FreedomWorks

FreedomWorks originated from a conservative political group founded by the brothers David H. Koch and Charles Koch, and called Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE). In 2004 CSE split into Americans for Prosperity, led by President Nancy Pfotenhauer, and a remainder group which merged with Empower America and was renamed FreedomWorks, led by President and CEO Matt Kibbe.{{cite news |first=Ed |last=Pilkington |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/18/republicans-internet-barack-obama |title=Republicans steal Barack Obama's internet campaigning tricks |newspaper=The Guardian |date=September 18, 2009 |access-date=April 5, 2015}}{{failed verification|no mention of Pfotenhauer, Empower America in ref|date=April 2015}} Dick Armey, Jack Kemp, and C. Boyden Gray served as co-chairmen of the new organization with Bill Bennett focusing on school choice as a Senior Fellow.{{cite web|url=http://www.freedomworks.org/release.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040725031033/http://www.freedomworks.org/release.php |archive-date=2004-07-25 |title=FreedomWorks.org |date=2004-07-25 |access-date=2015-06-12}}{{cite web|url=http://www.freedomworks.org/about/board-of-directors |title=Board of Directors |date=October 15, 2013 |publisher=FreedomWorks |access-date=2015-06-12}} Empower America had been founded in 1993 by Bennett, former Secretary of HUD Kemp, former Ambassador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, and former Representative Vin Weber.{{cite web |url=http://rightweb.irc-online.org/org/empower.php |title=Empower America – Profile – Right Web – Institute for Policy Studies |publisher=Rightweb.irc-online.org |access-date=2015-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051229071420/http://rightweb.irc-online.org/org/empower.php |archive-date=December 29, 2005 |url-status=dead }} In December 2006, Steve Forbes joined the FreedomWorks board of directors.{{cite web|url=http://www.freedomworks.org/about/board-of-directors|title=Board of Directors|date=October 15, 2013|publisher=Freedomworks |access-date=2015-06-12}}

The FreedomWorks name was derived from Armey saying: Freedom works. Freedom is good policy and good politics."{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1041986931689098504|title=Citizen Armey|author=Dick Armey|date=January 8, 2003|work=The Wall Street Journal}}

On August 14, 2009, after Armey's leadership of FreedomWorks became a problem to his employer, the lobbying and legal firm of DLA Piper, Armey was forced to resign from his job at DLA Piper. In 2010, DLA Piper chairman Francis Burch responded that the firm serves clients "who support enactment of effective health care reform this year and encourages responsible national debate."{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/26128_Page2.html |title=Armey leaves firm amid health care flap – David Mark |newspaper=Politico |access-date=2015-06-12}}

On November 30, 2012, Armey resigned as chairman of FreedomWorks. Armey stipulated that FreedomWorks was to immediately remove his name, image, or signature "from all its letters, print media, postings, web sites, videos, testimonials, endorsements, fundraising materials, and social media."{{cite news|last=Corn|first=David|title=Exclusive: Dick Armey Quits Tea Party Group in Split Over Direction|url=https://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/12/dick-armey-resigns-freedomworks-tea-party|access-date=December 4, 2012|work=Mother Jones|date=2012-12-03|author2=Kroll, Andy}} Armey claimed that the split was caused by President and CEO Matt Kibbe's use of FreedomWorks' resources to write a book, Hostile Takeover, which he personally profited from and which he asked Armey and the board to later acknowledge was written without significant resources from FreedomWorks; Kibbe alleged that the split was a result of competing visions for the direction of the organization.{{cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/dick-armey-freedomworks-president-clashed-over-book-deal-84599.html |title=Inside the Dick Armey, FreedomWorks split |date=December 4, 2012 |first=Kenneth |last=Vogel |newspaper=Politico |access-date=September 8, 2014}} The Associated Press reported that in September 2012, Armey agreed to resign by November 2012 in exchange for $8 million in consulting fees paid in annual $400,000 installments, funded by board member Richard J. Stephenson.{{cite news|last=Gillum|first=Jack|title=Tea Party group chief quits, cites internal split|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TEA_PARTY_ARMEY_RESIGNATION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-12-04-11-43-11|access-date=4 December 2012|publisher=Associated Press|date=2012-12-04|author2=Braun, Stephen}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/freedomworks-tea-party-group-nearly-falls-apart-in-fight-between-old-and-new-guard/2012/12/25/dd095b68-4545-11e2-8061-253bccfc7532_story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229084710/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-12-25/politics/36015740_1_freedomworks-tea-party-matt-kibbe|url-status=live|archive-date=December 29, 2012|title=FreedomWorks tea party group nearly falls apart in fight between old and new guard|author=Amy Gardner|date=December 25, 2012|newspaper=The Washington Post}}

Shortly following the split between FreedomWorks and Dick Armey, FreedomWorks again faced public controversy over its creation of a video featuring a giant panda-costumed intern pretending to perform cunnilingus upon another person wearing a Hillary Clinton mask.{{cite magazine |url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/02/freedomworks-interns-hillary-clinton-sex-with-panda.html |title=Tea-Party Interns Starred in Video of Hillary Clinton Having Sex With Panda |date=February 14, 2013 |first=Joe |last=Coscarelli |magazine=New York |access-date=September 8, 2014}} Its video was reported to be intended for showing at a conservative conference featuring Glenn Beck.

FreedomWorks was an associate member of the Koch-funded State Policy Network, a U.S. national network of free-market oriented think tanks.{{cite news |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/koch-brothers-think-tank-report-99791.html |title=Report: Think tanks tied to Kochs |newspaper=Politico |date=November 13, 2013 |first=Tal |last=Kopan |access-date=February 24, 2015}} In 2009, Mother Jones listed FreedomWorks as a significant climate change denier.{{cite news|last=Harkinson|first=Josh|date=December 4, 2009|title=The Dirty Dozen of Climate Change Denial|magazine=Mother Jones|url=https://www.motherjones.com/special-reports/2009/12/dirty-dozen-climate-change-denial|access-date=August 17, 2015}}

In March 2023, FreedomWorks laid off 40% of its 50 staff, including its executive vice president, Noah Wall.{{Cite web |last1=Oprysko |first1=Caitlin |last2=Lippman |first2=Daniel |date=2023-03-08 |title=FreedomWorks lays off 40 percent of staff |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2023/03/08/freedomworks-lays-off-40-percent-of-staff-00086188 |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=POLITICO |language=en}}

In May 2024, the board of directors of FreedomWorks voted unanimously to dissolve the organization. The group, which at the time had 25 staff members, was immediately shut down. The group cited "the ideological upheaval of the Trump era" as its reason for closure. FreedomWorks president Adam Brandon said a "huge gap" opened up between the libertarian principles of the group's leadership and "the MAGA-style populism of its members."

Together with Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks played an important role in generating a significant part of the Tea Party movement and encouraging it to lay a focus on climate change denial.Riley E. Dunlap, Aaron M. McCright: Organized Climate Change Denial. In: John S. Dryzek, Richard B. Norgaard, David Schlosberg (eds.): The Oxford Handbook of Climate Change and Society. Oxford University Press, 2011, pp 144–160, p. 154. In 2009, FreedomWorks responded to the growing number of Tea Party protests across the United States, and became one of several groups active in the "Tea Party" tax protests. Three national conservative groups, FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity, and DontGo led the tea party movement in April 2009, according to The Atlantic magazine.{{cite news |title=The Tea Party Movement: Who's In Charge? |first=Chris |last=Good |date=April 13, 2009 |access-date=April 1, 2015 |magazine=The Atlantic |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2009/04/the-tea-party-movement-whos-in-charge/13041/}} FreedomWorks was a lead organizer of the September 12, 2009, Taxpayer March on Washington, also known as the 9/12 Tea Party.{{Cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/12/AR2009091200971.html | title=Lashing Out at the Capitol: Tens of Thousands Protest Obama Initiatives and Government Spending | last=Brown | first=Emma |author2=Hohmann, James |author3=Bacon, Perry | date=September 13, 2009 | newspaper=The Washington Post | access-date=September 13, 2009 }}{{Cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/13/barack-obama-denounced-washington-march | title=Barack Obama denounced by rightwing marchers in Washington | last=Pilkington | first=Ed | date=September 13, 2009 | newspaper=The Guardian | access-date=September 15, 2009 }}{{Cite news| url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27070.html | newspaper=Politico | date=September 12, 2009 | title='Freedom fighters' take a stand in D.C. | first=Alex | last=Isenstadt | access-date=September 15, 2009 }} In February 2010, FreedomWorks, the FreedomWorks Foundation, and the FreedomWorks Political Action Committee were among the twelve most influential groups in the Tea Party movement, according to the National Journal.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/12-tea-party-players-to-watch-20100204 |title=12 Tea Party Players To Watch |magazine=National Journal |date=February 4, 2010 |access-date=April 17, 2015 |first1=Christopher |last1=Snow Hopkins |first2=Siddhartha |last2=Mahanta |first3=Theresa |last3=Poulson}} In September 2010, FreedomWorks was one of the top five most influential organizations in the Tea Party movement, according to The Washington Post.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2010/09/26/GR2010092600175.html |title=The top national players in the tea party |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 26, 2010 |access-date=April 17, 2015}} In 2009, FreedomWorks advocated for the defeat of Democratic-sponsored climate change legislation.{{cite news |title=Conservative Mainstays and Fledgling Advocacy Groups Drive Health-Reform Opposition |first1=Dan |last1=Eggen |first2=Philip |last2=Rucker |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 16, 2009 |access-date=August 19, 2015 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/15/AR2009081502696.html}} In 2010, FreedomWorks helped organize Tea Party protests and passed fliers opposing national climate policy.{{cite news |title=Climate Change Doubt Is Tea Party Article of Faith |first=John |last=Broder |date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=August 19, 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/us/politics/21climate.html |newspaper=The New York Times}} FreedomWorks promoted the Contract from America, a Tea Party manifesto, which included planks in opposition to the Obama administration's initiatives on health care reform and cap and trade.{{cite news |title=A Tea Party Manifesto |first1=Dick |last1=Armey |author-link1=Dick Armey |first2=Matt |last2=Kibbe |author-link2=Matt Kibbe |date=August 17, 2010 |access-date=August 19, 2015 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704407804575425061553154540}} FreedomWorks sponsored campaigns to block climate legislation as well as Obama's broader agenda.{{cite book |title=Climate Change and Society: Sociological Perspectives |first1=Riley E. |last1=Dunlap |first2=Robert J. |last2=Brulle |year=2015 |author-link2=Robert Brulle |page=315 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-935611-9}}

Among other activities, FreedomWorks ran boot camps for supporters of Republican candidates. FreedomWorks spent over $10 million on the 2010 elections on campaign paraphernalia alone. The required reading list for new employees included Saul Alinsky,{{cite web |title=Conservatives Find Town Hall Strategy in Leftist Text |author=David Weigel |author-link=David Weigel |date=August 11, 2009 |work=The Washington Independent |url=http://washingtonindependent.com/54554/conservatives-find-town-hall-strategy-in-leftist-text |access-date=2010-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018120733/http://washingtonindependent.com/54554/conservatives-find-town-hall-strategy-in-leftist-text |archive-date=October 18, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} Frédéric Bastiat, and Ayn Rand.[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/26/us/politics/26freedom.html Shaping Tea Party Passion Into Campaign Force], Kate Zernike, The New York Times, August 25, 2010 Rolling Stone and Talking Points Memo alleged that FreedomWorks helped run the Tea Party Patriots.{{cite web|url=http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/freedomworks_says_jump_tea_partiers_ask_how_high.php|title=FreedomWorks Says Jump, Tea Partiers Ask How High|publisher=TPM}}{{cite magazine|first= Tim|last=Dickinson|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/30219673/the_lie_machine|title=The Lie Machine|magazine=Rolling Stone|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090928072900/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/30219673/the_lie_machine|date=Sep 23, 2009}} Tea Party Patriots denied this claim.{{cite web|last=Fang|first=Lee|title=Pressed On FreedomWorks' Connections To Tea Parties, Dick Armey Lashes Out At TP As 'Juvenile Delinquents' |url=http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2009/09/12/60331/armey-teapartypatriots/|website=Think Progress|access-date=14 March 2012}} According to a 2010 article in The New York Times, FreedomWorks "has done more than any other organization to build the Tea Party movement".

In the 2010 congressional elections, FreedomWorks endorsed a number of candidates, including Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Mike Lee, and Rand Paul.{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/01/a-tea-party-target-list-freedomworks-releases-its-races-for-2010/34129/ |title=A Tea-Party Target List? FreedomWorks Releases Its Races For 2010 – Politics |work=The Atlantic |date=2010-01-25 |access-date=2010-08-29}} In addition to the aforementioned United States Senate candidates, FreedomWorks endorsed 114 candidates for federal office, of whom seventy won election.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/tea-party-endorsement-results/|title=Tea party endorsement overlap|newspaper=The Washington Post}} An independent study performed by Brigham Young University showed that only FreedomWorks's endorsement had a statistically significant impact on the success of a candidate in the election.{{cite journal |last1=Karpowitz |first1=Christopher F. |last2=Monson |first2=J. Quin |last3=Patterson |first3=Kelly D. |last4=Pope |first4=Jeremy C. |title=Tea Time in America? The Impact of the Tea Party Movement on the 2010 Midterm Elections |journal=PS: Political Science & Politics |date=8 April 2011 |volume=44 |issue=2 |pages=303–309 |doi=10.1017/S1049096511000138|s2cid=154650467 |url=http://contractfromamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/symposium_teatimeamerica_cfa.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119023839/http://contractfromamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/symposium_teatimeamerica_cfa.pdf|archive-date=January 19, 2012|url-status=dead }}

In 2011, FreedomWorks ran a number of campaigns targeted at corporate rent-seeking behavior. FreedomWorks ran a campaign with the goal of getting Duke Energy to fire their CEO Jim Rodgers, accusing Duke Energy of lobbying for a "progressive agenda" to ensure that the company would receive green energy subsidies.{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/power_city/2011/05/protestors-descend-on-duke-energy.html?page=all|title=Protesters descend on Duke Energy meeting|date=May 5, 2011|work=Charlotte Business Journal}}

In addition to their anti-rent seeking campaigns, FreedomWorks was also active in a number of issue campaigns at the state and national levels. One of these campaigns was the school choice SB1 campaign in Pennsylvania.{{cite web|url=http://www.politicspa.com/conservative-tv-radio-ads-target-vance-yaw/28536/|title=Conservative TV & Radio Ads Target Vance, Yaw |publisher=PoliticsPA}} Additionally, FreedomWorks ran an active grassroots campaign in support of Ohio Governor John Kasich's union reforms. FreedomWorks delivered thousands of yard signs, door-hangers, handouts, and registered conservative voters.{{cite news |title=Kasich to rally state issue supporters |url=http://business-journal.com/kasich-to-rally-state-issue-supporters-p20296-1.htm |access-date=November 1, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

In 2011, FreedomWorks launched a Super PAC called FreedomWorks for America.{{cite web|url=http://www.freedomworksforamerica.org/press-releases/freedomworks-to-launch-super-pac-freedomworks-for-america-at-cpac-florida|title=Log in – FreedomConnector|publisher=FreedomWorks|access-date=January 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120129125127/http://www.freedomworksforamerica.org/press-releases/freedomworks-to-launch-super-pac-freedomworks-for-america-at-cpac-florida|archive-date=January 29, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} The stated purpose of this PAC was to "empower the leaderless, decentralized community of the tea party movement as it continues its hostile takeover of the GOP establishment". Its endorsed candidates included Don Stenberg, Ted Cruz, Jeff Flake, and Richard Mourdock.[http://www.freedomworksforamerica.org/endorsements] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108101714/http://www.freedomworksforamerica.org/endorsements|date=January 8, 2012}}

In February 2013, FreedomWorks signed onto a memo which said, "Conservatives should not approve a CR unless it defunds Obamacare."{{cite news |title=Coalition Letter: Congress Must Honor Sequester Savings and Defund ObamaCare Before It Is Too Late |author=Matt Kibbe |url=http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/ryanriebe/joint-letter-on-sequester-savings |publisher=FreedomWorks |date=February 14, 2013 |access-date=October 11, 2013}} On August 14, 2013, Joshua Withrow of FreedomWorks mentioned the continuing resolution set to expire September 30 which "must be renewed in order for the doors to stay open in Washington. The CR is the best chance we will get to withdraw funds from ObamaCare. This can be done by attaching bills by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) or Congressman Tom Graves (R-GA) to the CR, which will totally defund ObamaCare."{{cite news |title=Have Your Members of Congress Signed the "Defund ObamaCare" Letter? Find Out Here! |author=Joshua Withrow |url=http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/jwithrow/does-your-senator-stand-with-mike-lee-against-obam |publisher=FreedomWorks |date=August 14, 2013 |access-date=October 11, 2013}} Withrow also wrote "Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC) are leading the charge to get their colleagues to commit to this approach, by putting their signatures to a letter affirming that they will refuse to vote for a CR that contains ObamaCare funding." Withrow wrote, "Support for the Cruz/Graves bills is absolutely meaningless without also signing the Lee/Meadows letter."

In September 2013, FreedomWorks opposed the legislation called Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against the Government of Syria to Respond to Use of Chemical Weapons.{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/freedomworks-syria-resolution-96352.html|title=FreedomWorks to fight Syria resolution|author=Burgess Everett|work=Politico|date=September 5, 2013 }} This was the first time FreedomWorks took an official stance on foreign policy.{{cite web|url=http://yearreview.fwsites.org/|title=Year in Review|publisher=fwsites.org}}

On February 12, 2014, FreedomWorks joined with Rand Paul as co-plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Obama administration concerning reports of NSA domestic wiretapping. The lawsuit named President Obama, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and National Security Agency Director Gen. Keith Alexander. Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli represented Paul and FreedomWorks in the case.{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/198206-paul-sues-obama-to-halt-nsa-surveillance-of-phone-data/|title=Paul sues Obama over NSA spying|work=The Hill|date=February 12, 2014}}

Some of FreedomWorks' campaigns were called "astroturfing", and some claimed that they projected a false impression of grassroots organizing.{{cite news

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During the 2020 election campaign, FreedomWorks pushed false and misleading claims about mail-in-voting, targeting ad campaigns on swing states with high concentrations of minority voters. In its ads which suggested that vote-by-mail was not safe for voters, FreedomWorks posted an image of NBA basketball player LeBron James, misquoting him to make it seem as if he was against vote-by-mail.

FreedomWorks supported the Electricity Security and Affordability Act (H.R. 3826; 113th Congress), which was into the House on January 9, 2014.{{cite web|title=H.R. 3826 – Summary|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/3826|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=March 6, 2014}}{{cite web|last=Kibbe|first=Matt|title=Tell Your Representative/Senators to Support the Electricity Security and Affordability Act|url=http://www.freedomworks.org/content/tell-your-representativesenators-support-electricity-security-and-affordability-act|publisher=FreedomWorks|access-date=March 6, 2014|date=January 28, 2014}} The bill would repeal a pending rule published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on January 8, 2014.{{cite web|title=CBO – H.R. 3826|date=February 12, 2014|url=http://www.cbo.gov/publication/45112|publisher=Congressional Budget Office|access-date=February 28, 2014}} The proposed rule would establish uniform national limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new electricity-generating facilities that use coal or natural gas.{{cite news|last=Kasperowicz|first=Pete|title=House votes to block EPA regs on coal-fired electricity plants|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/200096-house-votes-to-block-epa-regs-on-electricity-plants/|access-date=March 6, 2014|newspaper=The Hill|date=March 6, 2014}} The rule also sets new standards of performance for those power plants, including the requirement to install carbon capture and sequestration technology. In a blog post, then FreedomWorks president Matt Kibbe said that the bill would go a "long way in curbing the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) radical war on affordable and reliable energy from fossil fuels". Kibbe argued that the EPA's proposed rule was "an obvious backdoor attempt to effectively outlaw coal" because the standards were set "well below the emissions levels achieved by even the most advanced coal facilities".

FreedomWorks supported the Smarter Sentencing Act of 2015, REDEEM Act,{{cite web|last=Reader |first=Mallory |url=http://www.freedomworks.org/content/here-are-three-conservative-bills-house-judiciary-committees-justice-reform-initiative |title=Here are three conservative bills the House Judiciary Committee's justice reform initiative should consider |date=June 11, 2015 |publisher=FreedomWorks |access-date=2016-02-24}} and Email Privacy Act.{{cite web |url=https://secure.freedomworks.org/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=CC9383DD7200D2E3558A1F25E7B19DF5.app337a?alertId=1509&pg=makeACall&autologin=true&s_subsrc=06081414day |title=Support The Email Privacy Act – Freedomworks Action Center – D7 Staging |website=Secure.freedomworks.org |access-date=2016-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304025722/https://secure.freedomworks.org/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=CC9383DD7200D2E3558A1F25E7B19DF5.app337a?alertId=1509&pg=makeACall&autologin=true&s_subsrc=06081414day |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} FreedomWorks opposed net neutrality regulation.{{cite web|last=Coopersmith |first=Wesley |url=http://www.freedomworks.org/content/net-neutrality-goes-global |title=Net Neutrality: Goes Global |publisher=FreedomWorks |date=2012-07-16 |access-date=2015-06-12}}

According to John Broder of The New York Times, FreedomWorks received funding from the oil industry. According to the liberal advocacy group Common Cause, FreedomWorks received funding from Verizon and SBC (now AT&T).[http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=1497377] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081114130836/http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=1497377|date=November 14, 2008}} Other FreedomWorks donors included Richard J. Stephenson, Philip Morris and foundations controlled by the Scaife family, according to tax filings and other records.Dan Eggen and Philip Rucker, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/15/AR2009081502696.html Loose Network of Activists Drives Reform Opposition] The Washington Post, August 16, 2009Ed Pilkington, [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/18/republicans-internet-barack-obama Republicans steal Barack Obama's internet campaigning tricks] The Guardian, September 20, 2009 FreedomWorks also received funding through the sale of insurance policies through which policyholders automatically become members of FreedomWorks.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/22/AR2006072200683.html|title=With Insurance Policy Comes Membership|newspaper=The Washington Post}} In 2012, FreedomWorks had revenue of $15 million, with nearly 60% coming from four donors.{{cite web |title=More than Kochs, Small Donors Fueled Heritage Action in 2012 |first=Robert |last=Maguire |date=October 24, 2013 |access-date=August 19, 2015 |url=https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2013/10/more-than-kochs-small-donors-fueled/ |publisher=OpenSecrets}} In 2012, $12 million in donations from William S. Rose (via two of his companies) were scrutinized by some members of the media. Watchdog groups asked for investigations of the donations, alleging that the companies were created merely to hide the identity of contributors.{{cite news|last=Schouten|first=Fredreka|title=Watchdog groups ask for probe of super PAC donations|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/12/20/watchdog-groups-campaign-probe/1783117/|access-date=December 16, 2013|newspaper=USA Today|date=December 20, 2012}}{{cite news|last=Gillum|first=Jack|title=Shadowy donor behind record 'super' PAC checks|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/shadowy-donor-behind-record-super-pac-checks|access-date=December 16, 2013|publisher=Associated Press|date=December 8, 2012|archive-date=June 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628013826/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/shadowy-donor-behind-record-super-pac-checks|url-status=dead}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{official|http://www.freedomworks.org/}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160113230853/http://nccsweb.urban.org/communityplatform/nccs/organization/profile/id/521349353/popup/1 FreedomWorks, Inc.: Organizational Profile] – National Center for Charitable Statistics (Urban Institute)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160113230853/http://nccsweb.urban.org/communityplatform/nccs/organization/profile/id/521526916/popup/1 FreedomWorks Foundation: Organizational Profile] – National Center for Charitable Statistics (Urban Institute)

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Category:Advocacy groups in the United States

Category:Climate change denial

Category:Conservative organizations in the United States

Category:Libertarian organizations based in the United States

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.

Category:Organizations established in 2004

Category:Organizations of environmentalism skeptics and critics

Category:Political organizations based in the United States

Category:Tax reform in the United States

Category:Tea Party movement

Category:501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations

Category:Jack Kemp