Live Action

From SourceWatch
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Live Action is a 501(c)(3) anti-abortion organization that advocates for a nation-wide abortion ban and for the defunding of Planned Parenthood. Officially formed as a nonprofit in 2008 by Lila Rose, Live Action rose to prominence in 2011 when the organization produced a series of hoax "sting" videos to target Planned Parenthood.[1]

Rose had previously collaborated with conservative activist James O'Keefe in 2006 to produce undercover videos inside Planned Parenthood clinics, with Rose posing as a minor and O'Keefe as her adult "boyfriend." O'Keefe would later gain notoriety when, in 2009, he produced heavily edited videos targeting the community group ACORN.[2][3]

Referring to itself as the "digital leader of the global pro-life movement," Live Action has a particularly large social media presence.[4] As of March 2024, Live Action claims to have 6 million social media followers and 1.8 billion lifetime video views across several platforms.[4]

News and Controversies

Baby Olivia Video

In August 2021, Live Action released the "Baby Olivia" video, which the organization claims is "the world's most realistic and medically accurate animated representation of a child developing in her mother's womb.[5] However, according to the Washington Post, the medical accuracy of the video has been called into question by medical experts and abortion rights advocates. The video employs a non-standard method for counting the weeks of pregnancy, and therefore shows milestones occurring two weeks earlier than what is conventionally understood among the public. Michael Belmonte, an OB/GYN interviewed by the Washington Post, notes that the video mischaracterizes how early survival outside the womb is possible and uses the sound of a fully developed heartbeat at a developmental stage where only electrical impulses would occur. Additional opposition centers around the emotionally manipulative quality of the video, which not only asserts that a "new human being has come into existence" at the moment of fertilization, but also names the fetus and describes movements that are learned after birth. [6]

North Dakota became the first state in April 2023 to pass a bill mandating that the "Baby Olivia" or another presentation like it be shown in schools. As of March 2024, similar legislation is being considered in Iowa, West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri, all of which make specific reference to the "Baby Olivia" video. According to AP, the existing North Dakota law requires health and human sexuality courses to include a three-minute ultrasound video and a computer-generated rendering of development in the womb. Although the law does not mandate that the "Baby Olivia" video is used, North Dakota's department of public instruction specifically references it as an option.[7]

Undercover Planned Parenthood Videos

Beginning in 2006, Live Action founder Lila Rose posed as a pregnant teenager, claiming to Planned Parenthood clinic employees on different occasions to be a minor, pregnant via statutory rape, or seeking a sex-selective abortion. Rose also coordinated other anti-abortion activists in conducting similar undercover "stings" inside clinics. The secretly recorded conversations were uploaded online to Live Action's website and YouTube, prompting public backlash against Planned Parenthood and resulting in several investigations by local governments, suspended grants, and the firing of at least one local Planned Parenthood staffer.[1] In January 2011, Planned Parenthood alerted local and federal authorities that 12 of its centers in 6 states had been visited by a man who sometimes claimed to be a child sex trafficker. Live Action ultimately confessed that this man was one of its members posing as a trafficker. Videos were posted online in February 2011, the first of which purported to show a Planned Parenthood employee turning a blind eye to the sexual exploitation of a minor.[8]

However, several media outlets have scrutinized Live Action's Planned Parenthood videos, finding them to be heavily edited and misleading. According to POLITICO, when compared against raw footage, the propaganda videos were deceptively edited. These techniques included "omitting footage from a conversation that casts Planned Parenthood in a favorable way," "taking pieces of conversation out of context," "re-ordering conversations," and "using subtitles to create misimpressions."[3] ABC News reports that although one New Jersey clinic employee was filmed (and subsequently fired for) "coaching" the man on how to conceal the alleged crime, additional videos show workers at other clinics acting professionally and appropriately. One example is a conversation filmed inside a Virginia clinic where an employee lays out the legal guidelines for a minor seeking an abortion. Despite Rose's claims that the video shows the employee giving advice on how to nefariously circumvent parental consent laws, the guidance was consistent with state law.[9]

Ties to ALEC

At the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) annual States and Nation Policy Summit in 2022, ALEC hosted a reception with Live Acton on "how to winsomely educate, persuasively communicate, and legally defend the equal protection of pre-born Americans.[10]

According to the Washington Post, the controversial "Baby Olivia" video was played during a side session at a summit organized by the American Legislative Exchange Council in 2023.[6]

About ALEC
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our ExposedbyCMD.org site.

Funding

  • Alaska Community Foundation: $5,250 (2022)
  • Alliance Defending Freedom: $25,000 (2021)
  • American Endowment Foundation: $29,000 (2020-2022)
  • American Online Giving Foundation: $121,797 (2019-2021)
  • Ayco Charitable Foundation: $9,750 (2022)
  • Blue Grass Community Foundation: $10,000 (2018-2020)
  • California Community Foundation: $250,000 (2018-2021)
  • Catholic Community Foundation of Los Angeles: $5,000 (2018)
  • Cdl Family Foundation: $50,000 (2021)
  • Charities Aid Foundation America: $5,258 (2021)
  • Charles and Linda Corbalis Family Foundation: $40,000 (2018-2022)
  • Charles and Mary Crossed Foundation: $31,201 (2021-2022)
  • Christian Community Foundation: $5,700 (2020)
  • Community Foundation of Abilene: $9,000 (2020)
  • Community Foundation of North Central Washington: $10,000 (2021)
  • Covenant Foundation: $20,500 (2018-2021)
  • De La Luz Family Foundation: $20,000 (2019-2021)
  • Dwight K. Kay: $1,100,000 (2021)
  • Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation: $160,000 (2018-2022)
  • Farms for Life Foundation: $15,000 (2021-2022)
  • Farrell Family Foundation: $10,000 (2022)
  • Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund: $347,402 (2018-2021)
  • Frances Saunders Foundation: $7,500 (2022)
  • Francis P Chiaramonte MD Family Foundation: $20,000 (2019-2022)
  • Give Lively Foundation: $5,931 (2022)
  • Giving University: $861,300 (2020-2021)
  • Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund: $110,000 (2018-2021)
  • Global Compassion Services: $24,000 (2018-2022)
  • Greater Houston Community Foundation: $25,500 (2019)
  • H & H Lee Charitable Foundation: $15,000 (2022)
  • Heavenly Father's Foundation: $2,700,000 (2020-2021)
  • Immanuel Charitable Foundation: $5,000 (2019)
  • It Takes a Family Foundation: $442,000 (2018-2022)
  • John Sluck and Anita Sluck Foundation: $4,000 (2020)
  • Karpus Family Foundation: $25,000 (2022)
  • KatherineJames Foundation: $300,000 (2021-2022)
  • Luke and Whitney Pent Foundation: $32,500 (2020)
  • Majella Cares: $50,000 (2021)
  • Maximum Impact Foundation: $103,000 (2020-2022)
  • Mercy Works Foundation: $90,000 (2020-2022)
  • Merrick Foundation: $4,000 (2022)
  • Moran Foundation: $60,000 (2018-2022)
  • Morgan N. Smith: $359,000 (2021)
  • Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust: $45,000 (2020-2022)
  • National Christian Charitable Foundation: $717,917 (2018-2022)
  • National Philanthropic Trust: $98,000 (2018-2021)
  • Network For Good: $6,896 (2020)
  • Nextgen Foundation Charitable Trust: $13,000 (2020-2022)
  • Queen of Angels California Foundation: $80,000 (2018-2021)
  • Quentin J Kennedy Foundation: $10,000 (2021-2022)
  • Robert and Bernarda Neal Foundation: $25,000 (2021-2022)
  • Schwab Charitable Fund: $406,860 (2018-2021)
  • Servant Foundation: $1,022,350 (2019-2021)
  • Slaggie Family Foundation: $22,000 (2021-2022)
  • Susan B Anthony List Education Fund: $100,000 (2020)
  • The Blackbaud Giving Fund: $12,760 (2022)
  • The David and Willa Grace Wynne Foundation: $12,500 (2022)
  • The Martin Family Foundation: $380,000 (2018-2022)
  • The Montgomery Family Foundation: $10,000 (2019)
  • The Signatry: $1,000,000 (2021)
  • Timmis Family Foundation: $10,000 (2020-2021)
  • Timothy and Sheila Patton Family Charitable Trust: $5,000 (2019)
  • Tulsa Community Foundation: $25,000 (2019)
  • Usatransform: $150,000 (2020-2022)
  • Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program: $132,000 (2020-2021)

Core Financials

2022[11]

  • Total Revenue: $13,507,350
  • Total Expenses: $13,910,402
  • Net Assets: $6,487,295

Grants Distributed

  • Heartbeat International: $10,000
  • Kingdom Alliance Builders: $8,400

2021[12]

  • Total Revenue: $14,373,019
  • Total Expenses: $13,409,722
  • Net Assets: $7,541,450

Grants Distributed

2020[13]

  • Total Revenue: $7,476,280
  • Total Expenses: $5,201,052
  • Net Assets: $6,518,823

2019[14]

  • Total Revenue: $5,102,067
  • Total Expenses: $4,155,291
  • Net Assets: $4,243,592

2018[15]

  • Total Revenue: $2,962,915
  • Total Expenses: $2,818,118
  • Net Assets: $3,296,817

Personnel

As of November 2023:

Staff

  • Josef Lipp, Chief Operating Officer
  • Gabriel Renfro, Vice President of Content
  • Devin Sena, Director of Social Media
  • Kimberly Bird, Vice President of External Relations
  • Noah Brandt, Vice President of Communications

Former Staff

  • David Daleiden, Director of Research[16]

Board of Directors

  • Lila Rose, President
  • Berni Neal, Secretary
  • Michael Cowan, Treasurer
  • Lawrence Simpson
  • Cody Thompson

Contact Information

Live Action
2200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 102
Arlington, VA 22201

EIN: 42-1764425

Phone: (323) 454-3304
Web page: http://liveaction.org/
Facebook: Live Action
Instagram: @liveactionorg
LinkedIn: Live Action
Twitter: @LiveAction

Articles and Resources

IRS 990s Filings

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jennifer Ludden, "Sting Videos Part of Longtime Campaign Against Planned Parenthood", NPR, July 22, 2015.
  2. ↑ Eric Eckholm, Jennifer Medina Anti-Abortion Groups Step Up Campaign Against Planned Parenthood, New York Times, February 2, 2011
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 POLITICO, Press Backgrounder: Lila Rose, Live Action and the Disingenuous Attacks on Women’s Health Care and Planned Parenthood, POLITICO, accessed March 6, 2024.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Live Action, Home, organizational website, accessed March 8, 2024.
  5. ↑ Nancy Flanders, "Meet 'Baby Olivia': Live Action Releases Groundbreaking Project Showcasing Fetal Development", Live Action, August 9, 2021.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/29/baby-olivia-legislation-schools/ "Antiabortion Group's 'Baby Olivia' Video May Be Required in Some Schools"), Washington Post, February 29, 2024.
  7. ↑ Hannah Fingerhut, "Sex Ed Classes in Some States May Soon Watch a Fetal Development Video from an Anti-Abortion Group", AP, February 22, 2024.
  8. ↑ Eyder Peralta, "Conservative Group Sets Up Planned Parenthood 'Sting'", NPR, February 1, 2011.
  9. ↑ ABC News, "Abortion Activists Attempt to Discredit Planned Parenthood with Second Video," ABC NEWS, February 3, 2011.
  10. ↑ David Armiak, "ALEC Lawmakers and Corporate Lobbyists Meet in D.C. to Debate Rewriting the Constitution, Punishing Socially Responsibly Businesses, and Protecting Misinformation", ExposedbyCMD,' November 30, 2022.
  11. ↑ Live Action, 2022 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, September 18, 2023.
  12. ↑ Live Action, 2021 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, November 11, 2022.
  13. ↑ Live Action, 2020 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, October 27, 2021.
  14. ↑ Live Action, 2019 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, October 25, 2020.
  15. ↑ Live Action, 2021 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, November 4, 2019.
  16. ↑ Mark Potok, "Group Attacking Planned Parenthood Linked to Extremists", Southern Poverty Law Center, August 31, 2015.
Retrieved from "https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Live_Action&oldid=830089"