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The In 2009, under the leadership of its CEO Eric O'Keefe, the [[Sam Adams Alliance (SAM) ]] helped to “launch” launch the [[Franklin Center in 2009for Government and Public Integrity]], and provided the new organization with "seed money," according to the National Journal.<ref name=“watchdog”> Pew Research Center’s Journalism ProjectPress release, [http://featureswww.journalismprnewswire.orgcom/news-releases/nonsam-adams-alliance-launches-profitnew-news/watchdogs/ Nonwebsite-Profit News85374402.html Sam Adams Alliance Launches New Website], accessed December 11, 2013.</ref> According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel<ref> Eric O’Keefe, in “its first yearChairman and CEO, the Franklin Center had a $2.9 million budget, much of it from the libertarian Sam Adams Alliance.” <ref name=“Bice”> Daniel Bice, [http://www.jsonlinelibertyguide.com/watchdogresources/noquarter9-how-understanding-politics-helps-in-policy/127152603.html Conservative outlets write all the news that fits their tiltHow Understanding Politics Helps in Policy] JSonline.com, August 7Liberty Guide, October 18, 20112012.</ref>That year, SAM’s Chief Executive Office –Eric O'Keefe—was featured as a speaker at Wisconsin’s “Defending the American Dream Summit,” funded by David Koch's right-wing group "Americans for Prosperity" (AFP). <ref name=”summit”> Americans for ProsperityJulie Kosterlitz, [http://americansforprosperityweb.orgebscohost.com/filesehost/AFPWISummitdetail?sid=90b97918-666c-4208-bc3a-03764ac32a47%40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=118&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zNzMyNDk2NCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=46796077 Conservative Watchdogs Awake], National Journal, Dec.pdf12, Event Advertisement] accessed December 11, 20132009.</ref> As the Center for Media and Democracy/PRWatch.org has reported: :“O'Keefe frequently and positively profiles the Tea Party and attacks health care reform and other progressive ideas. He also helped launch the ‘American Majority’ group which trains conservatives to run for office. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Club for Growth Wisconsin, which ran divisive ads in support of Scott Walker's radical overhaul of collective bargaining rights for Wisconsin workers. He previously worked for David Koch's AFP predecessor group named "Citizens for a Sound Economy," among other roles”<ref name= “franklin”“watchdog”>Sara JervingPew Research Center’s Journalism Project, [http://wwwfeatures.prwatchjournalism.org/non-profit-news/2011watchdogs/10/10971/franklinNon-center-right-wing-funds-state-news-source Franklin Center: Right Wing Funds State Profit News Source], PRWatch.orgaccessed December 11, October 7, 20112013.</ref/>
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Changed PRW URLs from HTTP to HTTPS
According to a 2010 article in AlterNet, the Alliance provides over 75 percent of the funding for the libertarian conservative group [[American Majority]].<ref name=gm>George Monbiot, [http://www.alternet.org/media/149197/are_right-wing_libertarian_internet_trolls_getting_paid_to_dumb_down_online_conversations/?page=1 "Are Right-Wing Libertarian Internet Trolls Getting Paid to Dumb Down Online Conversations?"] AlterNet, Dec. 15, 2010.</ref>
==Connection to Other Conservative Non-profitsthe Franklin Center==
The State Policy Network’s (SPN) website also lists O’Keefe’s ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' reported that in “its first year, the [[Franklin Center]] had a $2.9 million budget, much of it from the libertarian Sam Adams Alliance as one .” <ref name=“Bice”> Daniel Bice, [http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquarter/127152603.html Conservative outlets write all the news that fits their tilt] JSonline.com, August 7, 2011.</ref> ==Funding== ===2006===According to Jane Mayer in ''Dark Money'', "Tax records showed that some 88 percent of the state think tanks which receive Sam Adams Alliance's funding that year came from a single gift of $3.7 million from SPNa mysterious undisclosed donor. "<ref name=“spn”"jm">Jane Mayer, [Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right], ''Jane Mayer'', 2016.</ref> ==Founder Eric O'Keefe==As the Center for Media and Democracy/PRWatch.org has reported, SAM’s Chief Executive Office and founder [[Eric O'Keefe]]: :“...frequently and positively profiles the [[Tea Party]] and attacks health care reform and other progressive ideas. He also helped launch the ‘[[American Majority]]’ group which trains conservatives to run for office. He sits on the Board of Directors of the [[Club for Growth Wisconsin]], which ran divisive ads in support of [[Scott Walker]]'s radical overhaul of collective bargaining rights for Wisconsin workers. He previously worked for David Koch's AFP predecessor group named "[[Citizens for a Sound Economy]]," among other roles”<ref name=“franklin”>Sara Jerving, [https://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/10/10971/franklin-center-right-wing-funds-state-news-source Franklin Center: Right Wing Funds State Policy NetworkNews Source], PRWatch.org, October 7, 2011.</ref> <ref name-"eric"> Eric O'Keefe [http://www.spneric-okeefe.orgcom/directoryAbout Eric], Personal Website, accessed December 11, 2013.</samref> In 2009, [[Eric O'Keefe]] was featured as a speaker at Wisconsin’s “Defending the American Dream Summit,” funded by [[David Koch]]'s right-adams-alliance Same Adams Alliancewing group "[[Americans for Prosperity]]" (AFP). <ref name=”summit”> Americans for Prosperity, Official website[http://americansforprosperity.org/files/AFPWISummit.pdf, Event Advertisement] accessed December 11, 2013.</ref> ==Other Projects== SAM also launched Judgepedia, Ballotpedia, and Sunshine Review, which later became part of the [[Lucy Burns Institute]], which is run by O'Keefe's wife, Leslie Graves. <ref> Hart Williams, [http://themoderatevoice.com/119043/wisconsin-money-laundering/ Wisconsin Money Laundering], The Moderate Voice, Aug 7, 2011.</ref>
==Personnel==
Staff included:
*[[Jason Stverak]], Former regional field director (currently the President of the [[Franklin Center]] for Government & Public Integrity)
*Yvonne Ralsky, Executive Director (former Senior Vice President at [[Fleishman-Hillard]], Director of Media Outreach at [[U.S. Department of State]], Public Affairs at [[U.S. Department of Labor]])
*Anne Sorock, Director of Marketing (who wrote an interesting op ed for the ''Daily Caller'' in March 2011<ref>Anne Sorock [http://dailycaller.com/2011/03/23/what-tea-partiers-and-the-madison-protesters-have-in-common/ What union protesters and Tea Partiers have in common], The Daily Caller, March 23, 2011</ref>)
Tel: 312-920-0080<br>
Fax: 312-920-0090<br>
Email: info AT @samadamsalliance.org <br>
Website: http://www.samadamsalliance.org
[[Category:Politics (US)]]
