Sean Noble

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Sean Noble is a former Congressional Aid and GOP consultant who served as the Chief of Staff for Congressman John Shadegg (R-AZ) for over a decade [1] before entering the nonprofit world in 2009 and becoming the Executive Director/President of Center to Protect Patient Rights(CPPR), a "dark money" 501(c)4 linked to the 2011 largest campaign finance money laundering scheme in California.[2] In his position as Chief of Staff to Congressman Shadegg in 2008, Noble earned $87,000 a year, and when he transitioned into his role in the nonprofit arena in 2009, bought a rowhouse on Capitol Hill and an eight-bedroom home in Utah, amounting to a value of over one million dollars.[3] Court records show that he made over $2.3 million in 2011.[4]

Sean Noble

According to a ProPublica report, "Noble appears to have lost his central position in the Koch empire, undone by poor election results and a California investigation that shined an unwelcome light on some of the Center’s inner workings."[5]

For more insight on the political musings and perspective of this public figure, visit his blog which covers issue areas from criticisms of the current Administration to the politics of boy scouting.[6]

Koch Wiki

Charles Koch is the right-wing billionaire owner of Koch Industries. As one of the richest people in the world, he is a key funder of the right-wing infrastructure, including the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the State Policy Network (SPN). In SourceWatch, key articles on Charles Koch and his late brother David include: Koch Brothers, Americans for Prosperity, Stand Together Chamber of Commerce, Stand Together, Koch Family Foundations, Koch Universities, and I360.

Professional Background

In addition to his role with CPPR and Presidency of Noble & Associates, Noble owns and serves as the President for DC London, Inc., a political consulting group based out of Arizona and D.C. which mysteriously uses the same founding address as American Commitment and Free Enterprise America. [7] Noble has also been identified as a member of the board for American Commitment, another dark money 501(c)4 organization. [7]

According to his online profile on LinkedIn, Noble worked as a Consultant for the National Republican Congressional Committee from 1999-2000, as a consultant for Tom Coburn for U.S. Senate from September 2004 to November 2004, as the Victory Chairman for the Arizona Republican Party from September 2006 to November 2006, the Chief of Staff for Congressman Shadegg from January 1995-June 2008, as Consultant/Campaign Manager for John Shadegg's Friends from June 2008-November 2008, and as the President of Noble & Associates from June 2008-December 2010. [8]

As the President and Executive Director of CPPR in 2009[9] , 2010[10] and 2011[11], despite working a reported 40 hours a week, CPPR reported paying Noble $0 compensation for his work. Instead, CPPR paid out $190,000 to Noble & Associates, listing Sean Noble as the interested person receiving those funds in 2009 for Management and Fundraising services[9], and paid out $340,000 to Noble & Associates for Management Services in 2010[10], and in 2011 paid out 477,531 to Noble & Associates for Consulting as well as 2,645,000 to D.C.London, Inc (Noble-founded consulting firm) for consulting services.[11]

Ties to the Koch Brothers

Noble has been cited as a "Koch operative," who has participated in annual Koch donor meetings, speaking on issues such as voter attitudes and electoral mapping of upcoming elections.[12] In 2010, Noble sat on a panel with Americans for Prosperity director Art Pope, a former right-wing legislator and founder of right-wing John Locke Foundation, GOP operative Jim Ellis who was indicted in 2005 for an alleged scheme to use corporate political donations illegally to support candidates, and Ed Gillespie who co-founded Crossroads GPS with Karl Rove.[12] Also in 2010, Noble presented a panel entitled "Mobilizing Citizens for November" with fellow panelists: Karl Crow of Themis, a Koch Industries-backed voter database; Mark Mix of National Right to Work, an anti-union legal defense network; and Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity which was founded by David Koch and Richard Fink [13] The topic of this panel was summarized as a "strategic plan" to back leaders and voters for a new administration that is committed to liberty and prosperity. In addition, Noble was listed as a speaker for the 2011 Koch Summit in Rancho Mirage, California.

According to a ProPublica report, "One of the biggest beneficiaries of the Koch network’s money was Sean Noble himself...The Center paid three firms owned by Noble almost $24 million for consulting and other services in 2012—or more than $1 of every $6 it spent."[14]

Campaign Contributions

According to FEC reports, Noble has spent over $21,350 in political contributions, naming himself in a variety of titles per contribution. [15] In 2006, from his position as Arizona Republican Party "Victory Chairman," he contributed $250 to Graf for Congress. [16] In 2008, Noble made contributions to Political Committee "David Schweikert (R-AZ) for Congress" in the amount of $2000 in his position as Chief of Staff for Congressman Shadegg. [17]. Also in 2008:

  • $500 to "Allen West for Congress" as Sean Noble, self employed consultant[18]
  • another $500 to "Allen West for Congress" (recorded on the next consecutive day) as Sean Noble, self-employed consultant [19]

Noble's contributions in 2009 to PACs for conservative candidates include:

  • $1000 to PAC "John Shadeggs Friends," naming himself as Consultant for Noble & Associates [20]
  • another $250 to "John Shadeggs Friends" as consultant for Noble & Associates [21]
  • $1200 to "Coburn for Senate 2010" as consultant for Noble Associates LLC[22]
  • $500 to "Robert Hurt for Congress" as self-employed consultant[23]

Contributions for 2010 include:

  • $250 to "Johnathan Paton for Congress" as consultant for Nobel Associates LLC[24]
  • $2400 to "Jim Ward for Congress" as consultant for Noble Associates, LLC[25]
  • $500 to "Bernier for Congress" as consultant for Noble Associates[26]
  • $500 to "Mark Rubio for US Senate" as consultant for Noble Associates, LLC[27]

Contributions for the 2011 election cycle include:

  • $2000 to "National Republican Senatorial Committee" as Partner of DC-London, Inc [28]
  • $2000 to "Adam Hasner for US Senate" as partner for DC-London, Inc.[29]
  • $2500 to "Kirk Adams for Congress" as President of Noble Associates[30]
  • $2500 to "Citizens for Josh Mandel" as Managing Partner for DC-London, Inc[31]
  • $2500 to "David McIntosh for Indiana" as Executive for DC-London, Inc.[32]

References

  1. ↑ DC London homepage, accessed June 3, 2013.
  2. ↑ Andy Kroll, Campaign Money Laundering Scheme revealed, kind of, Mother Jones, November 5, 2012.
  3. ↑ Alison Fitzgerald and Jonathan D. Salant, Secret Political Cash Moves Through Nonprofit Daisy Chain, BloombergBusinesweek, October 15, 2012.
  4. ↑ Kim Barker and Theodoric Meyer, "The Dark Money Man: How Sean Noble Moved the Kochs’ Cash into Politics and Made Millions," ProPublica, February 14, 2014.
  5. ↑ Kim Barker and Theodoric Meyer, "The Dark Money Man: How Sean Noble Moved the Kochs’ Cash into Politics and Made Millions," ProPublica, February 14, 2014.
  6. ↑ Sean Noble,Blog Posts from Sean Noble, NobleThinking, accessed June 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ Jump up to: 7.0 7.1 Viveca Novak, Center to Protect Patients' Rights Gives Millions to outside Spenders in Elections, OpenSecrets.org, December 17, 2012.
  8. ↑ Sean Noble LinkedIn Profile, Online Social Media Profile, accessed June 6, 2013.
  9. ↑ Jump up to: 9.0 9.1 IRS reported compensation to Noble in 2009, 2009 IRS 990 for CPPR, accessed June 6, 2013.
  10. ↑ Jump up to: 10.0 10.1 IRS reported compensation to Noble in 2010, 2010 IRS 990 for CPPR, accessed June 6, 2013.
  11. ↑ Jump up to: 11.0 11.1 IRS reported compensation to Noble in 2011, 2011 IRS 990 for CPPR, accessed June 6, 2013.
  12. ↑ Jump up to: 12.0 12.1 Kenneth Vogel and Ben Smith, Koch Brothers' plan for 2012: raise $88 million, Politico, Accessed June 4, 2013.
  13. ↑ Agenda and Invitation to Koch Summit, Accessed June 4, 2013
  14. ↑ Kim Barker and Theodoric Meyer, "The Dark Money Man: How Sean Noble Moved the Kochs’ Cash into Politics and Made Millions," ProPublica, February 14, 2014.
  15. ↑ FEC Political Committee Contributions from Sean Noble
  16. ↑ FEC filing for Graf for Congress 2006
  17. ↑ Contribution to PAC for David Schweikert
  18. ↑ Contribution to PAC for Allen West
  19. ↑ 2nd Contribution to PAC for Allen West 2008
  20. ↑ 2009 PAC contribution to Shadeggs Friends
  21. ↑ 2009 Contribution to PAC for Shadegg
  22. ↑ 2009 Contribution to PAC for Coburn
  23. ↑ 2009 Contribution to PAC for Robert Hurt
  24. ↑ Contribution to Johnathan Paton PAC 2010
  25. ↑ Contribution to Jim Ward PAC 2010
  26. ↑ 2010 Contribution to Bernier PAC
  27. ↑ 2010 contribution to Rubio PAC
  28. ↑ 2011 Contribution to National Republican Senatorial Committee PAC
  29. ↑ 2011 contribution to Adam Hasner PAC
  30. ↑ 2011 Contribution to Kirk Adams PAC
  31. ↑ 2011 Contribution to Josh Mandel PAC
  32. ↑ 2011 Contribution to David McIntosh PAC
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