End Citizens United // Let America Vote Action Fund today launched a new $50,000 digital ad campaign highlighting a leaked video of Jessica Anderson, the executive director of Heritage Action for America––a conservative dark money group affiliated with the Heritage Foundation that is leading efforts to oppose the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1). In a private meeting with donors, Anderson revealed that her group has led concerted efforts to pass voter suppression legislation across the country into law, saying: “In some cases, we actually draft them for them or we have a sentinel on our behalf give them the model legislation so it has that grassroots, from-the-bottom-up type of vibe.”
First reported by Mother Jones’ Ari Berman and Nick Surgey, the leaked Heritage video footage showed the extent to which the dark money group has drafted and helped pass restrictive voting legislation across the country. Anderson admitted that in Georgia “eight key provisions that Heritage recommended” were included in the voter suppression bill, S.B. 202, which was recently signed into law by Governor Kemp. Heritage also claimed credit for writing “19 provisions” of a Texas bill likely poised to pass this week. The dark money group now faces a possible ethics probe in Iowa because of its involvement in passing voter suppression legislation in the state.
These provisions include restricting access to mail ballot drop boxes, barring election officials from sending voters absentee ballots request forms, and making poll monitoring more partisan. Similar voter suppression bills around the country, including in Iowa, Florida, Arizona and New Hampshire, have adopted suppressive provisions from Heritage. Anderson also said the group created and circulated talking points for Republican U.S. Senators to oppose the For the People Act, and has sponsored events and upcoming ad campaigns opposing the bill.
The ad will run in Iowa, the District of Columbia and New Hampshire on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Connected TV.
“Heritage Action is coordinating dark money-led efforts to carry out an orchestrated, nationwide attack to pass voter suppression legislation,” said ECU // LAV Action Fund President Tiffany Muller. “These efforts underscore why it’s more important than ever to pass the For the People Act. It will counteract these dangerous dark money fueled attacks on restricting Americans’ voices in our democracy.”
Earlier this spring, ECU // LAV Action Fund and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee announced a campaign to pass the For the People Act. The campaign includes television and digital advertising; major grassroots activation, including putting boots on the ground in key states; and grasstops education and outreach. The campaign is funding key national and local allied organizations––from good government and voting rights groups to a wide array of issue advocacy groups. This historic investment is harnessing the grassroots energy for unrigging the system in Washington to make it work for everyone, not just those on top, and will make it clear to the Senate that we must pass this bill.
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