{"id":2212777,"date":"2024-04-04T07:35:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T11:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inside-one-dark-money-fueled-groups-strategy-session-to-target-democrat-voting-blocs\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T07:35:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T11:35:47","slug":"inside-one-dark-money-fueled-groups-strategy-session-to-target-democrat-voting-blocs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inside-one-dark-money-fueled-groups-strategy-session-to-target-democrat-voting-blocs\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring a Dark Money Group&#8217;s Strategy to Influence Democratic Voters"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Finside-one-dark-money-fueled-groups-strategy-session-to-target-democrat-voting-blocs%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2212777&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The provided content seems to delve into the strategies employed by certain foundations and organizations to influence the composition of the American \u2064electorate through initiatives\u200c such as \u200dvoter registration drives and targeting\u200d specific demographics. These efforts are aimed at advancing policy goals \u200band mobilizing progressive voters through various \u200cadvocacy and engagement tactics. The text \u2062discusses how specific \u2062foundations and organizations employ strategies like voter registration drives and\u2063 demographic targeting to shape the American electorate. These initiatives aim to further policy objectives and engage\u200b progressive voters through advocacy and various engagement approaches.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>In 2015, the Wyss Foundation \u2014 a project of Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/wyss-foundation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">put forth<\/a> a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/app\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Corridor-Partners-Plan-.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plan<\/a> to \u201cfundamentally change the composition of the [American] electorate\u201d in a way that another leaked <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/wyss-memo.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">memo<\/a> indicated would help \u201cachieve the foundation\u2019s policy goals.\u201d Last week, one of the organizations the Wyss Foundation channels money to held a conference plotting how to do just that.<\/p>\n<p>The Wyss Foundation\u2019s plan, mapped to run from 2015 to 2020 and projected to cost $105 million to $210 million, aimed to \u201creshape the electorate in as many states as possible\u201d by expanding voter registration. A follow-up memo indicated these efforts would be directed at \u201clow-income populations who tend to be reliably progressive\u201d such as \u201c[u]nmarried women, youth, and people of color.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1390811226\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-a4a4cb10a4a50ec21c81723e0b53d1ae fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-a4a4cb10a4a50ec21c81723e0b53d1ae\"><\/div>\n<p>At its 15th <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AmericaVotes\/status\/1772610216988717480\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">annual<\/a> State Summit in Washington, D.C., last week, left-wing nonprofit America Votes brought together public officials and activists to strategize about reaching just such voters. The conference included discussions about how to \u201ccreate more lifelong voters\u201d from a \u201cdiverse coalition\u201d that, based on the conference topics, includes college students, pro-abortion voters, anti-Second Amendment activists, LGBT activists, racial minorities, and \u201cprogressive Christians.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>America Votes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/america-votes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">received<\/a> $129 million from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a branch of left-wing dark money group Arabella Advisors, in 2020, according to InfluenceWatch. In turn, the Sixteen Thirty Fund received <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/05\/03\/us\/politics\/hansjorg-wyss-money-democrats.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more than $135 million<\/a> from a political action branch of the Wyss Foundation, with which it has close ties, from 2016 to 2020, The New York Times reported. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Registering a New \u2018Progressive Majority\u2019 to Vote<\/h2>\n<p>The conference agenda, posted <a href=\"https:\/\/americavotes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/FINAL-DRAFT-America-Votes-State-Summit-2024-Agenda-3.22.24.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online<\/a>, highlights \u201cexpanding voter registration\u201d as a \u201ccritical component of presidential years, which represent the best opportunity to further grow the electorate, and create more lifelong voters over a four-year cycle.\u201d The goal is to \u201cmaximize\u201d that opportunity \u201cover the next eight months by investing in programs to grow the electorate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Speakers focused on mobilizing the voters that became active since Donald Trump ran for the presidency in 2016.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-21808cf32df750178348c9a6d83a5634 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-21808cf32df750178348c9a6d83a5634\"><\/div>\n<p>One question on the agenda posed: \u201cIn 2024, how can organizers expand the electorate, harness the power of the newly motivated surge voter, leverage opportunities to \u2018spread out the vote,\u2019 and maintain high support from our diverse coalition for pro-democracy candidates?\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The focus on such a coalition seems to come straight out of the Wyss plan, which took <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/app\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Corridor-Partners-Plan-.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inspiration<\/a> from research by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/new-organizing-institute\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Organizing Institute<\/a>, the since-defunct precursor to the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which boosted Democrat turnout in 2020 by funneling <a href=\"https:\/\/capitalresearch.org\/article\/which-states-did-ctcl-flood-with-zuck-bucks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">millions<\/a> in private dollars from tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg to election offices.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, senior officials of the Wyss Foundation discussed their plan with John Podesta in March 2015, just a month after he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2015\/01\/john-podesta-leaves-white-house-february-114229\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stepped<\/a> down as counselor to President Barack Obama, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20161110000522\/https:\/\/wikileaks.org\/podesta-emails\/emailid\/8885\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">emails<\/a> revealed by Wikileaks.\u00a0A memo from the Wyss Foundation to Podesta, <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20161107071537\/https:\/\/wikileaks.org\/podesta-emails\/emailid\/23741\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sent<\/a> several days after the initial plan was completed, emphasized more specific aims of such a program: using lawfare and advocacy to \u201cremove barriers\u201d in voting laws, establishing \u201cpermanent government-based registration systems,\u201d and getting large service providers to register their clients. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf low-income people voted at the same rate as high-income people, it would be easier to achieve the foundation\u2019s policy goals,\u201d the memo <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20161107071537\/https:\/\/wikileaks.org\/podesta-emails\/emailid\/23741\">stated<\/a>. \u201cIn the short-term, highly-targeted (but relatively expensive) strategies could be used to increased registration \u2014 and ultimately participation \u2014 by the emerging progressive majority, closing the voting gap faster and substantially advancing the foundation\u2019s policy agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-4bfadac0ad2579b6d8c55bd860ff0528 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-4bfadac0ad2579b6d8c55bd860ff0528\"><\/div>\n<p>One of the ways the America Votes conference discussed growing this \u201cprogressive majority\u201d was by \u201ccampus organizing\u201d and turning young voters against Trump.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith many polls now showing lower levels of engagement and enthusiasm among younger voters,\u201d the agenda reads, \u201cwhat are effective issues and strategies for re-engaging youth communities in 2024 as a force against MAGA nationally and down-ballot?\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Appealing to Democrat Special Interest Groups<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to emphasizing voter registration efforts, the conference catered to a smattering of left-leaning interest groups. Topics included abortion, gun control, and the supposed threat of \u201cextremism,\u201d \u201cfascism,\u201d and \u201cChristian Nationalism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Notable speakers on the agenda included Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, AFL-CIO President Elizabeth Shuler, Building Back Together Executive Director Mayra Mac\u00edas, Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost, Amanda Trump of the Democratic Attorney Generals Association, and Kelly Byrne-Martin of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Benson, who <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/03\/25\/exclusive-zuckerberg-connected-nonprofit-helped-shift-michigans-2020-voting-rules\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">worked<\/a> with the National Vote at Home Institute to change state voting rules in 2020, was slated to join a panel discussing how Trump \u201chas told us he will be a \u2018dictator on day one\u2019 with plans for pardoning insurrectionists, sanctioning a national abortion ban, and establishing detention camps.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At the conference, America Votes presented its \u201c2024 Cecile Richards Progressive Leader Award\u201d \u2014 named for the former Planned Parenthood president \u2014 to Minnesota\u2019s Democrat trifecta.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe travesty of the <em>Dobbs <\/em>decision has wrought devastating consequences in MAGA-controlled states across the country,\u201d reads a summary of a discussion about abortion. \u201cSince <em>Roe <\/em>was overturned, abortion is now <em>LITERALLY <\/em>on the ballot in most states.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The conference included a section on so-called \u201cextremism\u201d directed against the LGBT movement, labeling its opposition as threats.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExtremists are threatening our communities and democracy at every level of government and society,\u201d the agenda claims, blaming conservatives for \u201cspreading the \u2018big lie\u2019 threatening freedom and safety of the LGBTQ+ people at state capitals, and sowing mistrust and division in attempting dominance over local school boards to ban books and erase history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>America Votes hosted anti-gun speakers including Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action, and Monisha Henley, senior vice president of government affairs of Everytown for Gun Safety, to discuss \u201cthe generational shift away from MAGA Republicans\u2019 gun rights extremism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other speakers discussed what they considered the rise of \u201cfascism,\u201d which the agenda claims is \u201cknocking on America\u2019s door.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One discussion focused on mobilizing \u201cProgressive Christians\u201d against what the agenda labeled \u201cChristian Nationalism.\u201d Discussing \u201cthe threat from the Christian Far Right,\u201d the panel sought to answer questions like \u201cChristian Nationalists are a growing force in the MAGA GOP, but are they just a loud, vocal minority?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>America Votes <a href=\"https:\/\/americavotes.org\/partners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">partners<\/a> with groups including Planned Parenthood, Building Back Together, the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State, and \u2014 notably \u2014 the Center for Secure and Modern Elections. According to InfluenceWatch, CSME is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/center-for-secure-and-modern-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project<\/a> of The New Venture Fund, part of the same Arabella Advisors network as the Sixteen Thirty Fund. It also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/center-for-secure-and-modern-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shares<\/a> close ties with CTCL.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-fc4cddae14b15f487decece5e734db67 fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-fc4cddae14b15f487decece5e734db67\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2015, the Wyss Foundation, linked to Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, proposed altering the American electorate to align with its policy objectives. Recently, a recipient of the foundation&#8217;s funding hosted<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":2212778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/clay-banks-BY-R0UNRE7w-unsplash.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2212777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/clay-banks-BY-R0UNRE7w-unsplash.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2212777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/507"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2212777"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2212777\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2212778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2212777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2212777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2212777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}