End Citizens United PAC

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End Citizens United
Basic facts
Location:	Washington, D.C.
Type:	PAC
Year founded:	2015
Website:	Official website

End Citizens United is a political action committee that aims to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The decision held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited because doing so would violate the First Amendment. The PAC was founded in 2015 by three former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraising strategists and has supported and made contributions to Democratic candidates. In 2017, the End Citizens United website stated, "Democrats are leading the fight against Citizens United, and we believe meaningful change can happen with their leadership."

Mission

As of February 2020, the group's mission statement was as follows:

“

To end Big Money in politics and fix our rigged political system by electing campaign finance reform champions, passing state ballot measures, and elevating this issue in the national conversation. We will work in partnership with these champions to overturn Citizens United and end the unlimited and undisclosed money in politics.

”

Background

End Citizens United PAC was established on March 1, 2015. According to its website, the PAC's funding came from grassroots donors. The Huffington Post reported that in its first year, End Citizens United raised "$11 million, mostly from small donations collected online."

Work

As of February 2020, the End Citizens United website listed the following aspects of the group's work:

“

Electing pro-reform candidates Raising the issue of money in politics as a national priority Working with ballot measure campaigns to pass pro-reform laws in the states Using grassroots membership to demonstrate political power on the issue of money in politics

”

Political activity

To view the current list of candidates endorsed by End Citizens United, click here.

2020 election

On March 20, 2019, End Citizens United PAC released an initial list of 26 U.S. House endorsements for the 2020 election cycle.

Partnership with Off the Sidelines

On February 20, 2020, End Citizens United announced a partnership with Off the Sidelines, a PAC founded by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). The goals of the partnership according to the announcement were to "advocate for campaign finance reforms aimed at curbing the influence of money in politics and to raise money for and advise female candidates who align themselves with the groups on those issues."

2018 election

End Citizens United PAC endorsed the following congressional candidates on its website as of April 2017.

• U.S. House of Representatives
  • Pete Aguilar (D-PA)
  • Julia Brownley (D-CA)
  • Cheri Bustos (D-IL)
  • Matt Cartwright (D-PA)
  • Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
  • Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
  • Ted Deutch (D-FL)
  • Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)
  • Ruben Kihuen (D-NV)
  • Derek Kilmer (D-WA)
  • Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
  • Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY)
  • Jerry McNerney (D-CA)
  • Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ)
  • Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
  • Rob Quist (D-MT)
  • Jamie Raskin (D-MD)
  • Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
  • Raul Ruiz (D-CA)
  • John Sarbanes (D-MD)
  • Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
• U.S. Senate
  • Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
  • Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
  • Jon Tester (D-MT)

2017 involvement

End Citizens United PAC endorsed Rob Quist in the May 25, 2017, special election for Montana's At-Large Congressional District seat. According to the Montana Standard, the group had "3 million members across the country and 350,000 donors." A spokesperson for the group stated that, "Our first and foremost priority is connecting our grassroots members with the Quist campaign to help make sure he has all the support he needs." Prior to involvement in the Montana race, the group had raised $825,000 in support of Democratic congressional candidate Jon Ossoff for Georgia's 6th Congressional District special election.

2016 election

Candidate contributions

During the 2016 campaign cycle, End Citizens United PAC contributed $532,500 to Democratic candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives and $156,500 to Democratic candidates running for the U.S. Senate.

Candidate contributions made by End Citizens United PAC
Election cycle	Candidate	Party	State	Office	Total	Race outcome
2016	Alma Adams		NC	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Pete Aguilar		CA	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Brad Ashford		NE	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	LuAnn Bennett		VA	U.S. House	$7,500	d Democrat defeated
2016	Ami Bera		CA	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Terri Bonoff		MN	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Anthony Brown		MD	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Julia Brownley		CA	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Cheri Bustos		IL	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Bryan Caforio		CA	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Emily Cain		ME	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Salud Carbajal		CA	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Morgan Carroll		CO	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Lynn Coleman		IN	U.S. House	$2,500	d Democrat defeated
2016	Jim Costa		CA	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Angie Craig		MN	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Charlie Crist		FL	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Colleen Deacon		NY	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Suzan DelBene		WA	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat defeated
2016	Val Demings		FL	U.S. Senate	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Mike Derrick		NY	U.S. House	$5,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Ted Deutch		FL	U.S. House	$4,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Jane Dittmar		VA	U.S. House	$5,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Gretchen Driskell		MI	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Michael Eggman		CA	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Keith Ellison		MN	U.S. House	$1,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Elizabeth Esty		CT	U.S. House	$5,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Pete Gallego		TX	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Bill Golderer		PA	U.S. House	$5,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Vicente Gonzalez		TX	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Josh Gottheimer		NJ	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	DuWayne Gregory		NY	U.S. House	$3,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Colleen Hanabusa		HI	U.S. House	$1,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Christina Hartman		PA	U.S. House	$2,500	d Democrat defeated
2016	Steny Hoyer		MD	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Lon Johnson		MI	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Denise Juneau		MT	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Ruben Kihuen		NV	U.S. House	$5,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Dan Kildee		MI	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Annie Kuster		NH	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	David Loebsack		IA	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Ben Ray Lujan		NM	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Sean Patrick Maloney		NY	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Jerry McNerney		CA	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Seth Moulton		MA	U.S. House	$1,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Jim Mowrer		IA	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Stephanie Murphy		FL	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Kim Myers		NY	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Jerrold Nadler		NY	U.S. House	$1,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Tom Nelson		WI	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Rick Nolan		MN	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Tom O'Halleran		AZ	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Doug Owens		UT	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Jimmy Panetta		CA	U.S. House	$1,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Mike Parrish		PA	U.S. House	$2,500	d Democrat defeated
2016	Nancy Pelosi		CA	U.S. House	$5,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Scott Peters		CA	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	John Plumb		NY	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Lisa Blunt Rochester		DE	U.S. House	$1,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Jacky Rosen		NV	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Raul Ruiz		CA	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Steve Santarsiero		PA	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Jan Schakowsky		IL	U.S. House	$3,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Brad Schneider		IL	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Gail Schwartz		CO	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Carol Shea-Porter		NH	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Suzanna Shkreli		MI	U.S. House	$2,500	d Democrat defeated
2016	Cory Simpson		WV	U.S. House	$5,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Kyrsten Sinema		AZ	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Louise Slaughter		NY	U.S. House	$2,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Darren Soto		FL	U.S. House	$1,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Tom Suozzi		NY	U.S. House	$5,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Annette Taddeo		FL	U.S. House	$9,500	d Democrat defeated
2016	Mark Takano		CA	U.S. House	$1,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Zephyr Teachout		NY	U.S. House	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Anna Throne-Holst		NY	U.S. House	$5,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Monica Vernon		IA	U.S. House	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	John Yarmuth		KY	U.S. House	$2,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Shelli Yoder		IN	U.S. House	$5,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Evan Bayh		IN	U.S. Senate	$5,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Michael Bennet		CO	U.S. Senate	$9,500	a Democrat elected
2016	Tammy Duckworth		IL	U.S. Senate	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Conner Eldridge		AR	U.S. Senate	$2,500	d Democrat defeated
2016	Russ Feingold		WI	U.S. Senate	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Maggie Hassan		NH	U.S. Senate	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Baron Hill		IN	U.S. Senate	$9,500	d Democrat defeated
2016	Patty Judge		IA	U.S. Senate	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Jason Kander		MO	U.S. Senate	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Ann Kirkpatrick		AZ	U.S. Senate	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Patrick Leahy		VT	U.S. Senate	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Catherine Cortez Masto		NV	U.S. Senate	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Katie McGinty		PA	U.S. Senate	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Patrick Murphy		FL	U.S. Senate	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Deborah Ross		NC	U.S. Senate	$10,000	d Democrat defeated
2016	Brian Schatz		HI	U.S. Senate	$10,000	a Democrat elected
2016	Ted Strickland		OH	U.S. Senate	$10,000	d Democrat defeated

During the 2016 election cycle, End Citizens United PAC spent $941,974 on ads and communications supporting Democratic candidates for congress. The table below outlines these independent expenditures.

Independent expenditures made by End Citizens United PAC in support of Democratic candidates
Election cycle	Candidate	Party	State	Office	Total	Race outcome
2016	Russ Feingold		WI	U.S. Senate	$199,980	d Democrat defeated
2016	Jason Kander		MO	U.S. Senate	$384,856	d Democrat defeated
2016	Catherine Cortez Masto		NV	U.S. Senate	$261,550	a Democrat elected
2016	Zephyr Teachout		NY	U.S. Senate	$73,244	d Democrat defeated
2016	Monica Vernon		IA	U.S. House	$22,344	d Democrat defeated

Endorsed candidates

End Citizens United PAC endorsed Hillary Clinton in her 2016 bid for the presidency.

Targeted candidates

During the 2016 election cycle, End Citizens United PAC spent $10,944,611 on ads and communications targeting Republican candidates for congress. The table below outlines these independent expenditures.

Independent expenditures made by End Citizens United PAC against Republican candidates
Election cycle	Candidate	Party	State	Office	Total	Race outcome
2016	Kelly Ayotte		NH	U.S. Senate	$2,056,027	d Republican defeated
2016	Rod Blum		IA	U.S. House	$117,377	a Republican elected
2016	Roy Blunt		MO	U.S. Senate	$1,182,480	a Republican elected
2016	Richard Burr		NC	U.S. Senate	$1,801,166	a Republican elected
2016	Bob Dold		IL	U.S. House	$336,914	d Republican defeated
2016	John Faso		NY	U.S. House	$290,053	a Republican elected
2016	Joe Heck		NV	U.S. Senate	$1,671,072	d Republican defeated
2016	Ron Johnson		WI	U.S. Senate	$1,034,460	a Republican elected
2016	Stewart Mills		MN	U.S. House	$84,281	d Republican defeated
2016	Bruce Poliquin		ME	U.S. House	$249,225	a Republican elected
2016	Danny Tarkanian		NV	U.S. House	$100,536	d Republican defeated
2016	Pat Toomey		PA	U.S. Senate	$2,021,020	a Republican elected

2015 involvement

Ballot measure activity

In 2015, End Citizens United PAC supported two campaign finance ballot measures.

• The Maine "Clean Elections" Initiative was approved. It increased funding for the Maine Clean Elections Fund, increased penalties for violating campaign finance disclosure rules, adjusted political ad disclosure rules, and allowed candidates to qualify for additional funds.

• The City of Seattle Restrictions on Campaign Finance and Elections Initiative was approved. The Huffington Post reported that the measure would "create a first-of-its-kind system of publicly funded 'democracy vouchers' to be distributed to citizens to donate to candidates participating in the public funding system...along with a raft of other campaign finance, disclosure, ethics and lobbying reforms."

The following table details End Citizens United PAC'S ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:

Ballot measure support and opposition for End Citizens United PAC.
Ballot measure	Year	Position	Status
Maine "Clean Elections" Initiative, Question 1 (2015)	2015	Supported	a Approved
City of Seattle Restrictions on Campaign Finance and Elections, Initiative Measure No. 122 (November 2015)	2015	Supported	a Approved

Finances

USA Today reported that End Citizens United PAC raised approximately $25 million during the 2016 election cycle from about 100,000 contributors. The average contribution, according to End Citizens United, was $12. A report from the Center for Responsive Politics said that 4,764 donors gave $200 or more during the 2016 election cycle. According to a Federal Election Commission summary, the group was the fourth largest PAC in terms of financial receipts in the 2016 election cycle.

Leadership

According to the organization's website, the following individuals held leadership positions with End Citizens United PAC, as of April 2019:

• Board of Directors
  • Ron Barber, former Arizona congressman
  • Jessica Vanden Berg, political consultant
  • Christopher Massicotte, political technology consultant
  • Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, Third Way think tank
  • Simone Ward, women's rights advocate
  • Bill Smith, political operative
• Staff
  • Tiffany Muller, President and Executive Director
  • Adam Bozzi, Vice President for Communications
  • Patrick Burgwinkle, Communications Director
  • Bawadden Sayed, Deputy Communications Director
  • Adam Smith, Strategic Partnerships Director
  • Scott Fay, Action Fund Director
  • Erin Fyffe, Action Fund Deputy Director
  • Audrey Battaglini, Action Fund Assistant
  • Courtney Corbisiero, Digital Director
  • Andrew Laskar, National Finance Director
  • Christine Fujiki, Deputy Finance Director
  • Bridgette Harrison, Deputy Finance Director
  • Maddie Beckenholdt, Campaign Services Finance Manager
  • Jody Murphy, Independent Expenditure Director
  • Lynn Jorden, Independent Expenditure Research Director
  • Mark Andrews, Compliance and Operations Associate
  • Ian Gansler, Executive Assistant
  • Jordan Wood, Vice President for Political
  • Joe Radosevich, Political Director
  • Evan Brown, Deputy Political Director
  • Amanda Hills, Political Assistant
  • Rajan Narang, Director of Policy and Non-Federal Strategy
  • Dorothy Scheeline, Research Director
  • Sam Jones, Deputy Research Director
  • Rachel McGovern, Research Manager

Political action committees

See also: Political action committee

End Citizens United PAC is a Political Action Committee (PAC), which is a political committee established and administered by corporations, labor unions, membership organizations or trade associations. The general definition is a group that spends money on elections, but is not run by a party or individual candidate. However, PACs can donate money to parties or candidates they support. These committees raise funds either from individuals associated with the corporation (Separate Segregated Funds) or from any individuals who wish to contribute to the committee (Nonconnected PACs). Nonconnected PACs are financially independent and pay for themselves via the contributions they raise. Separate segregated funds are funded by the organization they are associated with.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'End Citizens United PAC'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

End Citizens United PAC - Google News

See also

• PAC
• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

External links

• End Citizens United PAC website
• End Citizens United PAC on Facebook
• End Citizens United PAC on Twitter