Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Does any reader know much about this 501(c)(3) operation in our state?


This operation.  Vin Weber* is on the board, as is Tony Trimble**. [UPDATE: Quality people on the board includes a Jack Meeks, presumably kin to the operation's CEO.]

For readers with knowledge: Sending a comment or an email [see sidebar] would be helpful.

AND - How do I know they have 501(c)(3) status? They say so.

Clearly not posing as a hatchet operation, saying, "... we tackle issues important to every Minnesotan and provide real-time, proven research and policy alternatives to help further the debate."

"Proven research" seems a high standard, not getting into the gutter for any reason being the implication. And the implication is the adjective "proven" may modify "policy alternatives" as well as "research." Proof, you want it? They indicate they have it and can show it.

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*Weber - here, stating

In 1993 Mr. Weber founded Empower America, a non-profit public policy think-tank, with Jack Kemp, Bill Bennett and the late Jeane Kirkpatrick and served as Founding President and CEO from 1993 to 1994. In the fall of 1994 he opened the D.C. office of Clark & Weinstock and has since served as Managing Partner. The firm’s clients have included a broad range of corporations, trade associations, and non-profit groups.

Mr. Weber is one of the most prominent strategists in the Republican Party and has been a top advisor on numerous presidential campaigns. He served as Co-Chairman for Domestic Policy for Dole for President in 1996, was Co-Chairman of the Bush reelection campaign in 2004, and Co-Chair for Policy Development for Romney for President in 2008.

**Trimble - here, stating

Some [GOP] party backers are questioning where the party's money went and several expressed surprise when told about some of the spending. [...]

Chief among their concerns are dollars paid to Tony Trimble, the party's attorney who argued unsuccessfully in the 2008 U.S. Senate recount and the 2010 gubernatorial recount. During Sutton's tenure, Trimble made more than $1 million, an amount leaders say was excessive.