Priorities USA, the politically active nonprofit that backed President Barack Obama’s re-election in 2012, raised $8.4 million in 2012, with most of it coming from just five donors.

The group spent more than half its budget — just under $5 million — on grants to other nonprofits. The single largest recipient of the organization’s largesse was Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which was given $2.2 million.

Citizens United v. FEC. Priorities USA’s $8.4 million in revenues isn’t much compared to the funds raised by some of the conservative social welfare nonprofits that targeted Obama and other Democrats in 2012. Still, it’s not insignificant, and the reliance on such a small number of donations is almost exactly the scenario that Obama predicted would occur as a result of the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Priorities USA was founded last year by a handful of former Obama aides, including former deputy press secretary Bill Burton (pictured at right in orange tie). Like other 501(c)(4) groups, it does not publicly disclose its donors’ identities. However, its tax forms — which were filed Friday but not released until yesterday — show that it took in 22 donations last year that ranged from $5,000 to $2 million. Donations of less than $5,000 don’t have to be listed on the forms.

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Besides the $2 million check, there were three $1 million gifts, one of $900,000, and three of $500,000 each, meaning that 89 percent of the group’s total revenues came from eight donors at most — fewer if the same person or organization gave twice. Each of the grants is marked as coming from a “person,” but the term applies to donors that are “individuals, fiduciaries, partnerships, corporations, associations, trusts, and exempt organizations,” under IRS rules

On the other end of the operation, the two largest recipients of the organization’s money were Planned Parenthood Action — the pro-abortion rights politically active nonprofit — and a mysterious 501(c)(4) called the Unity Fund. Planned Parenthood Action reported to the FEC that it spent more than $6.5 million on the 2012 elections.

(Priorities USA’s filing used the employer identification number for Planned Parenthood’s 501(c)(3) charitable arm, but Bill Burton confirmed to OpenSecrets Blog that the contribution was made to the 501(c)(4) arm.)

The Unity Fund received $750,000 from Priorities USA. That grant alone is more than Unity’s total revenue for the year ending June 30, 2012.



The Unity Fund’s tax filings are sparse, and it has no website. Its stated mission is broad, asserting that “the organization conducted activities…designed to support a progressive public policy agenda.” The group’s chairman, Lou Frillman, is an Obama bundler who raised hundreds of thousands for Obama in 2008. Also on the board is Patti Solis Doyle, a Democratic operative with close ties to Obama, Vice President Biden and Bill and Hillary Clinton. The third board member is Amy Dacey , who was recently named to head the Democratic National Committee. The group’s address, according to incorporation records filed with the District of Columbia, is 1120 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 1100 — which is where the offices of Emily’s List are located.

The Unity Fund’s filings in recent years don’t describe any programs in detail. In its first year — from Nov. 17, 2009, to June 30, 2010 — it spent $1.5 million on grants to liberal groups like the Center for American Progress and Americans United for Change. Its budget declined in subsequent years, before Priorities USA infused it with new funds.

Another notable Priorities USA recipient in 2012 was the League of Conservation Voters — the highest spending liberal dark money group in 2012 ; it received $650,000 from Priorities. Other groups that received grants: People for the American Way ($550,000), America’s Voice ($500,000) and Occupy Sandy, a Hurricane Sandy relief effort affiliated with the Occupy movement ($255,000).

The largest contractor to Priorities USA was Mission Control, a Democratic mass mailing organization, which was paid $1.8 million. The content of the mailers sent out by Priorities USA is unknown. When asked to provide examples, Burton did not respond. The next biggest contractor was Democratic political strategist Paul Begala, who was paid $241,000 last year by the organization.

Priorities USA itself didn’t spend money asking the public to vote for or against any candidates, although it reported spending $2.1 million on a “direct advocacy” campaign that urged “the public to contact their member of Congress” on issues relating to the fiscal cliff and education. At one point, it provided funds to its sister organization, super PAC Priorities USA Action, which later reimbursed the money. The super PAC — which has to disclose its donors — spent more than $65 million in the 2012 election cycle, all of which went into negative ads against the Republican nominee, Mitt Romney.

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Image: President Barack Obama talks with personal aide Reggie Love, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton, and Director of Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard, in 2010. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.



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