super PACs that are independent of candidates…. According to the Politico report, a single donor to the Sixteen Thirty Fund gave $51.7 million, a second donor gave $26.7 million, and a third donated $10 million. Who are these donors? The public will not find out.” (Editorial, The Washington Post, 11/21/2019)

• “The fund distributed cash to causes such as television ads opposing the nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, as well as ads that focused on issues such as health care and the economy. At least indirectly, the fund’s spending helped Democrats take back the House. The fund also poured money into other nonprofit groups active in state politics.” (Editorial, The Washington Post, 11/21/2019)

FLASHBACK: Senate Democrats Plotted ‘Behind Closed Doors’ And Rallied With Demand Justice To Attack Justice Kavanaugh Two Years Ago

“[Sen. Chuck] Schumer [D-NY], [Sen. Bernie] Sanders [I-VT], and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, gathered behind closed doors inside the Capitol Tuesday afternoon with leaders of a vast constellation of liberal activist groups to strategize over the court battle. Among the attendees were Fallon, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron, a veteran of confirmation battles since the 1980s.” (“Republicans Express Confidence About Trump’s Supreme Court Pick; Democrats Plot Plan To Sink Him,” The Washington Post, 7/10/2018)

DEMAND JUSTICE: “We’re LIVE on the steps of the Supreme Court with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Edward J. Markey and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris demanding Democrats in the Senate #DitchtheList of Trump’s SCOTUS nominees.” (Demand Justice, Facebook, 6/28/2018)