Americans for Limited Government

Americans for Limited Government, Inc., "is all about action." Their website goes on to note that:


 * "Each year, the government becomes increasingly disconnected from the people. Both parties have lost their way. Many politicians don't honor their own principles or platforms.Voters are cynical and increasingly alienated from political parties, politicians, and the government.


 * "The time is ripe for an independent, nonpartisan political movement that fights for hardworking taxpayers and against the special interests that continually push for big government nationwide."

A November 2006 report by the Center for Public Integrity notes that they are "the driving force behind this year’s eminent-domain and regulatory-takings ballot initiatives in the West, calls itself a grass-roots organization." It is "financed almost entirely that year by a handful of large donors... connected to ALG’s chairman, New York real estate investor Howard Rich." 

Nonprofit status
Americans for Limited Government Inc. - a 501(c)(4), EIN 36-3975580 - was founded in 1996; Americans for Limited Government Research Foundation Inc. - a 501(c)(3), EIN 52-2020468 - was founded in 1997.

2010: Secret Nonprofit Group Gives Nearly $4.2 Million
In 2010, ATR received $4,189,000 from the Center to Protect Patients' Rights, another 501(c)4 that acted as a conduit for around $55 million in secret funding distributed to other nonprofit groups that attacked Democrats in the 2010 elections.

2005: 3 individuals gave 99% of funding
"Americans for Limited Government, the tax-exempt organization that bankrolled a series of controversial [takings] ballot initiatives this year, raised 99 percent of its $5.4 million in total contributions in 2005 from just three donors..."

2004: "handful of large donors"
A "review of public records from 2004, however, shows that the operations of Americans for Limited Government and its affiliated foundation were financed almost entirely that year by a handful of large donors, as were the operations of other tax-exempt organizations led by or otherwise connected to ALG’s chairman, New York real estate investor Howard Rich.

"A review of these documents by the Center shows that the Rich-connected organizations, whose stated missions have little in common, appear to have operated essentially as interrelated bank accounts, collecting money from donors and sharing it among themselves.

"In 2004, for example, Legislation Education Action Drive, a tax-exempt organization that Rich founded to promote vouchers and tuition tax credits, collected more than $1.35 million for “research and public education of the developments in school choice initiatives,” according to its federal tax returns." 

Directors
Source
 * Howard Rich, Chairman
 * Eric O'Keefe, Chair, Executive Committee
 * John Tillman
 * Edward H. Crane
 * Willliam Wilson

Contact

 * Web: http://www.getliberty.org

External resources

 * Jim Morris and Robert Brodsky, "Following the Money (Part 1)", The Center for Public Integrity, November 1, 2006.
 * Jim Morris and Robert Brodsky, "Following the Money (Part 2)", The Center for Public Integrity, November 2, 2006.