American Crossroads
Encyclopedia
American Crossroads is a 527 organization that has raised and spent tens of millions of dollars to defend and elect Republican candidates to federal office, and was very active in the 2010 U.S. midterm elections. Its president is Steven J. Law
, a former United States Deputy Secretary of Labor
for President George W. Bush
and the Chairman of the Board of Directors is former Republican National Committee
chairman Mike Duncan
. Advisers to the group include Senior Advisor and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove
and former Counselor to the President and Republican National Committee
chairman Ed Gillespie
.
, IRS reports, analysis by the independent Center for Responsive Politics
and other sources, American Crossroads' major contributors have included:
American Crossroads raised $28 million in the 2010 election cycle. 91% of the funds raised were from billionaires.
is also the president of Crossroads GPS. The Board of Directors includes Sally Vastola, Bobby Burchfield, and Rob Collins. Its policy director is Steven Duffield.
, a group that promotes “center-right policies.” Crossroads Media is a media services company that serves American Crossroads. Crossroads Media is run by Michael Dubke and David Carney, and Dubke also runs the Black Rock Group political consulting firm with Carl Forti, political director of American Crossroads. Dubke and Carney also founded Americans for Job Security
, which shares office space with Crossroads Media and at least three other political consulting firms, including the Black Rock Group.
Steven J. Law
Steven J. Law is President and CEO of American Crossroads, and President of its sister organization CrossroadsGPS. He previously held the position of Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He served as Deputy Secretary of Labor in the administration of U.S....
, a former United States Deputy Secretary of Labor
United States Deputy Secretary of Labor
United States Deputy Secretary of Labor is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Labor. In the United States federal government, the Deputy Secretary oversees the day-to-day operation of the Department of Labor, and may act as Secretary of Labor during the absence...
for President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and the Chairman of the Board of Directors is former Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
chairman Mike Duncan
Mike Duncan
Robert M. "Mike" Duncan was the 60th Chairman of the Republican National Committee. He was elected in January 2007, replacing Ken Mehlman, and served until January 30, 2009, when he withdrew from renomination to the chairmanship...
. Advisers to the group include Senior Advisor and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
and former Counselor to the President and Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
chairman Ed Gillespie
Ed Gillespie
Edward W. Gillespie is an American Republican political strategist and former Counselor to the President in the George W. Bush White House. Gillespie, along with Jack Quinn, former Chief of Staff to Vice President Al Gore, founded Quinn Gillespie & Associates, a bipartisan lobbying firm...
.
Leadership
American Crossroads lists its formal leadership as follows:- Mike DuncanMike DuncanRobert M. "Mike" Duncan was the 60th Chairman of the Republican National Committee. He was elected in January 2007, replacing Ken Mehlman, and served until January 30, 2009, when he withdrew from renomination to the chairmanship...
, Chairman of the Board - Steven J. LawSteven J. LawSteven J. Law is President and CEO of American Crossroads, and President of its sister organization CrossroadsGPS. He previously held the position of Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He served as Deputy Secretary of Labor in the administration of U.S....
, President and CEO - Jo Ann DavidsonJo Ann DavidsonJo Ann Davidson is the chair of the Ohio Casino Control Commission and was Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1995–2000....
, Director - Jim Dyke, Secretary
- Carl Forti, Political Director
- Karl RoveKarl RoveKarl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
, Adviser - Ed GillespieEd GillespieEdward W. Gillespie is an American Republican political strategist and former Counselor to the President in the George W. Bush White House. Gillespie, along with Jack Quinn, former Chief of Staff to Vice President Al Gore, founded Quinn Gillespie & Associates, a bipartisan lobbying firm...
, Adviser - Jonathan Collegio, Communications Director
Funding
According to Federal Election CommissionFederal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
, IRS reports, analysis by the independent Center for Responsive Politics
Center for Responsive Politics
The Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
and other sources, American Crossroads' major contributors have included:
- Bob J. PerryBob J. PerryBobby Jack Perry , is a Houston, Texas homebuilder, owner of Perry Homes, and major contributor to a number of 527 groups, such as the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth and the Economic Freedom Fund....
, President of Perry Homes, Houston, Texas ($7 million) - B. Wayne Hughes, founder of Public StoragePublic StoragePublic Storage , a real estate investment trust , is one of the largest self-storage companies in the United States with headquarters in Glendale, CA.Public Storage built its first self-storage facility in 1972...
Inc ($2.3 million) - Trevor Rees-JonesTrevor Rees-JonesTrevor Rees-Jones is the former bodyguard of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed. He was badly injured in the car accident that killed Diana, Dodi, and their driver Henri Paul. Because he suffered a head injury in the crash, Rees-Jones does not recall particulars of the accident...
, President and CEO of Chief Oil and GasChief Oil and GasChief Oil & Gas was founded in Dallas, Texas in 1994 by President and CEO Trevor Rees-Jones. Its primary holdings of natural gas were developed in the core areas of the Barnett Shale in Tarrant County, Denton County and Parker County...
, ($2 million) - Robert RowlingRobert RowlingRobert B. Rowling is the founder of TRT Holdings, the holding company of Omni Hotels and Gold's Gym.-Biography:A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Rowling has an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from Southern Methodist University.In 1972, Rowling began...
, CEO of TRT Holdings, ($1 million) - Dixie Rice Agricultural Corporation ($1 million)
- Southwest Louisiana Land ($1 million)
- Jerry Perenchio Living Trust ($1 million)
- American Financial GroupAmerican Financial GroupAmerican Financial Group Incorporated is a holding company based in Cincinnati, Ohio whose primary business is insurance and investments. American Financial Group's purpose is to enable businesses and individuals to manage risk using insurance products and services tailored to meet their specific...
, ($400,000)
American Crossroads raised $28 million in the 2010 election cycle. 91% of the funds raised were from billionaires.
Crossroads GPS
Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (Crossroads GPS) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation that works in conjunction with American Crossroads. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, Crossroads GPS's primary purpose is the advancement of social welfare including public policy advocacy, although it is permitted to engage in political spending as well. Crossroads GPS is required to report what it spends, but it is not required to publicly disclose any donor information.Leadership of Crossroads GPS
Steven J. LawSteven J. Law
Steven J. Law is President and CEO of American Crossroads, and President of its sister organization CrossroadsGPS. He previously held the position of Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He served as Deputy Secretary of Labor in the administration of U.S....
is also the president of Crossroads GPS. The Board of Directors includes Sally Vastola, Bobby Burchfield, and Rob Collins. Its policy director is Steven Duffield.
Debate over political activity by 501(c)(4) groups such as Crossroads GPS
In October 2010, Senator Richard Durbin wrote the IRS asking for it to investigate whether Crossroads GPS had violated its tax status. Republican senators had previously written to the IRS stating that an investigation into only conservative groups, as Durbin would later request, would amount to a politically motivated tactic that would “chill the legitimate exercise of First Amendment rights.”Crossroads GPS activity post-2010 elections
Crossroads GPS demonstrated its interest in participating in non-electoral policy advocacy soon after the 2010 elections when it began running radio advertisements related to tax policy, urging Members of Congress to prevent tax hikes.Other organizations associated with American Crossroads
American Crossroads shares office space with American Action NetworkAmerican Action Network
American Action Network is a 501 issue advocacy organization that focuses on promoting what it styles as “center-right policies.” It was established in February 2010 by Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former adviser to the presidential campaign of Senator John McCain, and former Republican Senator from...
, a group that promotes “center-right policies.” Crossroads Media is a media services company that serves American Crossroads. Crossroads Media is run by Michael Dubke and David Carney, and Dubke also runs the Black Rock Group political consulting firm with Carl Forti, political director of American Crossroads. Dubke and Carney also founded Americans for Job Security
Americans for Job Security
Americans for Job Security is a Virginia-based 501 group that OpenSecrets.org describes as "a pro-Republican, pro-business organization" headed by David Carney. The American Insurance Association launched the group with $1 million in seed funding in 1997...
, which shares office space with Crossroads Media and at least three other political consulting firms, including the Black Rock Group.
External links
- Campaign finance reports and data at the FECFederal Election CommissionThe Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
- Independent Expenditures, Outside Spending and Ads (videos) at OpenSecrets.org