Job Creators Network

The Job Creators Network was originally founded in 2010 under the name The Job Creators Alliance.{{cite web |last=Mandelbaum |first=Robb |title=Who Funds This New Small Business-Group? Hint: Mostly Not Small Businesses |website=Forbes|date=August 17, 2017 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/robbmandelbaum/2017/08/17/meet-job-creators-network-defenders-of-the-free-market/ |access-date=February 24, 2023 |language=en}} JCN launched a "Bring Small Businesses Back" (BSBB) campaign in 2016. In April 2016, JCN hosted a BSBB event in Orlando featuring Frank Luntz, Mike Gallagher, and a panel of small business owners.{{Cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/brinkmann-on-business/os-cfb-brinkmann-040416-20160401-story.html|title=Frank Luntz kicks off small biz tour here|website=OrlandoSentinel.com|access-date=May 6, 2016}}

Throughout 2017, JCN advocated for tax cuts through a campaign dubbed “Tax Cuts Now”, and offered the group's support to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which offered temporary tax cuts to individuals and permanent tax cuts to corporations.{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/349261-group-launches-multimillion-dollar-campaign-for-small-business-tax-cuts|title=Group launches multimillion dollar campaign for small business tax cuts|last=Jagoda|first=Naomi|date=September 5, 2017|website=The Hill|language=en|access-date=February 27, 2019}} The Tax Cuts Now campaign included a bus tour that made stops across the country. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich penned an op-ed supporting the campaign in USA Today with Brad Anderson, former CEO of Best Buy and a member of JCN.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/08/02/pass-gop-tax-cuts-thanksgiving-get-ready-speaker-nancy-pelosi/529438001/|title=Gingrich & Anderson: Pass GOP tax cuts by Thanksgiving or get ready for Speaker Pelosi|website=USA Today|language=en|access-date=February 27, 2019}}

JCN launched another bus tour in 2018, with the goal of promoting the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/383963-biz-group-launches-bus-tour-to-promote-gop-tax-law|title=Biz group launches bus tour to promote GOP tax law|last=Jagoda|first=Naomi|date=April 19, 2018|website=The Hill|language=en|access-date=February 27, 2019}} Then-Speaker of the House Paul Ryan joined JCN at stops on the tour, including one hosted at a small business in Clinton, Wisconsin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazettextra.com/news/government/ryan-praises-jakes-electric-tax-cuts-in-clinton/article_669a405b-f4e5-5437-ae37-bf165809288b.html|title=Ryan praises Jakes Electric, tax cuts in Clinton|first=Nate|last=Jackson|website=GazetteXtra|language=en|access-date=February 27, 2019}} The organization delivered thousands of petitions to Ryan in support of the legislation.{{cite web |last1=Gordon |first1=Marcy |last2=Fram |first2=Alan |title=House Republicans await audience with Trump on tax overhaul |url=https://news4sanantonio.com/news/nation-world/house-republicans-await-audience-with-trump-on-tax-overhaul |website=News 4 San Antonio |access-date=4 November 2021}}

In February 2019, the group put up a billboard in New York City's Times Square blaming U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Amazon's decision to abandon the building of the company's second headquarters in Queens.{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/430764-conservative-group-sponsors-times-square-digital-billboard|title=Conservative group blasts Ocasio-Cortez over Amazon with Times Square billboard|last1=Axelrod|first1=Tal|date=February 20, 2019|access-date=February 22, 2019|work=The Hill}} After the congresswoman tweeted that the billboard was "wack", JCN put up two more billboards, one saying "Hey AOC, saw your wack tweet", the other, "Hey AOC, this billboard cost about $4,000. But you cost NY 25,000 jobs and $4,000,000,000 in annual lost wages."

In May 2021, JCN filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association after the league decided to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver in protest over Georgia’s voting laws.{{cite web |last1=Gasparino |first1=Charlie |title=MLB, players' union facing all-star lawsuit for pulling game out of Atlanta |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/sports/job-creators-network-suing-the-mlb-for-pulling-the-all-star-game-out-of-atlanta |website=Fox Business |access-date=4 November 2021}} JCN highlighted this lawsuit in a series of Times Square billboards, including one criticizing MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, saying he has “no balls, all strikes.”{{cite web |last1=Cavino |first1=Dan |title=Major League Baseball feeling pressure from political advocacy group to move All-Star Game back to Atlanta |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/sports/major-league-baseball-feeling-pressure-political-advocacy-group-move-all-star-game-back-atlanta |website=Fox Business |access-date=4 November 2021}} A judge ruled against JCN and the lawsuit was dropped.{{cite web |last1=Malcom |first1=Sandy |title=Judge Rejects Effort To Return MLB All-Star Game To Georgia |url=https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/06/11/judge-rejects-effort-return-mlb-all-star-game-georgia |website=Associated Press |access-date=4 November 2021}}

JCN regularly distributes a “Defender of Small Business” award to members of Congress, with past recipients including Missouri Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer and Minnesota Rep. Jim Hagedorn.{{cite web |last1=Stolle |first1=Matthew |title=Hagedorn receives small business award while Rochester area truckers express concerns about future |url=https://news.yahoo.com/hagedorn-receives-small-business-award-171700303.html |website=Rochester Post Bulletin |access-date=4 November 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Pivoney |first1=Ryan |title=Luetkemeyer honored for small-business advocacy |url=https://www.newstribune.com/news/local/story/2021/sep/11/luetkemeyer-honored-for-small-business-advocacy/887747/ |website=Missouri News Tribune |access-date=4 November 2021}} The organization also runs the "Information Station" website, which offers explainer-type videos and articles from a pro-business perspective.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/force-workers-to-watch-anti-government-propaganda-at-work-trumps-labor-nominee-says-yes/|title=Force Workers to Watch Anti-Government Propaganda at Work? Trump's Labor Nominee Says Yes|last=Woodman|first=Spencer|date=January 14, 2017|work=The Nation}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, JCN oversaw campaigns on both healthcare policy and business policy. JCN hosted a petition on its "Healthcare for You" website for doctors to show their support for the drug hydroxychloroquine, which had not been approved by the FDA for coronavirus treatment. The organization pledged to deliver the petitions to the White House and to “protect physician autonomy and medical decision-making as we stand in harm’s way to care for the American public.”{{cite web |last1=Pearson |first1=Jake |title=Republican Billionaire's Group Pushes Unproven COVID-19 Treatment Trump Promoted |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/republican-billionaire-group-pushes-unproven-covid-19-treatment-trump-promoted |website=ProPublica |access-date=30 January 2023}} President Donald Trump and other White House staff had financial ties to drugmakers that are ramping up production of the drug.{{Cite web |title=Trump's Aggressive Advocacy of Malaria Drug for Treating Coronavirus Divides Medical Community |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-malaria-drug.html |access-date=6 April 2020 |work=The New York Times |quote=Another investor in both Sanofi and Mylan, another pharmaceutical firm, is Invesco, the fund previously run by Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary....As of last year, Mr. Trump reported that his three family trusts each had investments in a Dodge & Cox mutual fund, whose largest holding was in Sanofi.Several generic drugmakers are gearing up to produce hydroxychloroquine pills, including Amneal Pharmaceuticals, whose co-founder Chirag Patel is a member of Trump National Golf Course Bedminster in New Jersey and has golfed with Mr. Trump at least twice since he became president... Roberto Mignone, a Teva board member, reached out to the team of Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, through Nitin Saigal, who used to work for Mr. Mignone and is a friend of Mr. Kushner’s, according to people informed about the discussions.}}{{Cite web |title=Touting Virus Cure, 'Simple Country Doctor' Becomes a Right-Wing Star |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/technology/doctor-zelenko-coronavirus-drugs.html |access-date=6 April 2020 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |last=Bing |first=Christopher |title=U.S. group bombards doctors with coronavirus petition to cut 'red tape' |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-text-messages/us-group-bombards-doctors-with-coronavirus-petition-to-cut-red-tape-idUSKBN21E367 |access-date=6 April 2020 |work=Reuters}}

At the start of the pandemic, JCN president Alfredo Ortiz was in direct contact with Steven Mnuchin, speaking with him three times in one day during stimulus package discussions.{{Cite web |title=Mnuchin Discusses $850 Billion Stimulus and Checks to Americans |work=Bloomberg |access-date=6 April 2020 |url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-17/mnuchin-to-ask-congress-for-850-billion-virus-stimulus-package}}{{Cite web |title=Republican Billionaire's Group Pushes Unproven COVID-19 Treatment Trump Promoted |last=Pearson |first=Jake |work=ProPublica |access-date=6 April 2020 |url= https://www.propublica.org/article/republican-billionaire-group-pushes-unproven-covid-19-treatment-trump-promoted |quote=In recent days, Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus’ Job Creators Network has placed Facebook ads and texted supporters to sign a petition urging President Donald Trump to “CUT RED TAPE” and make an anti-malarial drug called hydroxychloroquine available for treating those sickened with the virus, one such message obtained by ProPublica reads. }}{{Cite web |title=Conservative Group Pushes for FDA Approval of Drug to Treat Coronavirus |last=Bykowicz |first=Julie |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=26 March 2020 |access-date=6 April 2020 |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/conservative-group-pushes-for-fda-approval-of-drug-to-treat-coronavirus-11585229415}} Ortiz recommended having private banks distribute PPP loans, rather than the Small Business Administration, a change Mnuchin implemented in the final policy. JCN joined the Save Our Country coalition to advocate for governments to allow small businesses to reopen during the pandemic. In 2021, the organization announced its intentions to sue the Biden administration over its vaccine mandate for private businesses with more than 100 employees.{{cite web |last1=Conklin |first1=Audry |title=Biden vaccine mandate: Small business advocacy group prepares to sue administration |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/biden-vaccine-mandate-small-business-lawsuit-administration |website=Fox Business |access-date=10 October 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Stone |first1=Peter |title=Pro-Trump donors in huge cash drive to boost doctors pushing states to reopen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/01/save-our-country-coalition-states-reopen |website=The Guardian |access-date=10 October 2021}}

In October 2022, the Job Creators Network Foundation Legal Action Fund filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Education Department and its then-secretary, Miguel Cardona, seeking to block the Biden administration’s student loan debt forgiveness program.{{cite web |last1=Colvin |first1=Jill |title=Another conservative business group just sued Biden over student loan debt forgiveness |url=https://fortune.com/2022/10/10/biden-student-loan-forgiveness-lawsuit-job-creators-network-foundation/ |website=Fortune|access-date=27 November 2022}} U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman, who was appointed by Trump, struck down President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program in November 2022.{{cite news |last1=Colvin |first1=Jill |title=Federal judge in Texas strikes down Biden's student loan forgiveness plan |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/11/10/student-loan-forgiveness-texas-lawsuit/https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/11/10/student-loan-forgiveness-texas-lawsuit// |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=27 November 2022}}

JCN was founded by Bernie Marcus, the co-founder and former CEO of Home Depot.{{cite news|title=Labor Board Threatens an American Tradition|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/job-creators-alliance/labor-board-threatens-an-_b_5902948.html|access-date=February 16, 2016|publisher=HuffPost|date=September 30, 2014}} Since January 2014, the organization's president and CEO has been Alfredo Ortiz, a former Pepsi and Kraft executive,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cspdailynews.com/general-merchandise/former-pepsi-kraft-leader-steer-job-creators-network|title=Former Pepsi, Kraft Leader to Steer Job Creators Network|date=February 5, 2014|website=CSP Daily News|language=en|access-date=February 28, 2019}} while the president and director of communications for the JCN foundation is Elaine Parker.{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/opinion/civil-rights/421109-nearly-the-entire-country-gets-it-wrong-on-the-minimum-wage|title=Nearly the entire country gets it wrong on the minimum wage|last=Gilliland|first=Donald|date=December 14, 2018|website=The Hill|language=en|access-date=December 15, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.jobcreatorsnetwork.com/about/|title=About|website=Job Creators Network|language=en-US|access-date=December 15, 2018}} Its members include:

• Brad Anderson, former CEO and vice chairman of Best Buy{{cite news|title=Raising Fed rate isn't a magic bullet: Column|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/12/16/raising-federal-reserve-interest-rate-economic-expansion-column/77308608/|access-date=February 16, 2016|publisher=USA Today|date=December 20, 2015}}
• Heidi Ganahl, founder and CEO of Camp Bow Wow{{cite news|title=Franchise system under threat|url=http://gazette.com/guest-column-franchise-system-under-threat/article/1545562|access-date=February 16, 2016|publisher=Colorado Springs Gazette|date=February 1, 2015}}
• Carlos Gazitua, CEO of Sergio's Restaurants{{cite news|title=Higher minimum wage puts the squeeze on business|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article34269492.html|access-date=February 16, 2016|publisher=Miami Herald|date=September 6, 2015}}
• Doug Haugh, president of Mansfield Oil{{cite news|title=Presidential candidates take note: Energy independence already achieved|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/presidential-candidates-take-note-energy-independence-already-achieved|access-date=February 16, 2016|publisher=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=July 28, 2015}}
• Andy Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants{{cite news|title=Wages With Minimal Wiggle Room|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/wages-with-minimal-wiggle-room-1451259371|access-date=February 16, 2016|publisher=The Wall Street Journal|date=December 28, 2015}}
• Joseph Semprevivo, owner of Joseph's Lite Cookies{{Cite web|url=https://www.jcnf.org/about/|title=Job Creators Network Foundation {{!}} About|website=Job Creators Network Foundation|language=en|access-date=2019-06-18}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{official|https://www.jobcreatorsnetwork.com}}
• [https://informationstation.org/ Information Station]

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Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States

Category:Business organizations based in the United States

Category:Conservative organizations in the United States