As Republicans are cautiously optimistic about a second term for Donald Trump, there is also no illusion that powerful forces within the Democrat Party, the "Deep State," or whatever you want to call it, will do whatever it takes to make sure Trump never again sees the inside of the Oval Office. That includes bankrolling whatever it takes as well. So, just who might be involved in this effort? Well, some old familiar names — and some new names as well.
My colleague Nick Arama reported recently that several public interest groups, some lawmakers, and other Deep State frequent flyers are quietly working behind the scenes to derail a possible second Trump presidency. A team has been assembled, and big money is being donated. Among a few of the groups involved, are Protect Democracy, the Institution for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP), and Democracy Forward. While the whole thing is loosely organized at this point, these groups are getting the support of some big names in the world of left-wing politics and activism.
Project Democracy has been around for a while. It comes as no surprise that George Soros' Foundation to Promote Open Society is a participant in this effort. Between 2018 and 2021, Soros donated $650,000. Another Soros organization, the Open Society Policy Center, donated over $1 million to something called United to Protect Democracy between 2017 and 2020. EBay founder Pierre Omidyar has also donated millions to Protect Democracy. Protect Democracy is also an umbrella that includes the Protect Democracy Project, a 501(c)(3), which has limits on how much is spent on political activities, and United to Protect Democracy, a 501(c)(4), which has more leeway to engage in expressly political activity. The web of 501(c)(3)s and 501(c)(4)s is vast and confusing for a reason.
Since many of these donations have changed hands for several years, it almost appears as if this has been some sort of contingency plan. Omidyar has taken cues from Soros and founded Democracy Fund, which has donated $3.8 million to The Protect Democracy Project since 2017, and Democracy Fund Voice, a 501(c)(4) also founded by Omidyar, has given $1.3 million to United to Protect Democracy from 2017 to 2022. Another familiar name might be Pritzker. Between 2019 and 2022, the John Pritzker Family Fund donated $700,000 to the Protect Democracy Project. Why would that name sound familiar? Because John Pritzker, Chairman of the Pritzker Family Fund, is the cousin of Democrat Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The Pritzkers are one of the nation's wealthiest families. Project Democracy has also received hundreds of thousands of dollars from a liberal consultancy firm called Arabella Advisors in 2020.
Husband and wife team Mark Heising and Elizabeth Simons serve as chair and vice-chair of the Heising-Simons Foundation and are big Democrat donors. The Foundation donated $500,000 to the Protect Democracy Project in 2022. Democracy Forward is another umbrella behind-the-scenes group that has done very well in the left-wing anti-Trump sphere. It also has 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) subgroups. The 501(c)(3) Democracy Fund Foundation has received $200,000 from Omidyar's Democracy Fund and $10,000 from the Hopewell Fund.
Democracy Forward is the most interesting of the anti-Trump organizations. Two of Democracy Forward's Board members include high-profile Democrat attorney Marc Elias and former Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain. Former Bill Clinton Chief of Staff and Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign chair John Podesta is a former board member. Herb and Marion Sandler, founders of the Sandler Foundation, have been the Democracy Forward Foundation's biggest cheerleaders, having donated $11 million between 2018 and 2021.
Last but certainly not least is ICAP. Several people associated with the group have been substantial donors to Democrats. Board chair Mamoon Hamid has donated roughly $50,000 since 2017. Vice Chair Stewart Butterfield has given around $100,000, also since 2017. ICAP board member and Obama administration member Mary DeRosa has donated $40,000 since 2016. Another Obama administration alum, associate White House counsel Ian Bassin, is the co-founder and executive director of United to Protect Democracy and is the lightweight in this tangled web, having only donated $2,400 to Democrats and Democrat PACS from 2016 to 2023.
While the Trump faithful may be building a vast system of support, both financial and otherwise, those who are hellbent on stopping a second Trump presidency are becoming increasingly organized and determined. As my colleague Nick Arama reported, ICAPS's executive director Mary McCord said during an interview with NBC News,
“We’re already starting to put together a team to think through the most damaging types of things that he [Trump] might do so that we’re ready to bring lawsuits if we have to."