American for Tax Fairness

Origins/Funding:
In the 2012 990 of the New Ventures Fund, ATF was described as one of NVFs new projects.

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/205/205806345/205806345_201212_990.pdf?_ga=1.176718375.362696285.1453241053)

A few contributors to ATF have been identified, based on the 990s of various donor non-profits. In
particular, the Sixteen Thirty Fund gave them over $1 million in 2013.
Non-Profit Donor
New Venture Fund
Bauman Family Foundation
Sixteen Thirty Fund
Stoneman Family Foundation
National Peoples Action
Bauman Family Foundation
Sixteen Thirty Fund

Year
2012
2012
2012
2013
2013
2013
2013

Description of Assistance to AFT

ATF mentioned under New program services
$250,000 grant
Expenses: $73,885; Revenue: $450,000
$200,000 grant via New Venture Fund
Expenses: $239,030 inc. Grant: $82,500
$300,000 via New Venture Fund
Expenses: $1,008,736 inc. Grant: $35,000

Eric Kessler:
Eric Kessler is the President of both New Venture Fund and Sixteen Thirty Fund, as well as the
Founder/Senior Managing Partner of Arabella Advisors
New Venture Fund 990

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/205/205806345/205806345_201312_990.pdf?_ga=1.223315737.362696285.1453241053)

Sixteen Thirty Fund 990

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/264/264486735/264486735_201312_990O.pdf?_ga=1.252683915.362696285.1453241053)

Arabella Advisors
Eric Kessler founded the firm over 10 years ago.
Online Bio: http://www.arabellaadvisors.com/about-us/our-people/staff-directory/eric-kessler/
LinkedIn Page:

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-kessler-2b5b9b5)

Additionally, Lee Bodner serves as president of NVF, having just left Arabella Advisors.

(https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-bodner-a869321)

Sixteen Thirty Fund

Donors to Sixteen Thirty
A variety of liberal and labor groups have donated to Sixteen Thirty Fund, based on several identified
990s.
Donor
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
AFSCME
MoveOn.org Civic Action
Atlantic Advocacy Fund Inc.

Year
2008
2008
2008
2009

Mayors Against Illegal Guns

2012

AFSCME
Everytown for Gun Safety Action
Fund, FKA MAIG
AFSCME
NEA
AFL-CIO

2012
2013
2013
2013
2013

Assistance to Sixteen Thirty Fund

$10,000
$25,000 (c/o Arabella Advisors)
$25,000 (c/o Arabella Advisors)
$340,000 (to promote passage of a
progressive budget resolution for
FY2010)
$100,000 (support of general gun
violence prevention efforts)
$50,000
$190,750 (general gun violence
prevention advocacy efforts)
$120,000
$75,000
$200,000

Additional Funding from the Atlantic Philanthropies

(http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/grantee/sixteen-thirty-fund)

Sixteen Thirty Fund Expenditures

In 2013, over $1 million out of $2.6 million in program services expenditures went to ATF.

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/264/264486735/264486735_201312_990O.pdf?_ga=1.252683915.362696285.1453241053)

Sixteen Thirty Funds contractors include Arabella Advisors and various liberal groups.

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/264/264486735/264486735_201312_990O.pdf?_ga=1.252683915.362696285.1453241053)

In 2013, Sixteen Thirty Funds grants included $70,000 to prop up two state Senate Democrats in
Colorado, who were being recalled for their anti-gun votes. They also gave $150,000 to Wellstone Action,
in addition to other liberal groups.

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/264/264486735/264486735_201312_990O.pdf?_ga=1.252683915.362696285.1453241053)

Colorado state senate recall donations: A large chunk of the funds raised by the political action committee A Whole
Lot of People for John Morse were spent on out-of- state consulting firms including $25,000 to Adelstein Liston in
Chicago, which worked on President Barack Obama's re-election. But three large political donors make up a significant
chunk of the revenue for the group. Because of the way the donors have structured their organizations, it's nearly
impossible to tell who exactly is behind the large donations. The Sixteen Thirty Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit
under the 501(c)(4) designation of "social welfare organizations," gave the committee $35,000. Reached by phone, the
managers of the nonprofit from Arbella (sic) Advisors declined to comment about their donors or donations. Federal tax
filings show the group has steadily declined over the years in financial activity but in 2009 declared $4.8 million in
revenue that was then donated to a variety of interests including religious, environmental and union groups plus smaller
donations to Planned Parenthood groups and Akorn. Those same three organizations -- Sixteen Thirty Fund, Citizens
for Integrity and Mainstream Colorado -- donated the same amounts to Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, who is facing a
recall attempt by a similar gun rights group. The 11,500 valid signatures needed to put Giron's recall on the ballot are due
Monday. (Colorado Springs Gazette, June 6, 2013)

Lobbying
In the 4thQ of 2015, Sixteen Thirty paid $40,000 to K & L Gates to lobby on various foreign
relations/budget issues.

(Congressional Lobbying Database)

Lady Parts Justice

Lady Parts Justice is a project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund. The project supposed uses humor and
profanity to fight against pro-life groups and elected officials.

(http://www.ladypartsjustice.com/videos/)

On its website, it markets Feminist as Fuck Jewelry and Babeland Buzz Vibrators

(http://www.ladypartsjustice.com/retail/)

In its press section, it highlights a story describing relief from having an abortion.

(http://www.ladypartsjustice.com/press/)

New Venture Fund:

A search using NVFs EIN on one website provides possible alternative names for the group, even though
the actual PDFs themselves all say New Venture Fund. While Arabella Legacy Fund is a logical
precursor name, Groundswell Fund appears to be a pro-choice non-profit in Oakland, CA, and Spitfire
Strategies, a liberal PR firm. The website could be mistaken or there could be some other connection,
unknown as yet.

(http://990finder.foundationcenter.org/)

In 2014, NVF paid over $8 million to Arabella Advisors for consulting.

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/205/205806345/205806345_201312_990.pdf?_ga=1.223315737.362696285.1453241053)

Some of NVFs grantees include 350.org and Center for American Progress. They also gave $257,000 to
the liberal media watchdog group Media Matters, for the odd purpose of violence reduction.

They are not listed here, but many pro-abortion groups were also funded
(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/205/205806345/205806345_201312_990.pdf?_ga=1.223315737.362696285.1453241053)

Gates Foundation:
One of NVFs projects is working with the Gates Foundation on its Small Grants Initiative.

(http://www.newventurefund.org/project-directory/)

In 2013, the Gates Foundation gave NVF $19,445,968.

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990pf_pdf_archive/562/562618866/562618866_201312_990PF.pdf?_ga=1.217622420.362696285.1453241053)

350.org
Gates Foundation money has made it to 350.org, via NVF. But in October 2015, Bill Gates called fossil
fuel divestment a 'false solution' (http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/14/bill-gates-calls-fossil-fuel-divestment-a-false-solution)
350.org has called on the Gates Foundation to divest, both in print: (http://350.org/guardian-launches-fossil-fuel-divestmentcampaign/)

and (http://www.sightline.org/2015/09/11/new-divestment-campaign-targets-the-gates-foundation/)

And via a 350.org video specifically to Gates (https://www.facebook.com/350.org/videos/10153233731282708/)

Americans for Tax Fairness Anti-Microsoft Campaign:

On its website, AFT hits Microsoft for offshore tax dodges.

(http://www.americansfortaxfairness.org/files/Microsoft-Fact-Sheet-Final.pdf)

An ATF Microsoft corporate tax dodger trading card has a picture of Bill Gates.

Smaller version:

(http://www.americansfortaxfairness.org/corporate-tax-dodger-trading-cards-microsoft/)

Additional small sheet: http://www.americansfortaxfairness.org/files/ATF-Highlights-of-Microsoft-Tax-Dodging-FINAL.pdf

ATF signed onto a letter urging Congress to approve Carl Levins legislation, specifically mentioning
Microsoft: Corporations should pay their fair share of taxes. Large American corporations such as American Express,
Apple, Dell, Eli Lilly, Microsoft, Nike hold their profits in offshore tax havens because they are taxed very little or not
at all. (http://www.americansfortaxfairness.org/files/Levin-Bill-Sign-on-letter-National-State-Signers-11_5_13-FINAL.pdf)

NVF board member Katherine Miller has worked with the Gates Foundation.

(http://www.newventurefund.org/about-nvf/board-of-directors/)

ATF Board/Staff
ATFs current board has a history in labor and other liberal groups.
Name
Mary Kusler

Position
Co-Chair

Kim Fellner

Co-chair

Lawrence Mishel

Co-chair

Frank Clemente

Executive Dir

Past Positions
Director of Government Relations, National Education Association (2010Present)
Assistant director of policy and advocacy, American Association of School
Administrators
Associate Director, Working America (2007- Present)
Exec. Dir., National Organizers Alliance (1991-2002)
Executive Director, National Writers Union (1986-1990)
Information Director, Screen Actors Guild (1979 1986)
communications organizer, SEIU, (1976 1979)
President, Economic Policy Institute (2002-President)
Research Director, Economic Policy Institute (1987-2002)
Prior to joining EPI, Mishel held a fellowship at the U.S. Department of Labor,
served as a faculty member at Cornell Universitys School of Industrial and Labor
Relations, and served as an economist for several unions, including the United
Auto Workers, United Steelworkers, AFSCME, and the Industrial Union
Department of the AFL-CIO
Principal, Frank Clemente Consulting (2008-2013)
Campaign Manager, Strengthen Social Security Campaign (2010-2011)
Consultant, Communications Workers of America (2007-2010)
Issue Campaigns Director, Change to Win Labor Federation (2006-2007)
Director, Public Citizen's Congress Watch (1996-2006
Consultant, Association of Trial Lawyers of America (1996)
Consultant, National Association of Shareholder & Consumer Attorneys/Cuneo
Law Group (1995-1996)
Senior Policy Advisor, Committee on Government Operations, U.S. House of
Representatives (1989-1995)
Issues Director and Consultant, Jesse Jackson for President and Keep Hope Alive
PAC (1987-1988)
Program Director/Washington Representative, Jobs with Peace Campaign (1981-

1987)

ATFs original board, from a July 2012 archive, has similar backgrounds, and includes CAPs Neera
Tanden.

(Archived www.americansfortaxfairness.org/about/, July 2012)

Tax Liens:
Given ATFs attacks against businesses that they claim are avoiding taxes, it may be of note that Arabella
Advisors has recently been hit with some liens in San Francisco, for tax and employment purposes.

(http://www.criis.com/webtemp/128.177.55.218/name_list.html)

(Lexis-Nexis)

In 2013, they received one in New York:

(http://www.dos.ny.gov/corps/tax_warrant_search.html)

and

(Lexis-Nexis)

Kim Fellner is an ATF co-chair. (http://www.americansfortaxfairness.org/about/) She is also the political director at
Working America, according to their 2014 990 and her LinkedIn page.

(http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/200/200263611/200263611_201406_990O.pdf?_ga=1.175949600.362696285.1453241053)

Working America has a variety of tax liens in various states.

(Lexis-Nexis)

Lee Bodner had a couple tax liens in DC in the late 1990s.

(Lexis-Nexis)