The left's secret club plans for 2014, 2016

The left's secret club plans for 2014, 2016

By KENNETH P. VOGEL | 4/24/14 5:00 AM EDT

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/democrats-democracy-alliance-liberal-donors-105972.html

Some of the country’s biggest Democratic donors — including Tom Steyer and Jonathan Soros — are huddling behind closed doors next week in Chicago with union bigwigs and progressive superstars like Bill de Blasio to plan how to pull their party — and the country — to the left.

The setting is the annual spring meeting of the Democracy Alliance, a secretive club of wealthy liberals that’s the closest thing the left has to the vaunted Koch brothers’ political network.

The DA, as the liberal group is known to insiders, is increasing its ranks of rich donors for the first time in years and is gearing up to spend huge sums on political data, voter registration, ground organizing and advertising to influence the 2014 midterms and 2016 presidential elections. Potentially more significant, the groups’ donors also could play an important role in determining whether the post-Barack Obama Democratic Party embraces the rising tide of progressive populism or hews to a more cautious, centrist course — in other words, whether the Hillary Clinton wing or Elizabeth Warren wing will seize the reins.

(PHOTOS: 10 tough Senate races for Democrats)

The Spring Investment Conference will feature a number of Clinton allies and others associated with the centrist wing — including Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kentucky Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes and Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett. But the conference — which kicks off Sunday night at a Ritz Carlton ballroom with a dinner keynoted by de Blasio — is also seen as a coming out party of sorts for the group’s progressives, who have expressed some measure of dissatisfaction with what they see as a level of timidity on their pet issues from the Obama White House.

According to a conference agenda obtained by POLITICO, panels will focus on elevating progressive issues like income inequality, climate change, drug reform, gun control, abortion rights and the death penalty.

It’s not all serious business, though. Social events include a wine party featuring selections from wineries owned by DA donors, a private curator-led tour of the Art Institute of Chicago and a performance by “The Daily Show” co-creator Lizz Winstead, who the agenda says will deploy her “comedic genius” to take a “light-hearted look at the conservative Right and the decay of the Fourth Estate.”

(PHOTOS: 10 must-watch House races in 2014)

DA conferences are typically kept hush-hush, with locations tightly held, press barred from the sessions and participants prohibited from discussing the proceedings.

Invitations are coveted by all all manner of Democrats. Several representatives from Obama’s orbit are expected at the Ritz, including White House Political Director David Simas and campaign adman Larry Grisolano. They’re participating in a panel on winning health care strategies in state races, while Organizing for Action, the nonprofit group formed from the remnants of Obama’s campaign to push his second-term agenda, is hosting donors for an open house at its headquarters. And former Obama political guru David Axelrod is slated to deliver a speech titled “Reflections on a Career in Journalism, Politics, and the Obama Journey.”

The courting of rich Democrats in Chicago comes as some of the party’s top names continue a discordant character assault on major conservative donors as eroding the very fabric of American democracy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has repeatedly blasted the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch as “un-American” and accused them of “actually trying to buy the country.”

(Also on POLITICO: Tom Steyer: I’m not the Koch brothers)

Democracy Alliance partners, as the group calls its members, pay annual dues of $30,000 and are required to contribute a total of at least $200,000 a year to recommended groups. Since its inception in 2005, the DA has steered upward of $500 million to a range of groups, including pillars of the political left such as the conservative media watchdog Media Matters, the policy advocacy outfit Center for American Progress and the data firm Catalist — all of which are run by Clinton allies.

While those groups will be represented in Chicago, DA insiders and observers are watching the conference closely for signs of a leftward tack away from the Democratic Party’s strategy.

Steyer, the San Francisco hedge fund billionaire trying to raise money for a planned $100-million midterm spending spree on behalf of environmentally minded candidates, is hosting a session called “Putting Climate Change at the Forefront of American Politics,” and is expected to hold one-on-one meetings to solicit checks from interested DA partners.

And the conference will mark the beginning of a new DA leadership regime that is replacing the Obama and Clinton loyalists who had been running the organization.

“I anticipate the Democracy Alliance becoming both more progressive and more aggressive in the coming years,” said Erica Payne, who helped found the club, and now runs the Agenda Project, a progressive communications nonprofit. “That will disturb centrist Democrats, but it will be healthy and productive for the country. They need to be challenged on these things.”

New DA President Gara LaMarche, who comes from the ranks of liberal philanthropy, is regarded as more independent from the Democratic Party than his predecessor Kelly Craighead. A former Clinton White House staffer and longtime Hillary Clinton assistant, she had helped raise money for Obama and Democratic super PACs closely linked to party leaders.

And in June, the board is expected to elect a new chair to replace Rob McKay, an heir to a Taco Bell fortune who has been chair since 2006. McKay, an early Obama supporter, sat on the board of Priorities USA, the super PAC that boosted Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign and this year switched its allegiances to Clinton in advance of a hoped-for 2016 presidential campaign.

National Education Association executive John Stocks, is among the leading candidates to replace McKay, DA sources say, and would be the group’s first chair who is not a major donor and who hails from organized labor.

National Education Association

America Votes is a national partner with People for the American Way, the National Education Association, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Note: Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the People for the American Way, the Center for American Progress, the Economic Policy Institute, and Media Matters.

Jonathan Soros was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and is George Soros’s son.

George Soros is Jonathan Soros’s father, a co-chair, national finance council at Ready for Hillary, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a supporter for the Center for American Progress, and a member of the Democracy Alliance.

Susie Tompkins Buell is a national finance council member at Ready for Hillary, was a member of the Democracy Alliance, and a fundraiser for the 2008 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

Thomas F. Steyer was a fundraiser for the 2008 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, and is a director at the Center for American Progress.

Reg Weaver is a director at People for the American Way, and was the president for the National Education Association.

Mary Kay Henry is a director at the Economic Policy Institute, and the president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Anna Burger was a director at the Economic Policy Institute, the vice chair for the Democracy Alliance, and the secretary-treasurer for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Media Matters endorsed the Democracy Alliance.

James C. Hormel is a donor for Media Matters, and a director at People for the American Way.

Robert McKay is the chairman for the Democracy Alliance, the heir tor the Taco Bell Corp., and was a contributor for Priorities USA Action.

Priorities USA Action was a super PAC supporting the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, is supporting the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, and an affiliate of Priorities USA.

William A. Burton is a co-founder for the Priorities USA Action, the co-founder of Priorities USA, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, was the national press secretary for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, and the deputy press secretary for the Barack Obama administration.

Melody C. Barnes was the EVP for the Center for American Progress, the domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, a principal at the Raben Group, and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.

Raben Group was the lobby firm for People for the American Way, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

America Votes is a national partner with People for the American Way, the National Education Association, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Margery Tabankin is a director at People for the American Way, and is the treasurer for the Barbra Streisand Foundation.

Barbra Streisand Foundation was a funder for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Jonathan Soros is the vice chairman for the Open Society Foundations, and George Soros’s son.

George Soros is Jonathan Soros’s father, the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, and was a member of the Democracy Alliance.

Gara LaMarche was the VP & director of U.S. programs for the Open Society Foundations, and is the president of the Democracy Alliance.

Cecile Richards is the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, married to Kirk Adams, and was the founder & president for America Votes.

Kirk Adams is married to Cecile Richards, the international EVP for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and was the organizing director for the AFL-CIO.

Service Employees International Union was a contributor for the Priorities USA Action.

America Votes is a national partner with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the AFL-CIO, People for the American Way, and the National Education Association.

Reg Weaver is a director at People for the American Way, and was the president for the National Education Association.

John I. Wilson was an executive director at the National Education Association, and is a director at the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

Kevin Jennings was the founder & executive director for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, and is an executive director at the Arcus Foundation.

Center for American Progress was a funder for the Arcus Foundation.

Jon L. Stryker is the founder & president for the Arcus Foundation, was a contributor for the Priorities USA Action.

Priorities USA Action was a super PAC supporting the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, is supporting the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, and an affiliate of Priorities USA.

William A. Burton is a co-founder for the Priorities USA Action, the co-founder of Priorities USA, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, was the national press secretary for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, and the deputy press secretary for the Barack Obama administration.

Robert McKay was a contributor for Priorities USA Action, the heir tor the Taco Bell Corp., and is the chairman for the Democracy Alliance.

Kelly Craighead is the president of the Democracy Alliance, was Hillary Rodham Clinton’s aide, and a fundraiser for the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Priorities USA Action was a super PAC supporting the 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, is supporting the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, and an affiliate of Priorities USA.

William A. Burton is a co-founder for the Priorities USA Action, the co-founder of Priorities USA, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, was the national press secretary for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, and the deputy press secretary for the Barack Obama administration.

Barack Obama was the candidate for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, a contributed of $125,000 of Nobel Prize money to the Posse Foundation, and is the president for the Barack Obama administration.

Michele Ganeless is a director at the Posse Foundation, and the president of Comedy Central.

The Daily Show is a Comedy Central show.

Steve Carell was a correspondent for The Daily Show, and is a William Morris Endeavor Entertainment client.

James J. Cramer was an interviewee on The Daily Show, and is a William Morris Endeavor Entertainment client.

Ari Emanuel is the co-CEO & director for William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, and Rahm I. Emanuel & Ezekiel Emanuel’s brother.

Rahm I. Emanuel is Ari Emanuel & Ezekiel Emanuel’s brother, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the Chicago (IL) mayor, and was the White House chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration.

Valerie B. Jarrett is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and the senior adviser for the Barack Obama administration.

Ezekiel Emanuel is Ari Emanuel & Rahm I. Emanuel’s brother, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and was health care policy adviser for the Barack Obama administration.

S. Donald Sussman was a director at the Center for American Progress, a director at the Democracy Alliance, and is married to Chellie Pingree.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress, and Common Cause.

George Soros was a supporter for the Center for American Progress, the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and a member of the Democracy Alliance.

Chellie Pingree was the president & CEO for Common Cause, is married to S. Donald Sussman, and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.