CRC HighlightDemocracy by the Numbers
Top "Democracy Alliance” Backers Have Divided Loyalties in the ‘Money Primary’ By: Matthew Vadum and James Dellinger Major players in the powerful liberal group called the Democracy Alliance (DA) are backing different horses in the approaching Democratic presidential primaries, according to available election finance reports. Created three years ago by affluent Democratic Party donors led by philanthropist and Open Society Institute founder George Soros, the DA aims to create a permanent political infrastructure of nonprofits, think tanks, media outlets, leadership schools, and activist groups—a kind of “vast left-wing conspiracy” to compete with the conservative movement. So far it’s brokered more than $100 million in grants to liberal nonprofits. The goal is not merely to elect Democrats this November, but to permanently realign U.S. politics. Although it is officially nonpartisan, the DA has cultivated deep and extensive ties to the Democratic Party establishment. Examining the political giving patterns of the DA’s most prominent members in 2007 unearths the partisan roots that remain intact: DA Vice Chairman Anna Burger, secretary-treasurer of SEIU, Washington, DC John Edwards $2,300 DA Secretary-Treasurer Drummond Pike, founder and president of the Tides Foundation, Mill Valley, California John Edwards $2,300 Former DA chairman (who remains a DA member) Steven M. Gluckstern, founder of investment banking firm Azimuth Alternative Assets, New York, New York Barack Obama $2,300 Rob Reiner, Hollywood actor-director, Beverly Hills, California Hillary Clinton $4,600 Bill Richardson $2,300 John Edwards $1,150 Chris Dodd $1,000 George Soros, investor and philanthropist, New York, New York Barack Obama $2,100 Jonathan Soros (George’s son), business executive, New York, New York Barack Obama $2,100 Deborah Rappaport, high-tech investor, Woodside, California John Edwards $4,600 Tim Gill, software entrepreneur, Denver, Colorado Bill Richardson $2,300 John Edwards $2,300 Guy Saperstein, (retired) trial lawyer, Piedmont, California Vote Hope, a pro-Barack Obama PAC, $5,000 John Edwards, $1,000 Mark Buell, (retired) businessman, San Francisco, California Hillary Clinton $4,600 Susie Tompkins Buell (Mark’s wife), co-founder of the clothier Esprit, San Francisco, California Hillary Clinton $4,600 Bren Simon, president of property management and development firm MBS Associates LLC, Los Angeles, California Bill Richardson $4,600 Hillary Clinton $4,600 Gail Furman, psychologist, New York, New York Hillary Clinton $4,200 *The DA does not make its membership list publicly available. Deborah Rappaport (and her husband, Andy) were involved in creating the DA but it is unclear if she remains a member. Members, who are called “partners,” pay an initial $25,000 fee and $30,000 in yearly dues. They also must pledge to give at least $200,000 annually to groups that the Alliance endorses. The DA has at least 101 donor-members, both individuals and organizations.
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