America First Policies

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America First Policies
America First Policies.jpg
Basic facts
Type:501(c)(4)
Top official:Brian O. Walsh, President
Year founded:2017
Website:Official website

America First Policies is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization founded to support the policy agenda of President Donald Trump (R). The organization was founded in January 2017 after Trump's inauguration.

Background[edit]

America First Policies was started by six former Trump and Pence campaign aides in January 2017 to support the policy agenda of the Trump administration. Brad Parscale, the Trump campaign's digital director, was one of the original founders of America First Policies. He described the organization's founding to NPR in January 2017, saying, "Some of the same like-minded individuals who put their energy into getting Mr. Trump elected are now going to be part of a grass-roots group to go out there and help with the agenda, help the White House to be successful."[1]

The group aimed to secure the financial support of Rebekah Mercer, one of Trump's top donors during the campaign, but did not receive her backing. According to Washingtonian magazine, Mercer and Parscale could not agree on whose digital firm would work with the nonprofit.[2]

Work[edit]

As of April 2017, the website for America First Policies listed the following areas of focus for the organization's work:

“
  • Securing our border
  • Supreme Court justice appointments
  • Ending regulations
  • Choice in education
  • Keeping business in America
  • Supporting small business
  • Creating more jobs
  • Energy independence[3]
 ”

Political activity[edit]

Advertisements for Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows[edit]

On March 19, 2019, America First Policies announced a $100,000 ad buy in support of representatives Jim Jordan (R) and Mark Meadows (R).[4] The ads can be viewed here and here, respectively.


Neil Gorsuch confirmation advertisements[edit]

In March 2017, America First Policies ran advertisements calling for the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch, Trump's nominee to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court.[5][6]

Support for House Republicans concerning healthcare[edit]

In April 2017, the organization launched a $3 million advertising campaign in support of 12 House members who publicly backed the American Health Care Act of 2017, the White House-backed plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. The group's leaders told The Washington Post that the ads aimed to "show House Republicans that there are benefits to standing with Trump on tricky issues, in particular on health care." The ads supported the following members:[7]

  • Gary Palmer (Ala.)
  • Jeff Duncan (S.C.)
  • David Schweikert (Ariz.)
  • Keith Rothfus (Pa.)
  • Rob Wittman (Va.)
  • Tom Graves (Ga.)
  • Scott R. Tipton (Colo.)
  • Thomas Garrett (Va.)
  • David Joyce (Ohio)
  • Michael R. Turner (Ohio)
  • Martha McSally (Ariz.)
  • Brian Mast (Fla.)

Foreign policy advertisements[edit]

In June 2017, the group began a $400,000 campaign to run an advertisement called "Safe Again." According to Axios, the ad aimed to promote "the President's work in the Middle East and Europe — with a focus on fighting terrorism." Senior advisor Katie Walsh explained the ads to the site, saying, "This is about collecting information and mobilization. ... We strongly believe that for us to get the President's policy agenda passed we need to harness millions of voices."[8]

Anti-Dean Heller ads[edit]

On June 23, 2017, after Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) announced he did not support the Republican Senate replacement for the Affordable Care Act, America First Policies launched a $1 million ad campaign against Heller, saying, "Unacceptable. ... If you’re opposed to this bill, we’re opposed to you." According to Politico, the group began its campaign against Heller 90 minutes after Heller announced his opposition to the bill, with digital director Brad Parscale starting a Twitter campaign directed at Heller. Of the ads, America First president Brian Walsh said, "For the greater part of a decade, the GOP has promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, taken dozens of votes to do so; now, with the ability to keep that promise on the horizon, legislators are wavering. ... Sen. Heller's decision to walk away is unacceptable and sends the wrong message to the rest of the senators who are still working to get to ‘yes.’"[9][10]

The group pulled the ads on June 27, 2017, after Senate Republicans delayed a vote on the bill. According to Politico, the organization said that the decision to pull advertising was based on Heller's decision to appear at the White House with Republican senators, which they said meant he was open to negotiations concerning the bill.[11]

Leadership[edit]

As of April 2017, Brian O. Walsh was the president of America First Policies.

As of April 2017, the organization's other leadership included former Trump campaign digital director Brad Parscale along with Marty Obst, a former aide to Vice President Mike Pence (R).[12] Former Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson was also an advisor to the group at that time.[13]

Notable former staff members[edit]

  • Nick Ayers, a former advisor to the organization, left America First Policies in August 2017 to become chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence (R).[14]
  • In July 2017, Katie Walsh, a former Trump deputy chief of staff who had been serving as a senior advisor to America First Policies, left to join the Republican National Committee as senior data and digital advisor.[15]
  • In March 2017, Rick Gates, a former campaign staffer for Trump, left the organization because of his longstanding ties to former Trump campaign strategist Paul Manafort. At the time, Manafort was under investigation by the FBI for potential contact with the Russian government during the 2016 campaign.[16] On October 27, 2017, Gates and Manafort were indicted for activity related to their work with foreign governments.[17]
  • Former deputy campaign manager for Trump, David Bossie was involved in initial discussions with the group but in March 2017 decided to advise Making America Great, another nonprofit organization supporting Trump's agenda.[18]

Tax status[edit]

America First Policies is a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Its 501(c) status refers to a section of the U.S. federal income tax code concerning social welfare organizations.[19] Organizations that have been granted 501(c)(4) status by the Internal Revenue Service are exempt from federal income tax.[20] Section 501(c) of the U.S. tax code has 29 sections listing specific conditions particular organizations must meet in order to be considered tax-exempt under the section. Unlike 501(c)(3) organizations, however, donations to 501(c)(4) organizations are not tax-deductible for the individual or corporation making the contribution. 501(c)(4) organizations may engage in political lobbying and political campaign activities. This includes donations to political committees that support or oppose ballot measures, bond issues, recalls, or referenda.

See also: 501(c)(4) organizations on Ballotpedia

Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'America First Policies'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

America First Policies - Google News

See also[edit]

  • Donald Trump
  • Katie Walsh

External links[edit]

  • Official website

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ↑ NPR, "Trump Political Advisers Now Raising Money For His 'America First' Agenda," January 31, 2017
  2. ↑ Washingtonian, "Is Katrina Pierson Actually Doing Anything?" March 7, 2017
  3. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  4. ↑ CNN, "Pro-Trump group launching ads supporting Meadows, Jordan," accessed March 21, 2019
  5. ↑ The Associated Press, "Trump allies say they're active but were MIA on health care," March 30, 2017
  6. ↑ America First Policies, "America First Policies released a new video entitled 'Confirm Gorsuch,'" April 3, 2017
  7. ↑ The Washington Post, "Pro-Trump group launches a $3 million ad campaign to prop up House allies," April 16, 2017
  8. ↑ Axios, "Axios Sneak Peek," June 4, 2017
  9. ↑ Politico, "Trump political arm to GOP: Get in line," June 25, 2017
  10. ↑ Politico, "Pro-Trump group launches TV, radio ads against Heller over health bill," June 27, 2017
  11. ↑ Politico, "Pro-Trump group pulls ads criticizing Heller over Obamacare," June 27, 2017
  12. ↑ Politico, "Pro-Trump outside group taps veteran GOP strategist for day-to-day operations," April 18, 2017
  13. ↑ The Associated Press, "Trump advisers start 'America First Policies' nonprofit," January 30, 2017
  14. ↑ ABC News, "Another new chief of staff: VP Mike Pence swears in Nick Ayers," July 28, 2017
  15. ↑ Politico, "Priebus ally Walsh returns to RNC," July 21, 2017
  16. ↑ CNN, "Rick Gates out at America First Policies over Manafort ties to Russia," March 23, 2017
  17. ↑ Politico, "Manafort and Rick Gates indicted by federal grand jury on 12 counts," October 30, 2017
  18. ↑ The Daily Wire, "Priebus Deputy Out At White House," March 30, 2017
  19. ↑ Internal Revenue Service, "Social Welfare Organizations," accessed January 14, 2014
  20. ↑ Internal Revenue Service, "IRC 501(c)(4) Organizations," accessed July 10, 2014
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