Stopping Juvenile Detention: The “Vast Left-wing Conspiracy” George Soros’s Democracy Alliance remains a potent force in the 2014 elections By Matthew Vadum This special issue of Foundation Watch up- dates our previous profi les of the Democ- racy Alliance published in December 2006, January 2008, and December 2008. Summary : The political landscape in America is much different than it was in 2005 when the nine-year-old Democracy Alliance was founded. The secretive club for radical millionaires and billionaires who want to turn America into Greece was founded soon after John Kerry’s unexpect- ed defeat in the 2004 presidential election. The outlook for the Left was bleak at that time but no longer. The Left has regained its footing and is on the march, determined to dismantle the First Amendment and reor- der society through Obamacare, a wealth redistribution scheme disguised as health care policy. The Democracy Alliance, once determined to remain separate from the Democratic Party, is more partisan than it Radical left-wing philanthropist George Soros has ever been as its seeks to expand left- wing political infrastructure across the country. organizations. The invitation-only Alliance, co-founded by far-left billionaire philanthro- pist George Soros, calls itself a “fi rst-of-its- October 2014 he Democracy Alliance—a secre- kind partnership of change-makers who are tive, pro-Democratic Party funding committed to a stronger democracy and a Tpowerhouse—is embracing more more progressive America.” CONTENTS union bosses as members, amid growing fears in left-wing circles that Republicans It claims to be the “center of gravity” for The Democracy Alliance are poised to take over the U.S. Senate in left-wing funding and, “over the past nine Page 1 the November elections. This trend adds years,” has “aligned leaders in the progres- to organized labor’s already considerable sive movement and political infrastructure” clout within this elite fundraising empire, in order to secure “victories at the ballot box Philanthropy Notes which claims to have funneled more than and in policy fi ghts. “ Page 12 $500 million into liberal and pro-Democratic Foundation Watch The Democracy Alliance funds many key in- Group (PIRG) Education Fund, and the (now and supplied three of the judges used to pack stitutions on the Left. One of them is Catalist defunct) Secretary of State Project, which the D.C. court. LLC, formerly known as Data Warehouse. helped elect left-wing candidates to be the This for-profi t company was created by chief electoral offi cial in at least nine states Membership Clinton aide Harold Ickes and Democratic (these little-noticed offi cials become critical The Democracy Alliance keeps the list of operative Laura Quinn to help leftist groups when vote fraud occurs). its members, or as it prefers to call them, get out the Democratic vote. It describes its “partners,” confi dential, but the names of mission as providing “progressive organiza- The Alliance and its ultra-wealthy support- new members were revealed earlier this tions with the data and services needed to ers drone on endlessly, wringing their hands year when Soros’s son Jonathan left behind better identify, understand, and communicate about the importance of getting money out a partial membership list after the Alliance’s with the people they need to persuade and of politics as they pump millions of dollars spring meeting in a Chicago hotel. Snapped mobilize.” The chairman of Catalist is De- into politics. As the Washington Free Beacon up by the Washington Free Beacon, the list mocracy Alliance member Albert J. Dwoskin, reports, Harvard Law professor Lawrence included several high-ranking labor move- a Virginia-based real estate developer. (For Lessig told prospective donors to his May- ment offi cials. The 100-plus millionaire a complete profi le of Catalist, see Organiza- day PAC this year that attacking the First and billionaire members of the Democracy tion Trends, November 2012.) Amendment’s corporate political speech Alliance range from bankers and high-tech protections would be easier if those on the entrepreneurs to Hollywood VIPs and heirs The Democracy Alliance has also funded other side were gagged by new laws. “We and heiresses. staples of the left-wing activist community have no protection for network neutrality including People for the American Way, because of the enormous infl uence of cable New Alliance members this year from the EMILY’s List, ACORN, Center on Budget companies’ money in the political system,” labor movement include Noel Beasley, who is and Policy Priorities, Progressive States he said. “If NN is your issue, then this is president of Workers United, a textile union Network, Center for Community Change, why you should see that politics is your issue affi liated with the Service Employees Inter- Sierra Club, U.S. Public Interest Research too.” Lessig is also an advisor to the Fund national Union (SEIU), and Keith Mestrich, for the Republic, a campaign fi nance reform president of the union-owned Amalgamated Editor: Matthew Vadum organization that uses soothing, bipartisan Bank. (For more on both groups, see Labor language and reaches out to those on the Watch, June 2013.) Publisher: Terrence Scanlon political Right. The Fund acknowledges receiving fi nancial support from Democracy Foundation Watch Other new members from organized labor Alliance members. is published by Capital Research include Larry Cohen, president of the Com- Center, a non-partisan education and munications Workers of America (CWA), and research organization, classifi ed by Another important recipient of Alliance the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Randi Weingarten, president of the American funding is the American Constitution Soci- Federation of Teachers. Weingarten has Address: ety (ACS), a left-wing legal nonprofi t. At a publicly defended AFT’s support of the 1513 16th Street, N.W. recent Alliance meeting, reports Alana Good- Washington, DC 20036-1480 Alliance, tweeting this summer that the Al- man of the Washington Free Beacon, ACS liance pools money “to fi ght for progressive Phone: (202) 483-6900 “boasted about meeting its ‘performance causes … Spending it to ensure reg[ular] Long-Distance: (800) 459-3950 goals,’ which included helping” change the folks had access to democracy…and a fairer Senate rules to eliminate the fi libuster on E-mail Address: economy.” CWA senior director George Kohl [email protected] judicial nominations. This has led directly to and Michelle Ringuette, who is Weingarten’s the Obama administration packing the D.C. assistant, also joined the Alliance. Web Site: Court of Appeals with left-wing judges who http://www.capitalresearch.org may prevent future Obamacare challenges Other individuals previously reported as Organization Trends welcomes let- from reaching the Supreme Court. ACS members of the Alliance who have ties ters to the editor. not only advocated on this issue, it told Al- to organized labor include former SEIU Reprints are available for $2.50 pre- liance members it drafted materials used by executive Anna Burger and National Edu- paid to Capital Research Center. Senate Democrats to make the rule change 2 October 2014 Foundation Watch cation Association executive director John business people, and trust fund recipients. intricate network of organizations, funders, C. Stocks. In a nutshell, they fund left-wing groups that and activists that compose what Stein said want to, in the words of Barack Obama, “fun- was the conservative movement. “This is The surging infl uence of the labor movement damentally transform the United States of perhaps the most potent, independent, insti- within the Democracy Alliance mirrors the America.” Leftist blogger Markos Moulitsas tutionalized apparatus ever assembled in a renewed popularity of its favored policies called it “a vast, Vast Left Wing Conspiracy democracy to promote one belief system,” in the Obama White House. President to rival” the conservative movement. he warned them. Obama’s policies are closely aligned with those advocated by the labor movement, The Alliance has been around for almost a Stein argued that the Left could not com- whose activists did so much to help Obama’s decade now. It was born out of the frustration pete electorally because it was hopelessly election in 2008 and re-election in 2012. of wealthy left-wingers who gave gener- outgunned by the right’s think tanks, legal For example, the president has embarked ously to liberal candidates and 527 political advocacy organizations, and leadership on a public relations offensive this year in committees in the 2004 election cycle, but schools. (Stein failed to mention that the an effort to pressure Congress to raise the were bitterly disappointed when John Kerry Left enjoys control of almost all universi- federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. failed to beat George W. Bush for the presi- ties, large foundations, and mainstream He has also taken executive action aimed at dency. George Soros, Progressive Insurance media outlets.) ensuring federal contractors use the $10.10 chairman Peter B. Lewis, and S&L tycoons minimum. Labor unions benefi t from such Herb and Marion Sandler were angry and In the age of the so-called imperial presi- increases because many collective bargaining discouraged after contributing to the Media dency, capturing the White House is all- agreements require pay raises for higher-paid Fund, which spent $57 million on TV ads important, Stein later told a panel discussion members whenever the minimum wage rises. attacking President Bush in swing states, at the Democratic National Convention in The labor movement also backs Obama’s and to America Coming Together, a labor- 2008. “The reason it is so important to control push to redistribute more taxpayer money as backed 527 group that spent $78 million on government is because government is the a way to reduce economic inequality.