FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity both originated from a campaign called Citizens for a Sound Economy, which split in two in 2004. CSE was set up by businessman David Koch (Koch Industries).[3] Citizens for a Sound Economy merged with Empower America in 2004 and was renamed FreedomWorks, with Dick Armey, Jack Kemp and C. Boyden Gray serving as co-chairmen, Bill Bennett focusing on school choice as a Senior Fellow, and Matt Kibbe as President and CEO.[4][5][contradiction] Empower America was founded in 1993 by William Bennett, former Secretary of HUD Jack Kemp, former Ambassador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, and former Representative Vin Weber.[6] In December 2006, Steve Forbes joined the board of directors.[7]
The ‘Freedomworks’ name was derived from a common Armey saying: “Freedom works. Freedom is good policy and good politics.” [8]
...In 2009, FreedomWorks responded to the growing number of Tea party protests across the United States, and is currently one of several groups active in the "Tea Party" tax protests.[13] Among other activities, they run boot camps for supporters of any Republican candidates, including spending over $10 million on the 2010 elections on campaign paraphernalia alone. The required reading list for new employees includes Saul Alinsky,[14] Frédéric Bastiat and Ayn Rand.[15] Rolling Stone and Talking Points Memo allege that FreedomWorks helps run the Tea Party Patriots.[16][17] Tea Party Patriots denies this claim.[citation needed]
For the 2010 Congressional elections, FreedomWorks has endorsed a number of candidates, including Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Mike Lee, and Rand Paul.[18]
[edit] Funding
FreedomWorks is primarily funded by individual donations. According to the progressive media watchdog group Media Matters for America, FreedomWorks has also received funding from Verizon and SBC (now AT&T).[19] Other FreedomWorks funders have included Philip Morris and foundations controlled by the Scaife family, according to tax filings and other records.[20][21] It also receives funding through the sale of insurance policies through which policyholders automatically become members of FreedomWorks.[22]
FreedomWorks is closely tied to its founder, corporate lobbyist and former Republican Congressman Dick Armey, whose former lobbying firm DLA Piper from which he resigned in August 2009, represents Bristol Myers Squibb, among other pharmaceutical companies.[23][24]
[edit] Criticism
Most of FreedomWorks' campaigns have been called "astroturfing," and some claim that they project a false impression of grassroots organizing.[25][26][27]
