America Coming Together

America Coming Together (ACT) is one of five 527 committees engaged in supporting a Democratic candidate in U.S. presidential election, 2004. ACT "is responsible for get-out-the-vote efforts." [1]

"Democratic groups have created an operation that combines close coordination with a division of labor designed to avoid duplication of effort and maximize resources." The other four allied groups are the Thunder Road Group, which "will concentrate on research and rapid response"; the Media Fund, "the principal vehicle for pro-Democratic television commercials by the coalition"; America Votes, "the umbrella organization that will stitch together the activities of various progressive organizations"; and Joint Victory Campaign 2004, "a combined fundraising committee." [2]

FEC fine

In August 2007, the U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) fined ACT $775,000, for having "violated election law by funding too much of its activity with money raised outside federal restrictions," reported The Hill. The fine was the largest ever levied against a 527 group. [3]

An FEC statement explained, "For most of the 2004 election cycle, ACT used an allocation ratio of 2 percent federal funds and 98 percent non-federal funds for its administrative expenses and generic voter drives. ... ACT was required to use a substantially higher proportion of federal funds." The Hill reported, "ACT and other 527 groups have eschewed spending so-called federal funds because they must be raised in limited increments. Non-federal funds, also known as soft money, are much easier to generate because they can be collected in unlimited amounts." [4]

History

In August 2003, hedge fund investor and philanthropist George Soros announced he would donate $10 million to ensure that Bush was not re-elected. [5] The initial newstories indicated that the PAC would be named America Coming Together and would campaign in 17 key states.

An AP article identified the states as Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. [6]

In a statement announcing the grants, Soros stated "The fate of the world depends on the United States and President Bush is leading us in the wrong direction. ACT is an effective way to mobilize civil society, to convince people to go to the polls and vote for candidates who will reassert the values of the greatest open society in the world."

Feminist Daily News Wire reported that the group would form a coalition comprising women's rights, labor, and environmental groups and aimed to raise $75 million by the November election. [7]

Personnel

• Ellen R. Malcolm, President
• Steve Rosenthal, Chief Executive Officer
• Minyon Moore
• Gina Glantz
• Carl Pope, Treasurer
• Cecile Richards
• JoDee Winterhof, ACT Political Director
• Donald Redmond, National Field Director

ACT contributors

• Open Secrets: Advocacy Group Spending ("data is based on records released by the Internal Revenue Service on Monday, March 08, 2004"):

The three largest contributors to date are:

• Soros Fund Management ($5,000,000.00)
• Joint Victory Campaign 2004 ($3,000,000.00); and
• Progressive Corp. ($2,995,000.00).

• According to the March 10, 2004, Washington Post, "The Democratic 527 organizations have drawn support from some wealthy liberals determined to defeat Bush. They include financier George Soros and his wife, Susan Weber Soros, who gave $5 million to ACT and $1.46 million to MoveOn.org; Peter B. Lewis, chief executive of the Progressive Corp., who gave $3 million to ACT and $500,000 to MoveOn; and Linda Pritzker, of the Hyatt hotel family, and her Sustainable World Corp., who gave $4 million to the joint fundraising committee." [8]

Contact

Main Office
Suite 450
888 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202.974.8360
Fax: 202.974.8361

Fundraising Office
Suite 1120
1120 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202.419.1040
Fax: 202.419.1050
Email: info AT act4victory.org
Web: http://www.americacomingtogether.com (Website no longer active as of September 2007)

SourceWatch resources

• 527 committee
• 501c4
• Democratic National Committee
• Global insurgency for change
• internet activism
• soft money
• Soft money groups
• Andrew Grossman

External links

• "Liberals Form PAC to Oust Bush", Feminist Daily News Wire, August 8, 2003.
• Kathy Kiely, Liberals finding their voice - and it's angry, USAToday, December 1, 2003.
• Thalif Deen, 'Open Society' Advocate Soros Funds Plan to Block Bush, Inter Press Service, September 13, 2003.
• Anne-Marie O'Connor and Ronald Brownstein, America Coming Together: Hollywood Political Event Stirs Up Storm, Los Angeles Times, December 3, 2003.
• David Postman, Democrats worried by emerging liberal force, Seattle Times, December 6, 2003.
• Thomas B. Edsall, Money, Votes Pursued for Democrats. Many Groups Formed to Offset Campaign Finance Curbs, Overcome GOP Edge, Washington Post, December 7, 2003.
• Alexander Bolton, "FEC fines America Coming Together $775,000," The Hill, August 29, 2007.