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John Tate

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John Tate
John Tate (9906746464).jpg
Basic facts
Organization:America's Liberty PAC
Role:President
Affiliation:Republican
Education:University of Virginia


John Tate is the founder and president of America's Liberty PAC, a super PAC that supported Rand Paul's 2016 presidential campaign and his 2016 campaign for re-election to the Senate.[1] He went on leave after being indicted on federal bribery charges.[2] Tate is also the president of Campaign for Liberty, a 501(c)(4) political organization founded by former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). Previously, he worked on the staff of the Leadership Institute and as vice president of the National Right to Work Committee. He served on Ron Paul's 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Tate is also the president and founder of JFT Consulting, Inc.[3]

On May 5, 2016, Tate was convicted of multiple campaign finance law violations stemming from Ron Paul's 2012 presidential campaign.[4] Tate was sentenced to two years of probation and six months of home confinement on September 20, 2016.[5]

Career

National Right to Work

Tate worked for the National Right to Work Committee for 14 years, having served as vice president for the last six years.[1] National Right to Work is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that works for legislation against what the organization calls compulsory unionism.[6] While with the organization, Tate worked with Doug Stafford, a senior advisor to Paul's 2016 campaign.

Ron Paul presidential campaigns, 2008 and 2012

In 2008, Tate worked as the national political director for Ron Paul's presidential campaign. In 2012, he was hired as the campaign manager.[3] During both campaigns, Tate worked significantly on building a large grassroots support for Paul. In a 2012 appeal to supporters, Tate said: "We have a weapon no other campaign possesses: true grassroots support, and people willing to work day and night until these elections are won."[7] During the 2012 campaign, Tate also encouraged Paul’s supporters to act as delegates at the Republican National Convention, saying: "We need as many voices as possible to speak out for freedom, and, so far, many of Dr. Paul’s supporters have responded by taking the extra step to become delegates. This 'in the trenches' strategy to win sets us apart from the other candidates, who pour all their energy into winning what often turn out to be only beauty contests."[8]

Campaign for Liberty

Upon its founding in 2008, Tate worked as president of the Campaign for Liberty, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization "dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a noninterventionist foreign policy," according to the group's website.[3] As president, Tate has been an outspoken opponent of tax increases across the country. In a 2013 editorial on Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, Tate wrote: "But if the Governor thinks voters will conveniently forget about his massive tax hike, he is mistaken. Campaign for Liberty and other groups will be here to remind them."[9] Tate has also been outspoken about Campaign for Liberty's role in voter education, saying:[10]

“ Many Americans simply do not have time to keep up on Congress’ activities, so they join groups such as Campaign for Liberty that work to advance the issues they care about. By informing our members of developments at the federal, state, and local levels of government and encouraging them to contact their representatives to let them know their views on the legislative issues of importance to them, we enhance our members’ ability to directly affect the legislative process.[11] ”

America's Liberty PAC

See also: Rand Paul presidential campaign, 2016

According to its website, America's Liberty PAC is "a Super PAC created for and dedicated to, electing Senator Rand Paul President of the United States in 2016."[12] Tate is the founding president of the organization, which began raising money in 2012.[1][13] Jesse Benton, a general consultant for America's Liberty PAC, previously worked with Tate on a number of Ron Paul campaigns, including his 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns as well as for the 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization Campaign for Liberty.[14]

Rand Paul told the Sunshine State News of Tate's influence on his staff: "He played a crucial role in bringing top-level staffers onto my 2010 run for the Senate – including my political director, Doug Stafford. John has been someone I’ve leaned on ever since."[15]

Paul suspended his presidential run on February 3, 2016.[16]

Noteworthy events

Campaign finance violation

In 2012, Tate managed the presidential campaign of Ron Paul, who had polled strongly in Iowa prior to the caucuses. Adding to Paul's appeal was the endorsement of state Sen. Kent Sorenson, who switched his endorsement from Michele Bachmann to Ron Paul days before voting.[17]

After the campaign, an aide from the Paul campaign leaked emails to the Open Secrets Blog and other media outlets, revealing that Sorenson's endorsement had been purchased through negotiations with Aaron Dorr, a gun rights activist in Iowa.[18] One leaked memo, which negotiated the terms of payment between Paul's campaign and Sorensen, is addressed to Tate.[19] According to The Iowa Republican, Tate "was included in email conversations regarding the Sorenson compensation package presented by Dorr to the Paul campaign."[20] In 2014, Sorenson pleaded guilty to charges of concealing the payments and obstructing the federal investigation of those payments.[21]

On August 5, 2015, the Justice Department charged Tate and two other political operatives—Jesse Benton and Dmitri Kesari—with "conspiracy, causing false records to obstruct a contemplated investigation, causing the submission of false campaign expenditure reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and engaging in a scheme to make false statements to the FEC."[22] Tate went on leave from the super PAC shortly after the indictment.[2]

On May 5, 2016, Tate was convicted of violating multiple campaign finance laws in connection with the Sorensen payments. According to CBS News, Tate was convicted "of conspiracy, causing false campaign contribution reports to be filed to the Federal Election Commission and participating in a false statement scheme" in addition to a conviction on "causing the campaign to file false records of the payments."[4] Tate was sentenced to two years of probation and six months of home confinement on September 20, 2016.[5]

Media

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 America's Liberty PAC, "Our Staff," accessed May 15, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Politico, "Rand allies take leave after indictment on bribery scheme charges," August 6, 2015
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Campaign for Liberty, "John F. Tate," accessed May 15, 2015
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 CBS News, "Aides to Ron Paul's 2012 team convicted of campaign finance violations," May 5, 2016
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Politico, "2 ex-Ron Paul aides get probation for paid 2012 endorsement cover-up," September 20, 2016
  6. ↑ National Right to Work Committee, "About Us," accessed May 16, 2015
  7. ↑ http://www.ronpaul.com/2011-12-15/john-tate-with-our-help-ron-paul-can-win/ RonPaul.com, "John Tate: With Our Help, Ron Paul Can Win," accessed May 16, 2015]
  8. ↑ Facebook, Ron Paul, "From Campaign Manager John Tate," accessed May 16, 2015
  9. ↑ Business Insider, "Bob McDonnell's New Virginia Tax Hikes Are Exactly Why Americans Hate Both Political Parties," February 27, 2013
  10. ↑ Campaign for Liberty, "Statement by Campaign for Liberty President John Tate for the Oversight of the IRS hearing before the Subcommittee on Oversight of the House Committee on Ways and Means," accessed May 16, 2015
  11. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  12. ↑ America's Liberty PAC, "Home," accessed May 15, 2015
  13. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "America's Liberty PAC Statement of Organization," accessed May 15, 2105
  14. ↑ Open Secrets, "Ron Paul Network Was Lucrative for Jesse Benton," accessed May 15, 2015
  15. ↑ Sunshine State News, "Ally of Ron Paul and Rand Paul Launches Super-PAC," accessed May 15, 2015
  16. ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul dropping out of White House race," February 3, 2016
  17. ↑ Des Moines Register, "Sorenson stuns Michele Bachmann with switch to Ron Paul’s camp," December 29, 2011
  18. ↑ Open Secrets, "Ron Paul Campaign Accused of Trying to Buy Iowa Endorsements," August 7, 2013
  19. ↑ Document Cloud, "Aaron Dorr Memo to John Tate," accessed May 16, 2015
  20. ↑ The Iowa Republican, "The Payoff - Details Revealed on Sorenson's Deal with Ron Paul," August 6, 2013
  21. ↑ Des Moines Register, "Sorenson could face prison after pleas in campaign case," August 29, 2014
  22. ↑ U.S. Department of Justice, "Three Members of 2012 Presidential Campaign Staff Charged with Concealing Payments Made to State Senator," August 5, 2015
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