Workers' Voice
| Workers' Voice | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Type: | Super PAC |
| Affiliation: | AFL-CIO |
| Year founded: | 2012 |
| Website: | Official website |
Workers' Voice is a super PAC created by the AFL-CIO. In April 2012, Michael Podhorzer, then the AFL-CIO's political director, stated the following about the creation of the super PAC: "If workers and the middle class were going to have a chance to recover their voice and their power in America, we had to adapt a new strategy."[1]
Mission
As of October 2016, the Workers' Voice website, which later became unavailable, listed the following about the group's purpose:[2]
| “ |
Workers’ Voice is a Political Action Committee representing and fighting for all working families, union and non-union, in political and legislative campaigns. As mega millionaires like the Koch Brothers and large corporations try and buy our political and legislative process, Workers’ Voice will activate and energize networks of working families to have their voices heard by coming together to organize their friends, family, co-workers and neighbors, powered by cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned energy.[3] |
” |
Background
Founded in 2012, the Workers' Voice is the political arm of the AFL-CIO. Shortly after its founding, the Workers' Voice implemented a program in which donors could dictate where super PAC money would go. According to the Huffington Post, the committee decided that when volunteers participated in campaign activities, they would be given super PAC currency, a set amount of money from the super PAC, which they could direct toward any political activity, such as candidate support or ballot issues of their choosing. The move was aimed at creating incentives for people to become active in politics.[4]
Political activity
| AFL-CIO |
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| Read more about the AFL-CIO: •Workers' Voice •AFL-CIO stance on immigration |
2016 elections
Endorsed candidates
On June 16, 2016, the AFL-CIO board voted to endorse Hillary Clinton (D) for president. This endorsement was for all of the organization's affiliated groups, including Workers' Voice.[5]
2014 elections
Endorsed candidates
- Mark Begich (D-Alaska)
- Gary Peters (D-Mich.)
- Alison Grimes (D-Ky.)
- Bruce Braley (D-Iowa)
- Mark Udall (D-Colo.)
Targeted candidates
- Cory Gardner (R-Colo.)
- Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
- Daniel S. Sullivan (R-Alaska)
- Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
- Terri Lynn Land (R-Mich.)
2012 elections
Endorsed candidates
- Barack Obama (D)
- Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
- Bill Nelson (D-Fla.)
- Charlie Wilson (D-Ohio)
- Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)
Targeted candidates
- Mitt Romney (R)
- Josh Mandel (R-Ohio)
- Bill Johnson (R-Ohio)
- Tommy Thompson (R-Wis.)
- Connie Mack (R-Fla.)
Finances
The following table outlines Workers' Voice's annual federal receipts and disbursements according to the Federal Election Commission:[6]
| Annual federal receipts and disbursements for Workers' Voice, 2012-2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Total receipts | Total disbursements |
| 2016[7] | $4,041,009 | $4,080,174 |
| 2015[8] | $4,532,521 | $4,712,550 |
| 2014[9] | $15,207,872 | $16,697,691 |
| 2013[10] | $5,177,100 | $3,636,266 |
| 2012[11] | $18,168,817 | $21,057,532 |
Legal status
Workers' Voice is a super PAC. A super PAC is a political committee that can solicit and spend unlimited sums of money. A super PAC cannot contribute directly to a politician or political party, but it can spend independently to campaign for or against political figures. These committees are also called independent expenditure-only committees. A super PAC is not legally considered a political action committee (PAC) and as such is regulated under separate rules.[12][13]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Workers' Voice'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "AFL-CIO forms a 'super PAC' focused on union organization," April 12, 2012
- ↑ Workers' Voice, "About," archived October 28, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Workers’ Voice, AFL-CIO Super PAC, Relinquishes Control Over $4.1 Million War Chest," April 26, 2012
- ↑ AFL-CIO, "AFL-CIO Votes to Endorse Hillary Clinton for President," June 16, 2016
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedFEC - ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Workers' Voice Year-End Report, 2016," January 31, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Workers' Voice Year-End Report, 2015," April 15, 2016
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Workers' Voice Year-End Report, 2014," January 31, 2015
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Workers' Voice Year-End Report, 2013," January 29, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Workers' Voice Year-End Report, 2012," May 28, 2013
- ↑ The Atlantic, "The New York Times' Disingenuous Campaign Against Citizens United," February 24, 2012
- ↑ The New York Times, "Who's Financing the 'Super PACs?" May 7, 2012
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