Americans for Responsible Leadership

Americans for Responsible Leadership (ARL) is an Arizona-based 501(c )(4) organization. In October 2012, the non-profit contributed $11 million to the Small Business Action Committee (SBAC) PAC based in California. The contribution resulted in an investigation of the group by the California Fair Political Practices Commission, alleging that the ARL failed to comply with the state's disclosure laws.

Lawsuit
The Fair Political Practices Commission filed suit against ARL in the Sacramento County Superior Court in October 2012. The primary goal of the lawsuit was to uncover the donors behind ARL who contributed towards the $11 million given to SBAC that year, a sum spent mainly on ads opposing two ballot initiatives. The ARL made an $11 million donation to the Small Business Action Committee PAC in California, which spent those funds to oppose Proposition 30 (which would raise taxes) and Proposition 32 (which would prohibit labor unions from raising money for political activities through employees' voluntary payroll deductions). California's elections board did not buy ARL's claim that its donors had given $11 million for reasons other than funding ads to influence these ballot issues and demanded it reveal its funders.

After initial resistance, ARL revealed that it had received $11 million in contributions for the purpose of funding ballot initiatives from another dark money nonprofit, Americans for Job Security(AJS), a group that received its funding from Center to Protect Patient Rights, another Arizona non-profit linked to the Koch Brothers.

Donations
Ballot Measure Donations Other Donations
 * Arizona Sales Tax Renewal Amendment, Proposition 204 (2012): $925,000 donation to the the campaign against Prop. 204.
 * Arizona "Top Two Primary" Act, Proposition 121 (2012): $600,000 donation to the campaign against Prop. 121
 * Small Business Action Committee in California: $11 million

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Americans for Job Security
 * Soft money
 * Koch Brothers