American Future Fund

Nick Ryan, an adviser to U.S. Representative Jim Nussle, founded the organization in 2007.{{cite news |last=Jacobs |first=Jennifer |title=Power fundraiser Nicole Schlinger signs on with Pawlenty |url=http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/05/27/power-fundraiser-nicole-schlinger-signs-on-with-pawlenty/ |date=May 27, 2011 |publisher=Des Moines Register |access-date=October 2, 2012 |archive-date=January 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121121453/http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/05/27/power-fundraiser-nicole-schlinger-signs-on-with-pawlenty/ |url-status=dead }} Its current president is another Iowa state Senator Sandra Greiner.{{cite news |last=Robertson |first=Laurie |title=American Future Fund |url=http://www.factcheck.org/2011/09/american-future-fund-2/ |date=September 18, 2011 |publisher=Annenberg Public Policy Center |access-date=October 2, 2012}} All are Republicans who served on Mitt Romney's campaign for the Republican U.S. Presidential nomination in 2008.{{cite news |last=Evans |first=Will |title=Profile: American Future Fund |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93790064 |date=August 20, 2008 |publisher=National Public Radio |access-date=October 2, 2012}}

The fund describes itself as providing Americans with "a conservative and free market viewpoint" with the means to communicate and advocate on behalf of those beliefs.{{cite web| url=https://americanfuturefund.com/about-us | title= About Us | publisher=American Freedom Fund| access-date=June 7, 2016}} In 2010, the fund reported over 9 million dollars of independent campaign expenditures to the Federal Election Commission, and all of its expenditures benefited Republicans.{{cite news |last=Farnam |first=T.W. |title=American Future Fund |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaign/2010/spending/American-Future-Fund.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 29, 2012}} According to OpenSecrets, the American Future Fund ranked fourth in spending by nonprofits during the 2012 federal elections.

The organization does not disclose the names of those who provide its funding.{{cite news|title=Political contributions more difficult to trace after key U.S. Supreme Court decisions |first=Kevin |last=Yamamura |publisher=Sacramento Bee |date=November 6, 2012 |url=http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/06/4963560/political-contributions-more-difficult.html |access-date=November 6, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106082931/http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/06/4963560/political-contributions-more-difficult.html |archive-date=January 6, 2013 }} The Koch brothers have acknowledged funding the American Freedom Fund in some years. Others identified as providing funding include Iowa businessman Bruce Rastetter, a founder of US ethanol-producer Hawkeye Energy Holdings, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a lobbying group.

It is affiliated with the Center to Protect Patient Rights.{{cite web|url=http://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/10/31/7205/fine-line-between-politics-and-issues-spending-secretive-501c4-groups/ |title=Fine line between politics and issues spending by secretive 501(c)(4) groups |publisher=Center for Public Integrity |date=May 31, 2012 |access-date=June 7, 2016 |first=Peter H. |last=Stone |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518075837/http://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/10/31/7205/fine-line-between-politics-and-issues-spending-secretive-501c4-groups/?utm_source=iwatchnews&utm_medium=site-features&utm_campaign=most-active |archive-date=May 18, 2015 }}{{cite web |url=http://bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/20120529centers_activities_provide_glimpse_into_network_of_conservative_advocacy_groups|title=Center's activities provide glimpse into network of conservative advocacy groups |publisher=Boston Herald |date=May 29, 2012 |access-date=September 29, 2012}}

The Fund's first communications effort was a positive ad in support of a candidate. Much of its communications work since then have involved negative advertising against Democrats,{{cite web|last=Evans |first=Will |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93790064 |title=Profile: American Future Fund |publisher=NPR |date=August 20, 2008 |access-date=June 29, 2014}} but also includes advocacy for a Libertarian candidate designed to hurt a Democrat's chance of winning an election and television ads against Donald Trump during his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

• In March 2008, the Fund produced a television advertisement in support of U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, who was running for re-election in Minnesota.
• In 2012 the organization funded ads supporting Mitt Romney's bid for the U.S. presidency.{{cite news|agency=Associated Press |title=Outside groups making play to help Romney with ads |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57521708/outside-groups-making-play-to-help-romney-with-ads/ |date=September 27, 2012 |work=CBS News |access-date=September 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929000747/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57521708/outside-groups-making-play-to-help-romney-with-ads/ |archive-date=September 29, 2012 }} Its spending during that election cycle exceeded $21 million, with half of that amount spent in support of Romney.{{cite news|last1=Zuvich|first1=Cady|title=Koch-linked group blasts John Kasich in ad buy|url=http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/1/28/koch-linked-group-blasts-john-kasich-in-ad-buy.html|access-date=June 8, 2016|publisher=Al Jazeera|date=January 28, 2016}}
• In 2012, it funded ads attacking Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster{{cite web |title=Who's the "Imposter"? Chris Koster or Nonprofit Behind Attack Ad? |url=http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2012/09/koster_the_imposter_ad_american_future_fund.php |publisher=The Riverfront Times |date=September 25, 2012 |access-date=2012-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101140315/http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2012/09/koster_the_imposter_ad_american_future_fund.php |archive-date=2012-11-01 |url-status=dead }}
• In 2012 it funded ads in support of California's Proposition 32, which would prevent unions from collecting political contributions as paycheck deductions.{{cite news |title=$4 million added to support Prop. 32 |url=http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/15/4822025/4-million-added-to-support-prop.html |date=September 15, 2012 |publisher=The Sacramento Bee |access-date=2012-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918034335/http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/15/4822025/4-million-added-to-support-prop.html |archive-date=2012-09-18 |url-status=dead }}
• In 2012, it funded attack against U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich who was running for the U.S. Senate from New Mexico.{{cite news |url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/aug/14/american-future-fund/did-new-mexico-rep-spend-1-trillion-tax-dollars-st/ |title=Did New Mexico rep spend 1 trillion tax dollars on a stimulus for 'failed companies here and jobs overseas'? |publisher=Politifact |access-date=June 7, 2016 | date=August 14, 2012|first=Louis|last=Jacobson}}
• In 2014 the fund sponsored ads in support of the Libertarian candidate in the North Carolina U.S. Senate election, Sean Haugh. The ads portrayed Haugh as an anti-war candidate and supporter of the legalization of cannabis. They told voters who supported these positions to avoid voting for Senator Kay Hagan, the incumbent and a Democrat. Haugh, who believed the American Future Fund is financed by Charles and David Koch, said the ads gave him "a whole new reason to despise Koch brothers and their dark money".{{cite news|publisher=NPR | url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2014/10/23/358118060/outside-group-sends-blunt-message-in-n-c-senate-race | access-date=June 7, 2016|title= Outside Group Sends Blunt Message In N.C. Senate Race | date=October 23, 2014 | first=S.V. | last=Daté}}
• In 2014 in the Wisconsin gubernatorial election the Fund sponsored a series of nine advertisements promoting Libertarian candidate Robert Burke, a former Republican, on the basis of his advocacy for legalizing marijuana. The campaign of Democratic candidate Mary Burke, as well as by some journalists and commentators, believed they represented an attempt to divide or confuse progressive and liberal voters. Burke said: "While I endorse the full legalization of cannabis, I do not endorse in any way the message of this ad." The incumbent Governor Scott Walker, a Republican, denied any connection to the ads. The ads include a statement that they are not sponsored or approved by any candidate, but rather by the American Future Fund alone.{{cite news |access-date=June 7, 2016|title=Pro-weed ads prompt blunt exchange between Walker and Burke campaigns |url=http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/281226021.html |first=Daniel |last=Bice |date=November 2, 2014|publisher=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}
• In 2016, the Fund spent more than $100,000 on television advertising in New Hampshire that called Ohio Governor John Kasich an "Obama Republican".
• In 2016, the Fund ran television advertisements in which former clients of Trump University described how they were taken in by the Trump brand name and manipulated into spending increasing amounts of money.{{cite news| newspaper=Washington Post| date= February 29, 2016| access-date=June 3, 2016| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/02/29/a-trio-of-truthful-attack-ads-about-trump-university/ | title= A trio of truthful attack ads about Trump University | first=Glenn| last=Kessler}}

• Political activities of the Koch brothers

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://americanfuturefund.com American Future Fund Website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150105193204/http://nccsweb.urban.org/communityplatform/nccs/organization/profile/id/260620554/popup/1 Organizational Profile] – National Center for Charitable Statistics (Urban Institute)
• OpenSecrets page on [http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=American%20Future%20Fund American Future Fund]
• [http://www.factcheck.org/tag/american-future-fund/ Factcheck.org Page on American Future Fund]

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Category:Non-profit organizations based in Iowa

Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States

Category:Organizations established in 2007

Category:501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations

Category:Conservative organizations in the United States