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'''American Majority(AM)''' is a [[right-wing 501(c)(3)]] right-wing nonprofit organization that offers training to conservative political training group established in Januarycandidates and activists. According to the organization's website, 2008 that it's mission is to "trains identify and equips a national network mold the next wave of leadership committed to individual freedom through limited government liberty-minded candidates, grassroots activists and community leaders.<ref>American Majority, [https://www.americanmajority.org/staff/ned-ryun/ Ned Ryun], organizational website, accessed July 8, 2024.</ref> AM is headquartered in Purcellville, VA, with additional offices located in Arizona, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.<ref name=about/> American Majority was founded in 2008 as an affiliate of the [[free marketSam Adams Alliance]]." Its goal is to train budding , a [[Tax Day Tea Party|Tea Party]] candidates group associated with [[Eric O'Keefe]]. According to run for school boarda 2010 article in ''AlterNet'', city council or state senate seats in local areas around 75% of the U.S., with funding for American Majority came from the hopes Sam Adams Alliance at that they will eventually run for Congresstime. The group's strategy is to raise up a <ref name="monbiot"national farm team of conservative leaders> George Monbiot, [https://web.archive.org/web/20101221070808/http://www.alternet.org/media/149197/are_right-wing_libertarian_internet_trolls_getting_paid_to_dumb_down_online_conversations?page=entire "Are Right-Wing Libertarian Internet Trolls Getting Paid to Dumb Down Online Conversations?" [[Ned Ryun]]AlterNet, one of the group's foundersDec. 15, says 2010.</ref> <ref name="Today’s county commissioner, tomorrow’s congressman. You’ve got to feed the system.pappas" /> Founders, Drew and Ned Ryun are the sons of former Kansas Republican Representative [[Jim Ryun]], who served in the House of Representatives for 10 years. [[Drew Ryun]] was a deputy director at the [[Republican National Committee]], and while Ned was a writer in the [[George W. Bush]] White House.<ref name="pappas">Alex Pappas, [http://dailycaller.com/2010/12/20/american-majority-wants-to-infuse-new-tea-party-blood-in-system/ "American Majority Wants to Infuse New Tea Party Blood in System"], ''The Daily Caller, '' December 21, 2010.</ref> As of July 2024, Ned Ryun is still formally involved with the organization, serving as AM's CEO. [[American Majority Action]] (AMA) is the 501(c)(4) arm of American Majority, and therefore "can engage in more politically tinged activities."<ref name="pappas"/> On its 2020 IRS filing, American Majority claimed to have "conducted training for 3,998 participants."<ref name="2020 990"/>
__TOC__
==News and Controversies==
===Public Watchdog Complaint Accuses AM and AMA of Violating Federal Tax Code, Concealing Donor Information===
In 2020, Campaign for Accountability (CfA) filed a complaint accusing American Majority and its advocacy arm, [[American Majority Action]] (AMA), "of unlawfully putting more than half its expenses toward political activity and concealing donor information from regulators."<ref name=amcfa>Roger Sollenberger, [https://www.salon.com/2020/07/31/exclusive-right-wing-nonprofits-hit-with-criminal-complaint-for-self-dealing-tax-violations/ "Exclusive: Right-wing nonprofits hit with criminal complaint for self-dealing, tax violations"], ''Salon'', July 31, 2020, accessed June 13, 2021.</ref> The complaint also alleges that [[Ned Ryun]], the organization's founder and CEO, "has engaged for years in inappropriate self-dealing through a complex web of transactions."<ref name=amcfa/> Campaign for Accountability claimed that AMA spent about 85% of its 2016 expenses on "direct and indirect political campaign activities", violating the federal law that disallows [[501(c)(4)]] nonprofits from "engaging primarily in political activity."<ref name=amcfa/>
Additionally, CfA alleged that American Majority mislead regulators about the sources of two identical $500,000 donations in 2015 and 2016. While the 2015 donation came from [[Leonard Leo]], the second was attributed to [[Donors Capital Fund]] (DCF). CfA alleged that neither Leo nor DCF was the true source of the $500,000 donations.<ref name=amcfa/>
In 2011, American Majority and [[American Majority Action]] created a holding company called AM Action LLC and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the company.<ref name=amcfa/> AM Action LLC set up a for-profit data firm, Voter Gravity, Inc., which works with conservative campaigns.<ref>Voter Gravity, [https://votergravity.com/about/ About], organizational website, accessed June 13, 2021.</ref> Voter Gravity is also part of CfA's complaint. As described by CfA's executive director, "Mr. Ryun appears to have built a network of organizations designed to funnel money to his for-profit companies and pay himself a salary. State and federal regulators should not allow Mr. Ryun to take advantage of nonprofit tax laws designed to support organizations that benefit the public, not private individuals."<ref name=amcfa/>
===42 Trainees Elected in Spring 2020 Elections===
American Majority claimed to have successfully placed 42 of its trainees into local and state public office in Wisconsin in the Spring 2020 elections. The 68 percent that won include “1 County Executive, 2 Judges, 23 County Board Supervisors, 8 School Board Members, and 8 Municipal Leaders.”<ref name="da">David Armiak, [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2020/04/17/42-right-wing-charitable-groups-trainees-elected-wisconsin/ 42 of Right-Wing “Charitable” Group’s Trainees Elected in Wisconsin], ''ExposedbyCMD'', April 17, 2020.</ref>>
In a blog post on its website, Wisconsin Executive Director of American Majority Nate Nelson boasts that, since it opened shop in the Badger State in 2010, 194 candidates have won office, demonstrating that “American Majority is helping to ensure that solid conservative candidates have the tools to become successful in their campaigns.”<ref>American Majority Team, [https://www.americanmajority.org/blog-2/42-american-majority-trained-new-leaders-win/], ''American Majority'', April 14, 2020.</ref>
:“In the ''American Campaign Academy v. Commissioner'' case, the Tax Court held that an organization that offered educational classes on election law and similar subjects for campaign workers, but which was focused on supporting the candidates of one particular political party, was operated for the private benefit of the political party in question and thus not entitled to tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3),” said Owens.
===Tampa Tea Party Rally===
At the "Tampa Bay Tax Day Tea Party" rally in April 2011, Ken Mayo of American Majority "encouraged the crowd to get involved in local elections and stop in-party fighting before the 2012 Republican presidential primary." Florida Senator Marco Rubio also spoke at the event attended by an estimated 5,000. <ref> Robbyn Mitchell, [https://web.archive.org/web/20130701204803/https://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/spending-rules-the-day-as-rubio-rallies-tea-party-crowd-in-tampa/1164160/ "Spending Rules the Day as Rubio Rallies Tea Party Crowd in Tampa"], ''St. Petersburg Times'', April 16, 2011.</ref>
===American Majority's Sponsoring of Media Trackers===
In 2017 it was revealed that the Bradley Foundation was providing significant funding to Media Trackers.<ref name="weaponized"> Mary Bottari, [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/05/05/documents-detail-bradley-foundation-efforts-build-right-wing-infrastructure-nationwide/ Weaponized Philanthropy: Document Trove Details Bradley Foundation’s Efforts to Build Right-Wing “Infrastructure” Nationwide], ''Exposed by CMD'', May 5, 2017.</ref>
==Goals =Shaping Online Content and ActivitiesDiscussions===According to [[George Monbiot]], in the 2010 film (Astro)Turf Wars, Taki Oldham secretly recorded a training session organized by American Majority. The trainer, Austin James, was instructing [[Tea Party]] members on how to “manipulate the medium” of the Internet, “Here’s what I do. I get on Amazon; I type in “Liberal Books”. I go through and I say “one star, one star, one star”. The flipside is you go to a conservative/ libertarian whatever, go to their products and give them five stars. … This is where your kids get information: Rotten Tomatoes, Flixster. These are places where you can rate movies. So when you type in “Movies on Healthcare”, I don’t want [[Michael Moore]]’s to come up, so I always give it bad ratings. I spend about 30 minutes a day, just click, click, click, click. … If there’s a place to comment, a place to rate, a place to share information, you have to do it. That’s how you control the online dialogue and give our ideas a fighting chance.”<ref name="monbiot"/>
==Activities==
===American Majority Action===
[[American Majority Action]](AMA), AM's sister organization and 501(c)(4) arm, Inc. is listed as a "related tax-exempt organization" on the 2018 its 2022 IRS 990 form.<ref name=AMA's primary activity is listed as "2018 990mobilizing and get-out-the-vote in support of candidates and issues."/>
===Political Training Programs===
As of July 2024, American Majority offers the following training programs:<ref>American Majority, [https://www.americanmajority.org/training/ Training], ''American Majority'', accessed July 10, 2024.</ref> *'''Candidate trainingNew Leaders Campaign Training''', "If America is in dire need of principles leadership. American Majority's flagship training gives you are looking the practical know=how necessary to move go beyond protests and ralliesactivism to affect policy as an elected official."*'''Activist trainingTraining''', learn "Learn the best on-the-ground and online organizing basics to organize and communicateaccomplish your goals."*'''Patriot 2.0 WebinarsCampaign-In-A-Day''', "Team oriented, hands-on simulated campaigns to learn to use and practice campaigning concepts and analyze what works and what doesn’t work on the web, for novices or expertscampaign trail."*'''Campus MajorityTraining''', learn "Learn about the foundational values that built our nation as well as how to organize students<ref> practically approach advocacy and activism both on and off campus."*'''Election Integrity Training''', "American Majority, [http://americanmajorityis pleased to announce a brand new training series on Election Integrity.org/political-This training/ Political training]seeks to equip individuals with the tools to be successful in defending voting rights."*'''Social Media Training''', organizational website, accessed November 2010"Learn the best on-the-ground and online organizing basics to accomplish your goals.</ref>"
In April 2011, the Wisconsin planned "seven 'Instant Activism' seminars... across the state," the first taking place in New Richmond, Wisconsin on April 9, 2011, attended by State Rep. Dean Knudson (R-Hudson) as well as local American Majority personnel and representatives of other local conservative activist groups.<ref> Jeff Holmquist [http://www.newrichmond-news.com/event/article/id/32311/ Activists seek help with promoting their causes], New Richmond News, April 14, 2011, [http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TsqxTnNrDE0J:www.newrichmond-news.com/event/article/id/32311/+Activists+seek+help+with+promoting+their+causes&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com Google cached copy] accessed April 29, 2011.</ref> American Majority's Matt Batzel explained, "We do the training in a non-partisan way.... We want to help organizations achieve their political goals. The training sessions have been very well received.”<ref>[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TsqxTnNrDE0J:www.newrichmond-news.com/event/article/id/32311/+Activists+seek+help+with+promoting+their+causes&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com Ibid.]</ref>
Brett Farley, executive director of the Oklahoma office, said with regard to the 2011 local Tulsa election, "We intend to play a role in the Tulsa election... I don't think there's going to be anything like this again in our lifetimes." The Oklahoma affiliate claims to have "trained more than 125 candidates last year, including state Sen. Josh Brecheen, R-Olney, and state schools Superintendent Janet Barresi."<ref> Wayne Greene [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20110424_16_A1_CityHa317284 Potential candidates for council emerging], ''Tulsa World'', April 24, 2011.</ref>
===Shaping Online Content and Discussions=Ties to the Bradley Foundation==According to Between 2010 and 2019, the [[George MonbiotLynde and Harry Bradley Foundation]]gave $2, in the film (Astro)Turf Wars568, Taki Oldham secretly recorded a training session organized by 720 to American Majority. The trainer, Austin James, was instructing with the [[Tea PartyBradley Impact Fund]] members on how to “manipulate the medium” of the Internet: “Here’s what I do. I get on Amazon; I type in “Liberal Books”. I go through contributing $142,000 between 2013 and I say “one star, one star, one star”2017. The flipside is you go According to a conservative/ libertarian whatever, go to their products May 2017 report by the Center for Media and give them five stars. … This is where your kids get information: Rotten TomatoesDemocracy (CMD), Flixster. These are places where you can rate movies. So when you type in “Movies on Healthcare”, I don’t want [[Michael Moore]]’s "The Bradley has given large grants to come up, so I always give it bad ratings. I spend about 30 minutes a day, just click, click, click, clicklittle-known group called American Majority contributing $1. … If there’s a place to comment8 million between 2010-2016 (American Majority, a place to rateGrant Proposal Record, a place to share information8/16/16), you have to do it. That’s how you control the online dialogue and give our ideas a fighting chance$220,000 was recommended for Wisconsin for 2016.”" <ref name="monbiotweaponized"/>See the August 2016 grant proposal [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3700865-American-Majority-Grant-Proposal.html here].{{Bradley}}
==Funding==
American Majority is not required to disclose its donors. However, the Center for Media and Democracy identified the following contributors were identified through an analysis of tax filings:<ref name="da">David Armiak *Bachman Foundation: $500 (2022)*Bailey Family Foundation: $5, 600 (2011-2020)*[https[Bradley Impact Fund]]://www.exposedbycmd.org/2020/04/17/42$142,000 (2013-right-wing-charitable-groups-trainees-elected-wisconsin/ 42 of Right-Wing “Charitable” Group’s Trainees Elected in Wisconsin2017)*[[Deramus Foundation]]: $96, ''ExposedbyCMD'', April 17, 747 (2010-2020.</ref>)
*[[Donors Capital Fund]]: $6,563,500 (2008-2016)
*[[DonorsTrust]]: $1,324,830 (2009-2018)
*[[Ed Uihlein Family Foundation]]: $6252,660,000 (2015-20172021)*[[Einhorn Family Foundation]]: $32,000 (2012-2016)*Farrell Family Foundation: $10,000 (2021-2022)*Gero Foundation: $1,000 (2021) *[[Glacs Endowment Fund]]: $3,000 (2012)*Harry E Bovay Jr Foundation: $1,500 (2022)*[[Hayden Foundation]]: $10,000 (2010-2011)*Hendry Family Foundation: $6,000 (2020-2021)
*[[Jobs First Coalition]]: $187,000 (2014)
*[[Bradley Impact FundJohn N. & Kathleen S MacDonough Foundation]]: $1421,000 (2013-2017)*[[Retail Industry Leaders AssociationLynde and Harry Bradley Foundation]]: $1252,000 (2014)*[[Deramus Foundation]]: $46568,000 720 (2010-2012)*[[Einhorn Family Foundation]]: $32,000 (2012-2016)*[[National Philanthropic Trust]]: $30,000 (2017)*[[National Christian Charitable Foundation]]: $20,000 (2014-20172019)
*[[Motion Picture Association]]: $20,000 (2015)
*[[National Association of Broadcasters]]: $10,000 (2014)
*[[National Christian Charitable Foundation]]: $20,000 (2014-2017)*[[National Philanthropic Trust]]: $91,500 (2017-2020)*[[Retail Industry Leaders Association]]: $125,000 (2014)*[[Snider Foundation]]: $5,000 (2015-2017)*The John Hicks Family Foundation: $1,000 (2014)*[[Thirteen Foundation]]: $2,114,100 (2012)
*[[Thomas D Klingenstein Fund]]: $10,000 (2011)
*[[Glacs Endowment Fund]]Wisconsin Alliance for Reform: $357,000 051 (2012)*[[John N. & Kathleen S MacDonough Foundation]]: $1,000 (20132018)
According to a 2010 article in ''AlterNet'', and American Majority President Ned Ryun himself, 75% of the funding for American Majority came from the [[Sam Adams Alliance]] , a [[Tea Party ]] group associated with dark money man [[Eric O'Keefe]]. In 2008, the year in which American Majority was founded, 88% of the alliance’s Sam Adams Alliance's money came from a single donation of $3.7 million.<ref name="monbiot"> 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> <ref name="pappas"/>
==Core Financials==
'''<big>2022</big>'''<ref name="2022 990">American Majority [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25038242-american-majority-2022-990 2022 IRS 990 tax filing], organizational tax filing, December 7, 2024</ref>
*Total Revenue: $2,599,964
*Total Expenses: $2,223,107
*Net Assets: $1,263,594
'''<big>2021</big>'''<ref name="2021 990">American Majority [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25038243-american-majority-2021-990 2021 IRS 990 tax filing], organizational tax filing, December 20, 2022</ref>
*Total Revenue: $3,348,292
*Total Expenses: $2,559,660
*Net Assets: $886,737
'''<big>2020</big>'''<ref name="2020 990">American Majority [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21273058-american-majority-2020-990 2020 IRS 990 tax filing], organizational tax filing, November 12, 2021</ref>
*Total Revenue: $2,369,517
*Total Expenses: $2,398,344
*Net Assets: $98,105
'''<big>2019</big>'''<ref name="2019 990">American Majority [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20789798-american-majority-2019-990 2019 IRS 990 tax filing], organizational tax filing, October 30, 2020</ref>
*Total Revenue: $1,724,649
*Total Expenses: $1,725,296
*Net Assets: $126,932
'''<big>2018</big>'''<ref name="2018 990">American Majority [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6841961-American-Majority-2018-990.html 2018 IRS 990 tax filing] organizational tax filing, November 11, 2019</ref>
*Total revenueRevenue: $584,024*Total expensesExpenses: $646,430
*Net Assets: $127,579
'''<big>2017</big>'''<ref name="2017 990">American Majority [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6943463-American-Majority-2017-990.html 2017 IRS 990 tax filing] organizational tax filing.</ref>
*Total revenueRevenue: $1,187,443*Total expensesExpenses: $1,351,228
*Net Assets: $391,985
'''<big>2016</big>'''<ref name="2016 990">American Majority [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6943464-American-Majoirty-2016-990.html 2016 IRS 990 tax filing] organizational tax filing, Nov. 15 2018</ref>
*Total revenueRevenue: $1,114,072*Total expensesExpenses: $1,140,609
*Net Assets: $555,770
==Personnel==
===Staff===
As of June 2020July 2024:<ref name="about">American Majority, [https://www.americanmajority.org/about/About], organizational website, accessed July 7, 2024.</ref> *Ned Ryun, Founder and CEO* Lonny Leitner, Chief of Staff*Matt Batzel, National Executive Director*Kelly Amorin, Chief Financial Officer*Lonny Leitner, Chief of Staff*Angela KelleyLauren Farrell, Director of Operations*Emily Baer, Director of Communications*[[Nate Nelson]], Wisconsin Executive Director*Jennifer DeJournett, Minnesota Executive Director* Dallas Woodhouse, North Carolina Executive Director* Tracy DuCharme, Arizona Executive Director*Liz Dickinson, Virginia Executive Director*Scott EllisRebecca Wood, Wisconsin Campus Nevada Executive Director*Lauren FarrellDawn Schween, Executive AssistantArizona Field Coordinator*Courtney HahnJaden Smith, Virginia District North Carolina Field Coordinator*Andrew LookerTami Romo, Virginia InternNevada Field Coordinator
'''Former Staff'''
* Courtney Hahn, Virginia District Coordinator* Andrew Looker, Virginia Intern*Mike Morrison, Director of Communications*Nick McIntyre, Colorado Executive Director*Micah Pearce, American Majority Wisconsin Youth Director* Kelly Amorin, Chief Financial Officer* Angela Kelley, Director of Operations* Victoria Snitsar, Virginia Field Coordinator* Scott Ellis, Wisconsin Campus Director
===Board of Directors===
As December 2018of July 2024:<ref name="2018 990"/>*Nate Ryun, CEO and Chairman*Peter Samuelson, Secretary and Treasurer*Paul Bonicelli*Kelly AmorinChris Buskirk
'''Former Directors'''
*Matt Robbins*Merrick Carey* Peter Samuelson, Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer* Kelly Amorin
==Contact Information==
Phone: (540) 338-1251 <br>
Fax: (540) 338-2326 <br>
Email: Team@AmericanMajority.org <br>
Website: http[https://www.americanmajority.org/ americanmajority.org] <br>Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/AmericanMajority/ American Majority] <br>Twitter: [https://x.com/AM_National?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor @AM_National] <br>Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/AM_National/ am_national] <br>LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-majority/ American Majority] <br>
==Articles and resourcesResources==
===IRS Form 990 Filings===
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<p>2022</p>
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<p>2021</p>
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<p>2020</p>
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<p>2019</p>
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<p>2018</p>
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{{Clear}}
===IRS Tax-Exempt Application===
<div class="docframe">
<p>1023 Filing</p>
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{{clear}}
===Related SourceWatch articles===
*[[Sam Adams 501(c)(3)]]*[[American Liberty Alliance]]*[[American Majority Action]]*[[Americans for Limited Government]]*[[Bradley Impact Fund]]*[[Center for American Progress]]*[[Donors Capital Fund]]*[[DonorsTrust]]*[[Drew Ryun]]*[[Ed Uihlein Family Foundation]]*[[Einhorn Family Foundation]]*[[free market]]*[[FreedomWorks]]*[[George Monbiot]]*[[George W. Bush]]*[[Jobs First Coalition]]*[[Leonard Leo]]*[[Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation]]*[[Media Matters]]
*[[Media Trackers]]
*[[Michelle Malkin]]
*[[Ned Ryun]]
*[[Drew RyunRedState.com]]*[[Bradley Sam Adams Alliance]]*[[Smart Girl Politics]]*[[Snider Foundation]]*[[Tea Party]]*[[Tea Party Express]]
===External Articles===
*"[http://www.bluestemprairie.com/a_bluestem_prairie/2009/01/american-majority-offers-activist-training-in-at-austin-library-on-saturday.html American Majority offers activist training in at Austin Library on Saturday]", ''A Bluestem Prairie'', January 07, 2009.