{"id":2373466,"date":"2024-11-26T03:32:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-26T08:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harris-group-paid-companies-owned-by-founders-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-11-26T03:34:58","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T08:34:58","slug":"harris-group-paid-companies-owned-by-founders-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harris-group-paid-companies-owned-by-founders-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Harris group paid companies owned by founders &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><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%2Fharris-group-paid-companies-owned-by-founders-washington-examiner%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=2373466&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>A pro-Kamala Harris group, Future\u200d Forward, is under scrutiny \u200dfor paying over $10 million to companies \u200clinked \u200dto its\u2063 founders \u2063for \u200dconsulting services during the 2024\u200c election campaign. This expenditure, documented in Federal Election Commission filings, was made\u2063 between\u2062 2022 and 2024 \u200cand included payments to companies like GCJ Research, PFB Media, and OpenLabs. Critics have raised concerns \u200dabout potential \u200dconflicts of interest, as the founders of these companies are closely associated with Future Forward.<\/p>\n<p>The spending spree has attracted attention following Harris&#8217;s defeat to Donald Trump, prompting questions about the effectiveness \u200cof campaign \u2062strategies and the allocation \u200bof funds. Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf commented on\u2062 the perceived disconnect between \u2063the\u2064 party&#8217;s elite\u200c and the grassroots, suggesting\u200c such \u200bpractices may contribute to the party&#8217;s \u2064struggles. <\/p>\n<p>Further investigations into Harris&#8217;s campaign finances are anticipated, particularly following accusations involving payments to other influential figures, including Oprah \u2062Winfrey.\u2063 The disclosure of Future Forward&#8217;s financial activities, particularly \u200bits significant spending on\u200d linked \u200cfirms, has raised \u200calarms within the Democratic Party as\u2064 it\u200b seeks to understand the \u200dcampaign&#8217;s shortcomings. \u2063Future Forward \u200dis recognized for its major advertising \u200befforts backed by Democratic megadonors, making it one of the largest political super \u200cPACs, but now faces \u200dincreased scrutiny regarding its expenditures\u200c and operations.  <\/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\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Pro-Harris group paid $10 million to companies linked to its founders<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1877271\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The largest outside group that supported Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Kamala Harris<\/a> in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">2024<\/a> election paid companies owned by or otherwise linked to its founders more than $10 million for consulting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3215473\/democrats-paid-430000-to-firm-linked-to-pennsylvania-voter-fraud-investigations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">services<\/a>, records show.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Future Forward, the pro-Harris group, disbursed the funds between 2022 and 2024, according to Federal Election Commission filings and tax documents filed with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/irs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">IRS<\/a>. The $10 million was routed to the companies from the organization&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/super-pac\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">super PAC<\/a> and its &ldquo;dark money&rdquo; nonprofit arm.<\/p>\n<p>The donor money &mdash; paid out to GCJ Research, PFB Media, and OpenLabs &mdash; was part of a massive spending spree from pro-Harris groups and the Harris campaign <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3222249\/how-kamala-harris-plowed-through-1-billion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">that is now under intense public scrutiny<\/a> after her loss to President-elect Donald Trump. Future Forward co-founders Chauncey McLean, Gaurav Shirole, and Jon Fromowitz are all either co-owners or helped launch the three companies, which could raise conflict of interest questions. A portion of the payments were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leefang.com\/p\/kamala-harris-superpac-spent-lavishly\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">reported<\/a> by independent journalist Lee Fang.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s bad form,&rdquo; Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve worked on 700 campaigns all over the world and never saw stuff like this. It doesn&rsquo;t look good.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is kind of an explanation for why Democrats are getting clobbered,&rdquo; Sheinkopf said. &ldquo;They really don&rsquo;t represent people at the bottom. They represent people at the top.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kamala Harris, left, with Liz Cheney in Ripon, Wisconsin, Oct. 3, 2024. (Mark Schiefelbein\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Future Forward, which did not respond to requests for comment, was behind a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3179215\/kamala-harris-influential-megadonors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">historic ad-making operation<\/a> aiming to boost turnout for Harris with the backing of Democratic megadonors such as Bill Gates and George Soros. It quickly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/10\/17\/us\/elections\/future-forward-kamala-harris-ads.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">ascended<\/a> to becoming the largest political super PAC, raising around $1 billion.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the organization is under the spotlight as the Democratic Party points fingers and aims to get to the bottom of how Harris lost so handily to Trump in must-win battleground states. Scrutiny of Harris&rsquo;s finances has grown after a <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3222249\/how-kamala-harris-plowed-through-1-billion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">report<\/a> on her campaign paying a company founded by Oprah Winfrey, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3231530\/chicago-tribune-oprah-winfrey-harpo-productions-payment-kamala-harris-campaign\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">among other expenses<\/a>, though a fuller picture of the spending will be public upon post-election reports being filed in December.<\/p>\n<p>This election cycle, Future Forward&rsquo;s super PAC arm paid at least $8.3 million to the consulting firms tied to Future Forward&rsquo;s co-founders.<\/p>\n<p>The bulk of that sum went to GCJ Research, a survey firm formed by Shirole, who led the analytics effort for the 2012 Obama campaign&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">broader 0 million digital advertising operation<\/a>, according to his LinkedIn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/gshirole\/details\/experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">profile<\/a>. GCJ Research received over $7 million for &ldquo;media consulting&rdquo; and &ldquo;media services,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-taking-millions-from-corporate-pacs-maloney-wants-big-corporate-money-out-of-politics\/\" title=\"After Taking Millions from Corporate PACs, Maloney Wants \u2018Big Corporate Money Out of Politics\u2019\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cbs-slammed-for-smearing-ron-desantis-on-60-minutes-one-of-the-more-blatant-political-hatchet-jobs\/\" title=\"CBS Slammed For Smearing Ron DeSantis On \u201860 Minutes\u2019: \u2018One Of The More Blatant Political Hatchet Jobs\u2019\">campaign finance records<\/a> show<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Future Forward also paid GCJ Research over $940,700 in 2022, according to tax forms for its 501(c)(4) nonprofit group. <\/p>\n<p>The documents list GCJ Research as both an &ldquo;independent contractor&rdquo; and &ldquo;subcontractor.&rdquo; A fuller picture of the tax-exempt organization&rsquo;s finances will also become public soon, as Future Forward&rsquo;s 2023 tax return was due in November. <\/p>\n<p>The 2022 Future Forward tax filing also lists PFB Media as an independent contractor to the tune of $178,077. PFB Media, an ad agency, has received at least $1 million in recent years from Future Forward&rsquo;s super PAC for ad production, campaign finance records show.<\/p>\n<p>PFB Media is reportedly co-owned by McLean and Fromowitz. <\/p>\n<p>Campaign finance filings place the firm at an apartment address in New York that public records say belongs to Fromowitz &mdash; the co-founder of another <a href=\"https:\/\/blueskystrategy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">firm<\/a> called Blue Sky Strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Ishanee Parikh, a Blue Sky Strategy leader, has acted as Future Forward&rsquo;s creative director, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ishanee-parikh-83879323\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">her<\/a> LinkedIn profile. <\/p>\n<p>Fromowitz&rsquo;s bio on the Blue Sky Strategy website lists him as the co-founder of OpenLabs, which worked on research and survey consulting for Future Forward.<\/p>\n<p>For such services, OpenLabs received at least $659,700 from the pro-Harris super PAC, according to campaign finance records. The records list OpenLabs as a limited liability corporation in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think any campaign makes perfect decisions across the board,&rdquo; said Democratic strategist Stefan Hankin, the president of the public opinion research firm Lincoln Park Strategies. &ldquo;But, I think in this case, questions should be asked, right?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Does it make sense for the organization raising funds to pay these companies to do the work?&rdquo; Hankin asked. &ldquo;Maybe they were the best firms to do the work. Could be, but it&rsquo;s 100% fair game to be asking.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>To Sheinkopf, the payments don&rsquo;t reflect well on the campaign finance system and the spending decisions of top committees.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s like creating companies whose sole purpose is to give the money back to you,&rdquo; Sheinkopf said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1877271\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1877271\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pro-Harris group spent $10 million on founder-linked firms<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":381,"featured_media":2373469,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Kamala-Harris-election-24-vvb333.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[33371,16210,45703,45704,32076],"class_list":["post-2373466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-business-news","tag-founders","tag-harris-group","tag-paid-companies","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Kamala-Harris-election-24-vvb333.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2373466","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\/381"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2373466"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2373466\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2373471,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2373466\/revisions\/2373471"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2373469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2373466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2373466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2373466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}