“the group is accomplishing this all behind the scenes — without any prior public scrutiny”

Democrats are fond of claiming that they want big money and so-called ‘dark’ money taken out of politics. Yet a Silicon Valley-based group is quietly pumping over a hundred million dollars into efforts to help Democrats in 2020, mostly through voter registration.

Funny, it doesn’t sound like anyone on the left is complaining about this.

Theodore Schleifer reports at Recode:

How Silicon Valley’s secretive donor group plans to beat Trump Mind the Gap, the secretive group quietly reshaping big-money politics in Silicon Valley, is aiming to spend as much as $140 million to boost Democrats in the 2020 election, Recode has learned. If realized, a haul of that size would cement the group, little known until Recode reported on it this week, as one of the most powerful forces in Democratic politics. And the group is accomplishing this all behind the scenes — without any prior public scrutiny. This network of Silicon Valley donors raised $20 million for Democratic causes and congressional candidates in advance of the midterms. But the group has far greater ambitions in a presidential cycle: Mind the Gap told prospective donors last fall that it had already raised at least $35 million in political contributions for voter registration efforts, which is part of a fundraising goal that could stretch to $100 million, according to a memo obtained by Recode. Mind the Gap is also seeking another estimated $30 million for get-out-the-vote work along with another estimated $10 million for “orphan races” — which means primarily funding candidates for state legislatures that the group sees as wrongly under-funded.

Schleifer outlined some highlights about this on his Twitter feed:

Our exclusive from last night — Silicon Valley’s wealthiest are preparing to spend $140 million on 2020, guided by a secretive group that is telling them to funnel money into voter registration. We’ve obtained the seven-page memo with their plan.https://t.co/Ev4n8yDT5E — Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) January 8, 2020

With zero scrutiny, Mind the Gap has routed $55 million into the American political system. In addition to the $20 million that Mind the Gap spent in 2018, the group has since raised $35 million to spend on 2020. And there’s $100 million more to come.https://t.co/2KosMGUQs9 — Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) January 8, 2020

Here’s a look at a section of the Mind the Gap memo titled “Discretion.” “In 2018, we managed to stay out of the news and as far as we know out of Republicans’ sightlines through the entire cycle,” it said. “We do not expect to be so lucky this cycle.”https://t.co/PF3vSmjaDn pic.twitter.com/QAgOBSbUgJ — Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) January 8, 2020

Here are the three voter-registration groups that Silicon Valley donors are trying to put $100 million behind to beat Trump. The Voter Participation Center, the Center for Voter Information and Everybody Votes. They’ve already got $35 million in bank.https://t.co/PF3vSmjaDn pic.twitter.com/XCD3ViPWEP — Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) January 8, 2020

Here’s Mind the Gap asking donors for a minimum of $40,000 a pop. “None of us wants to wake up on November 4, 2020, and think, for the second time in four years, if only we had done more.” https://t.co/PF3vSmjaDn pic.twitter.com/Yg07KWrg6M — Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) January 8, 2020

Here’s how Mind the Gap describes its 2020 fundraising goals. The total amount it wants to raise: Up to $140 million. And a lot of it’s tax deductible!https://t.co/PF3vSmjaDn pic.twitter.com/xMwq4UpsKQ — Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) January 8, 2020

Anyway, here’s the full seven-page memo on Silicon Valley’s $140 million plan to take on Trump. It’s a pretty fascinating read that shows how Democrats are preparing for 2020 — all while trying hard to avoid any public detection.https://t.co/0NRHbROojQ — Teddy Schleifer (@teddyschleifer) January 8, 2020

The left will do anything to defeat Trump in 2020. Even if his polls look good, people who support the president can take nothing for granted.

You can read the group’s memo to prospective donors below:

Mind the Gap’s memo to … by Teddy Schleifer on Scribd



