The Sixteen Thirty Fund, a major financial player in liberal political circles, spent a staggering $196 million in 2022, primarily supporting state ballot measures on abortion rights and contributing to the Democrats’ strong performance in the midterm elections. The tax filing, obtained by NBC News, underscores the significant growth of anonymously funded political groups on the left since the 2016 election. The Sixteen Thirty Fund, registered as a nonprofit, has witnessed explosive growth, spending more in 2022 than in the Trump-era midterm election in 2018. The filing reveals the fund raised $191 million in revenue in 2022, with the majority coming from six contributors who donated substantial amounts.
While the figures are substantial, they also indicate a tightening of money in politics in recent years, with Sixteen Thirty Fund’s 2022 outlays being comparable to 2021 levels. The tax filing highlights the pivotal role of abortion rights in political fundraising in 2022, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Millions of dollars from the fund were directed towards supporting policy and political battles over abortion, including successful ballot measure campaigns in states like Kansas and Michigan. The filing doesn’t include a recent expenditure of $12 million in Ohio this year, aiding twin ballot measure efforts leading to the passage of a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion rights.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund, not disclosing its donors, emphasized its role in protecting democracy and advancing progressive values. It raised concerns about the lack of donor disclosure regulations and expressed support for legal changes in this regard. The fund’s 2022 activities involved grants to various political and nonprofit groups on the left, including voter turnout organizations, statewide ballot measures, and campaigns spanning state legislative levels to the U.S. Senate. While less than half of the fund’s spending was explicitly labeled as political activity, the majority was linked to the midterm elections.
In her post on Medium, Sixteen Thirty Fund President Amy Kurtz highlighted the organization’s commitment to following rules and respecting donors’ choices for anonymity while supporting legal changes for greater donor disclosure and tighter regulations on political nonprofits.
Key Points:
The Sixteen Thirty Fund spent $196 million in 2022, backing state ballot measures on abortion rights and contributing to Democrats’ performance in the midterm elections.
The tax filing reveals the fund’s revenue of $191 million in 2022, with the majority coming from six contributors.
The figures indicate a somewhat tightened landscape for political funding compared to rapid growth in previous years.
Abortion rights took center stage in political fundraising, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The fund emphasized its commitment to protecting democracy and progressive values, advocating for legal changes to enhance donor disclosure.
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