Eric O'Keefe

Eric O'Keefe is a right-wing political operative that has deep ties to the Koch brothers. He started in the Libertarian movement in the 1980s, worked to enact congressional term limits in the 1990s, and transitioned into a leader of the Tea Party movement in the late 2000s. His group, the Sam Adams Alliance, led to the founding of numerous tea party organizations, and also helped launch the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity.

2013 John Doe Investigation
In October 2013, O'Keefe broke a secrecy order and told the Wall Street Journal editorial board that he had been served with a subpoena in a "John Doe" investigation into possible campaign finance violations during Wisconsin's 2011 and 2012 recall elections, apparently in his capacity as chair of Wisconsin Club for Growth. The investigation was conducted under Wisconsin's "John Doe" laws, which is similar to a grand jury investigation. The Journal's editorial board characterized the investigation as a "political speech raid."

Sam Adams Alliance
O'Keefe founded the Sam Adams Alliance (SAM) and served as chairman and CEO. According to O'Keefe's website, SAM was intended to be a right wing source of support for freedom of speech and discussion of political issues, training citizens to be activists and bloggers. The organization was active from 2007 to 2011. The development of SAM led to the foundations of the tea party movement, allowing activists like Eric Odom the opportunity to develop websites and social media as a organizational platform. Odom was SAM's new media director before he branched out on his own.

According to the State Policy Network's (SPN) website, SAM received funding from SPN and was listed in their network of state think tanks.

The Franklin Center
In 2009, under O'Keefe's leadership the Sam Adams Alliance helped launch the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, and provided the new organization with "seed money," according to the National Journal.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that in “its first year, the Franklin Center had a $2.9 million budget, much of it from the libertarian Sam Adams Alliance.”

Wisconsin Club for Growth
O'Keefe is on the Board of Directors and Chairs Wisconsin Club for Growth, which spent $9.1 million on ads during Wisconsin's 2011 and 2012 recall elections. O'Keefe was also on the board of the national Club for Growth organization in 2007.

Wisconsin Club for Growth was one of 29 conservative groups (including nonprofits, political vendors and party committees) that has reportedly been subpoenaed as a part of a "John Doe" investigation into possible campaign finance violations during Wisconsin's 2011 and 2012 elections, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Koch Funded Groups
O'Keefe sits on the board of the Koch's Institute for Humane Studies(IHS). O'Keefe is a director of the Cato Institute, a Koch-founded libertarian think tank. SAM's internship recruitment page was connected to Koch Industries through the Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program. The program was administered through the IHS and the State Policy Network and featured on the IHS website.

O'Keefe previously worked for Citizens for Congressional Reform, a project of David Koch's Citizens for a Sound Economy (the predecessor to Americans for Prosperity). He has also been featured at events funded by David Koch's Americans for Prosperity group.

Libertarian Party
In 1980, the Libertarian Party presidential ticket was Ed Clark and David Koch. O'Keefe worked as the national director of the party that year in support of Clark/Koch.

Other Groups
O'Keefe helped launch the American Majority Tea Party group which trains right-wing candidates to run for office.

He also helped found the Center for Competitive Politics, a legal organization that opposes campaign finance regulations.

O'Keefe was also co-founder of the Campaign for Primary Accountability, a super PAC funding opposition to incumbent members of Congress.

O'Keefe helped found and is a board member of Citizens for Self-Governance, an organization dedicated to supporting grassroots movements and citizen involvement in politics.

O'Keefe also chairs the Health Care Compact Alliance.

Other Affiliations

 * Board of Directors, Citizens in Charge, an Initiative and Referendum advocacy group.
 * President, Legislation Education Action Drive, a pro-voucher PAC
 * Longtime Libertarian Party activist, along with his wife, Leslie Graves (formerly known as Leslie Keys), and reportedly aligned with Ed Crane through her ties to Update newsletter
 * Lucy Burns Institute, official sponsor of Ballotpedia and Judgepedia. His wife is president and the organization receives funds from SAM
 * Also connected to "Rachel's Vineyard," an "abortion recovery" group, through his wife, who has been involved in managing the group's publicity
 * Author of book that argues for term limits (entitled Who Rules America: The People versus the Political Class)

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Sam Adams Alliance
 * Lucy Burns Institute
 * Leslie Graves