Nick Begich Had Affiliations To Multiple Major National Conservative Organizations, Including The Kochs’ State Policy Network
Begich “Recently Completed A Fellowship With The Club For Growth, America’s Leading Free-Enterprise, Limited-Government Advocacy Group.” “As a lifelong Republican, Nick Begich has held a variety of professional and political roles with the intent of growing opportunity through entrepreneurship. […] Additionally, Nick recently completed a Fellowship with the Club for Growth, America’s leading free-enterprise, limited-government advocacy group.” [Nick Begich for Congress, Archived 3/1/22]
Image: see original report, p. 202
[Nick Begich for Congress, Archived 3/1/22]
2024: Americans For Prosperity Action Endorsed Begich. “Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) is proud to announce its endorsement of Nick Begich for Alaska’s at-large congressional seat.” [Americans for Prosperity Action, 9/10/24]
Nov. 2018-Oct. 2021: Begich Served As The President Of The Board Of Directors For The Alaska Policy Forum. [LinkedIn, Nicholas Begich III, Accessed 9/7/24]
Image: see original report, p. 203
[LinkedIn, Nicholas Begich III, Accessed 9/7/24]
- The Alaska Policy Forum Was An Affiliate Of The State Policy Network As Of September 2024. [State Policy Network, Alaska, Accessed 9/23/24]
- The State Policy Network Is A Coalition Of Right-Wing Think Tanks Funded By The Koch Brothers. “A network of think tanks across the country is quietly pushing the agenda of right-wing groups with funding from Koch brothers-affiliated organizations, a new report alleges. The study, by the liberal Center for Media and Democracy, is aimed at the State Policy Network […] But that’s not the full story, according to the Center for Media and Democracy, which bills itself as a nonprofit watchdog group. CMD alleges that rather than a loose coalition of locally focused think tanks, SPN’s organizations are using ‘dark money’ — a term for money donated for elections without disclosing its source — from conservative and corporate donors like the Koch brothers to push a cookie-cutter conservative agenda at the state level.” [Politico, 11/13/2013]
- The State Policy Network (SPN) Originated As “A Sibling Group” To ALEC, Both Of Which Were “Co-Located Within The Heritage Foundation.” “SPN was originally called the Madison Group and it was created in 1985 as a sibling group to support the state legislative agenda of the American Legislative Exchange Council, and both were co-located within the Heritage Foundation, which was started by Paul Weyrich with funds from the Coors fortune. The Madison Group was launched by multimillionaire Thomas A. Roe, at the urging of Ronald Reagan to create mini Heritage Foundations in the states.” [DeSmog, Accessed 10/18/23]
The American Legislative Exchange Council Was A Member Of The Project 2025 Advisory Board As Of September 2024. [Project 2025, Advisory Board, Accessed 9/23/24]
The SPN And Its Members “Are Major Drivers Of The Right-Wing, ALEC-Backed Agenda In State Houses Nationwide.” “Although many of SPN’s member organizations claim to be nonpartisan and independent, our in-depth investigation reveals that SPN and its member think tanks are major drivers of the right-wing, ALEC-backed agenda in state houses nationwide, with deep ties to the Koch brothers and the national right-wing network of funders, all while reporting little or no lobbying activities.” [Center for Media and Democracy, 11/13]
- SPN And “Many Of Its Affiliates” Are Sponsors Of “The Controversial American Legislative Exchange Council.” “SPN and many of its affiliates are some of the most active members and largest sponsors of the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), where special interest groups and state politicians vote behind closed doors on ‘model’ legislation to change Americans’ rights, through ALEC’s task forces.” [Center for Media and Democracy, 11/13]
- A “Significant Portion Of The Funding For SPN Members’ Participation In ALEC” Comes From The Koch-Tied Donors Capital Fund. “A significant portion of the funding for SPN members’ participation in ALEC has come from Donors Capital Fund (DCF), a secretive fund connected to the Koch billionaires that cloaks the identities of its donors.” [Center for Media and Democracy, 11/13]
- Donors Capital Fund Is Tied To Donors Trust. “DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund share the same address in Alexandria, Virginia, and share a number of directors, including the late Whitney Ball, the former CEO of DT.” [DeSmog, Accessed 10/18/23]
SPN And Its Members “Push An Extreme Right-Wing Agenda That Aims To Privatize Education.” “SPN and its affiliates push an extreme right-wing agenda that aims to privatize education, block healthcare reform, restrict workers’ rights, roll back environmental protections, and create a tax system that benefits most those at the very top level of income.” [Center for Media and Democracy, 11/13]
- SPN And ALEC Share An “Agenda To Privatize Public Schools.” “Privatizing Public Education: SPN think tanks join ALEC in pushing a broad education agenda to privatize public schools, including pushing for-profit online schools, for-profit and other charter schools, using taxpayer dollars for vouchers to for-profit schools, and even so-called ‘parent triggers’ to allow a group of parents to close a public school for current and future students, and turn the school into a charter school or require a voucher system that takes away from traditional public schools.” [Center for Media and Democracy, 11/13]
- ALEC Project “The American City And County Exchange” Spearheaded An Initiative “Targeting Local Politicians—Especially School Board Candidates.” “Recent documents acquired by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) reveal a new initiative targeting local politicians–especially school board candidates–with right-wing messaging, policies, and financial resources. This new targeting of school boards is being spearheaded by the American City and County Exchange (ACCE), a project of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a pay-to-play group where corporate lobbyists and special interest groups vote as equals on ‘model bills’ with state legislators behind closed doors.” [Center for Media and Democracy, ALEC Exposed, 11/4/22]
- Moms For Liberty Launched Shortly After A December 2020 ALEC Workshop Promoting Right-Wing Narratives Around CRT. “According to previous reporting by CMD, ALEC held a workshop in December 2020 promoting the Right’s false narrative about critical race theory being taught in public schools that featured speakers from other groups tied to anti-public school zealot Koch, including the Heritage Foundation, Manhattan Institute, and American Enterprise Institute, which have spent decades attacking public education. Just weeks after this ALEC workshop, the dark money attack dog, Moms for Liberty, was launched to target public schools.” [Center for Media and Democracy, ALEC Exposed, 11/4/22]
- Parents Defending Education Launched “Shortly” After ALEC’s 2020 CRT Workshop. “ALEC held a workshop in December 2020 promoting the Right’s false narrative about critical race theory being taught in public schools […] Shortly thereafter another dark money group, Parents Defending Education, was created. As of February 2022, right-wing state officials in 36 states had introduced bills or other restrictions limiting the truthful telling in public schools of history and teachings about race, racism, or the contribution of specific racial or ethnic groups.” [Center for Media and Democracy, ALEC Exposed, 11/4/22]