American Values

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American Values is part of a network of non-profit organizations led by Gary L. Bauer, a prominent anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage activist.[1] American Values is a 501(c)(3) social welfare non-profit, and shares an address with American Values Action (AVA), a 501(c)(4) nonprofit also headed by Bauer. ThinkProgress reports that Bauer also founded the Campaign for American Values Super PAC.[1]

According to its website, American Values is "deeply committed to defending life, traditional marriage, and equipping our children with the values necessary to stand against liberal education and cultural forces."[2]

Bauer served as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor for President Ronald Reagan, after which he became President of the Family Research Council and a Senior Vice President of Focus on the Family. Bauer formed the Campaign for Working Families in 1996 and American Values in the 2000s.[3]

Institute for American Values is a distinct but similar group.

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.

Ties to the Council for National Policy

American Values has provided funding to the Council for National Policy.

Council for National Policy

The Council for National Policy (CNP) is a secretive, Christian Right organization of funders and activists founded in 1981 by activist Morton Blackwell, commentator Paul Weyrich, direct-mail pioneer Richard Viguerie, right-wing activist Phyllis Schlafly and Left Behind author Tim LaHaye. Anne Nelson's book about CNP, Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right, describes how the organization connects "the manpower and media of the Christian right with the finances of Western plutocrats and the strategy of right-wing Republican political operatives.”

CNP membership as of September 2020 is available here.

Ties to the Koch Brothers

In 2012, American Values Action (AVA) received a grant of $230,000 (about 30 percent of that year's budget) from Freedom Partners, which has been described as the "Koch brothers' secret bank."[4]

Activities

American Values' website is frequently updated with news in three issue areas: "pro-life," "traditional marriage," and "pro-Israel." It also highlights newsletters and op-ed pieces written by its president, Gary Bauer, who contributes regularly to right-leaning sources such as the Washington Times, the National Review, and the Daily Caller.[2]

AVA's budget has grown rapidly since its founding in 2010, partly thanks to a $230,000 donation from Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce that formed almost one third of its 2012 revenue.

2014 Election Cycle

Cochran Supported Release of Terrorists

As of June 2014, AVA had not reported any spending on the 2014 election.[5]

As of June 2014, the Campaign for American Values PAC had reported $28,517 in outside expenditures, all in opposition to Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS).[6] At the time, Cochran was engaged in a competitive Mississippi Republican Senate primary race with Mississippi State Senator Chris McDaniel. According to its FEC filings, CAV PAC spent the money on ad buys for a TV spot.[7] The conservative outlet The Weekly Standard wrote that the ad, which began running June 20, 2014 and was titled "Cochran Supported Release of Terrorists," "alleges that Mississippi senator Thad Cochran is in part responsible for the release of 5 Taliban commanders from Gitmo."[8]

2012 Election Cycle

New Morning

The Advocate reported that Bauer's Campaign for American Values Super PAC paid for an anti-gay marriage ad in North Carolina in September 2012. Titled "New Morning," the ad "features a couple that appears to be husband and wife fretting after they discover the president's support for marriage equality in their morning newspaper," then flashes a message to vote for Romney/Ryan, the 2012 Republican ticket.[9]

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, AVA spent $14,761 in outside expenditures against Mitt Romney,[10] who received the Republican nomination for President but lost the election to incumbent President Barack Obama.

According to its 2012 tax filings, AVA paid for "get-out-the-vote phone calls in Iowa. These calls urged Iowans to vote in defense of their values, including religious liberty."[11] AVA also spent $158,097 in 2012 on "mailing and postage,"[11] some of which appears to have been spent on a flyer sent to Iowa residents comparing the positions of Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on issues from abortion to the Keystone XL Pipeline to Voter ID.[12]

Funding

The Center for Responsive Politics reports that in 2012, American Values Action received $230,000 from Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce.[13]

According to Mother Jones, the Campaign for American Values PAC received $500,000 of its $750,000 2012 budget from a group called Corporate Land Management Inc.. Mother Jones reported that the latter group was directed by Tim Horner, who also donated to Bauer's Coalition for Working Families.[14]

Core Financials

American Values

2012[15]

  • Total Revenue: $1,168,642
  • Total Expenses: $1,275,252
  • Net Assets: $2,252,262

2011[16]

  • Total Revenue: $1,225,531
  • Total Expenses: $1,226,683
  • Net Assets: $2,343,212

2010[17]

  • Total Revenue: $1,257,894
  • Total Expenses: $1,254,467
  • Net Assets: $2,349,742

American Values Action

2012[11]

  • Total Revenue: $775,627
  • Total Expenses: $534,050
  • Net Assets: $566,710

2011[18]

  • Total Revenue: $55,000
  • Total Expenses: $22,132
  • Net Assets: $32,660

2010[18]

  • Total Revenue: $3,000
  • Total Expenses: $2,802
  • Net Assets: $198

Grants

Given by American Values:

2012[15]

2011[16]

2010[17]

Contact Information

American Values/American Values Action
2800 Shirlington Rd. Ste. 950
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone: 703-671-9700
Fax: 703-671-1680
Email: gary.bauer AT amvalues.org
Website: http://www.ouramericanvalues.org

Resources and Articles

Related SourceWatch Articles

External Articles

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Josh Israel, "How Social Conservative Gary Bauer Uses His Network Of ‘Values’ Groups To Enrich Himself," ThinkProgress, September 18, 2013. Accessed June 23, 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 American Values, About Us, organizational website, accessed June 23, 2014.
  3. Campaign for Working Families, "Gary Bauer," organizational profile, accessed June 23, 2014.
  4. Mike Allen and Jim Vandehi, "Exclusive: The Koch brothers' secret bank," Politico, September 11, 2013. Accessed June 24, 2014.
  5. Center for Responsive Politics, American Values Action, outside spending report, accessed June 24, 2014.
  6. Center for Responsive Politics, Campaign for American Values PAC, outside spending report, accessed June 24, 2014.
  7. Federal Election Commission, Report of Independent Expenditures, June 20, 2014. Accessed June 24, 2014.
  8. Daniel Halper, "Ad: 'Cochran Supported the Release of 5 Terrorists'," The Weekly Standard, June 20, 2014. Accessed June 24, 2014.
  9. Julie Bolcer, "Super PAC Linked to Gary Bauer Runs Marriage Ad in North Carolina," The Advocate, September 4, 2012. Accessed June 23, 2014.
  10. Center for Responsive Politics, American Values Action, outside spending report, accessed June 23, 2014.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 American Values Action, 2012 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, October 18, 2013. Accessed June 23, 2014.
  12. Democracy in Action, Iowa Mail (General Election), October 23, 2012. Accessed June 24, 2014.
  13. Center for Responsive Politics, American Values Action, donors report, accessed June 23, 2014.
  14. Adam Serwer, "Meet the Mystery Donor Backing Gary Bauer's Anti-Gay-Marriage Super-PAC," Mother Jones, September 10, 2012. Accessed June 23, 2014.
  15. 15.0 15.1 American Values, 2012 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, Auguest 7, 2013. Accessed June 23, 2014.
  16. 16.0 16.1 American Values, http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2011/521/762/2011-521762320-087b7059-9.pdf 2011 IRS form 990], organizational tax filing, August 3, 2012. Accessed June 23, 2014.
  17. 17.0 17.1 American Values, 2010 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, August 6, 2011. Accessed June 23, 2014.
  18. 18.0 18.1 American Values Action, 2011 IRS form 990, organizational tax filing, September 4, 2012. Accessed June 23, 2014. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "2011 990 AVA" defined multiple times with different content