Empower Wisconsin
Empower Wisconsin is a right-wing blog self-described as "Wisconsin's premier information hub" launched on September 9, 2019.[1] It is registered as a 501(c)(4) with the IRS.
Empower Wisconsin also launched a 501(c)(3) foundation, Empower Wisconsin Foundation that operates as Wisconsin Spotlight.[2]
Empower Wisconsin's current president is Eric O'Keefe. O'Keefe, a rightwing political operative with ties to the Koch political network, was at the center of a 2012-2015 "John Doe" criminal investigation into possible illegal campaign coordination between Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Wisconsin Club for Growth, and numerous other "dark money" groups, until it was ended by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in July 2015.
Contents
News and Controversies
Empower Wisconsin President Resigns to Run for Attorney General
Empower Wisconsin President Adam Jarchow resigned from his position as president in order to run for Wisconsin Attorney General.[3]
Koch operative Eric O'Keefe is now president of Empower Wisconsin.
Matt Kittle Named Executive Director
Former Wisconsin Bureau Chief and Reporter for Watchdog.org and investigative reporter for the MacIver Institute Matt Kittle was name Executive Director of Empower Wisconsin.[4]
“Empower Wisconsin will educate, advocate and mobilize conservative voices with a strong and well-defined issue agenda. In addition, it will develop a network of like-minded organizations at the state and federal levels to maximize the power of our collective efforts,” Kittle said in a press release on the announcement.[4]
Ties to the Koch Brothers
Empower Wisconsin's Director Eric O'Keefe has deep ties to the Koch brothers.
According to the Washington Post:
- "Early in his libertarian days, O’Keefe became friendly with the Koch brothers, with whom he has joined in many battles, mainly through independent groups that the courts have empowered to raise unlimited money, often without having to identify their donors."[5]
O'Keefe was listed as a presenter at the June 2010 Koch network meeting in Aspen, Colorado. He sat on the board of the Koch's Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) and was also on the board of directors of the Cato Institute, a Koch-founded libertarian think tank.[6] SAM's internship recruitment page was connected to Koch Industries through the Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program. The program was administered through the IHS and the State Policy Network and featured on the IHS website.[7]
O'Keefe was invited to present at a meeting of conservative donors plotting a campaign against Democrats and climate change organized by the Koch brothers at Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Ranch Mirage, California in January 2011, according to a list obtained by Lee Fang and published by ThinkProgress.[8]
O'Keefe previously worked for Citizens for Congressional Reform, a project of David Koch's Citizens for a Sound Economy (the predecessor to Americans for Prosperity). He has also been featured at events funded by David Koch's Americans for Prosperity group.[9]
| 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. |
Funding
Empower Wisconsin and its sister organization, Empower Wisconsin Foundation, do not disclose their funders. However, some funders can be found through a search their IRS filings.
Empower Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Homeowners Alliance: $7,000 (2019)
- WMC Issues Mobilization Council: $25,000 (2019)
Empower Wisconsin Foundation
- Convention of States Foundation: $100,000 (2019-2021)
Core Financials
2019:[10]
- Total Revenue: $152,787
- Total Expenses: $104,271
- Net Assets: $48,516
Personnel
Staff
As of April 2022:[1]
- Eric O'Keefe, President
- Valerie Johnson, Secretary/Treasurer
- Matt Kittle, Executive Director[4]
Former Staff
- Adam Jarchow, President
Featured Columnists
As of September 2019:
- Scott Walker, former Governor of Wisconsin
- Vicki McKenna, right-wing talk show host
- Eric O'Keefe, Director, Empower Wisconsin
Contact Information
Empower Wisconsin
Phone:(608) 441-5110
Email: info@empowerwisconsin.org
Website: https://empowerwisconsin.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/empowerwi/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empowerwisconsin/
Articles and Resources
IRS Form 990 Filings
2019
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Empower Wisconsin, about us, Empower Wisconsin, accessed April 15, 2022.
- ↑ Empower Wisconsin Foundation, Wisconsin Spotlight, Wisconsin Spotlight, accessed April 15, 2022.
- ↑ Don Wiener, How Far Right Will the AG Race in Wisconsin Go?, ExposedByCMD, April 5, 2022.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Matt Kittle, Empower Wisconsin: Wisconsin’s New conservative information hub, WisPolitics, September 9, 2019.
- ↑ Marc Fischer, "Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s recall: Big money fuels small-government fight," Washington Post, March 25, 2012. Accessed June 12, 2014.
- ↑ Eric O'Keefe, Past Experience, personal website, accessed June 12, 2014.
- ↑ Alex Brant-Zawadzki and Dawn Teo, Anatomy of the Tea Party Movement: Sam Adams Alliance, Huffington Post, Dec. 11, 2009
- ↑ Charles G. Koch, Invitation Letter, September 24, 2010, obtained by Lee Fang and published by Think Progress, October 20, 2010.
- ↑ Alex Brant-Zawadzki and Dawn Teo, Anatomy of the Tea Party Movement: Sam Adams Alliance, Huffington Post, Dec. 11, 2009.
- ↑ Empower Wisconsin, 2019 IRS Form 990, organizational tax filing, August 26, 2020.
