Obama Contributors Emerged from Staff and Boards of Annenberg Grantees

Barack Obama started serving as chairman of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, an education grant program, in 1995, the same year he was elected to the Illinois state Senate. As chairman, Obama oversaw the disbursement of $49.2 million in Annenberg grants, most of which went to non-profit groups with the stated intent of improving Chicago’s public schools.

Since the start of his political career, Obama has received a total of $331,528 in campaign contributions from people who served as staff and board members of non-profit groups that received grants from the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC).

In 2005 and 2006, board members and staff of non-profit groups that had received grants from CAC gave another $34,500 to the Hope Fund, Obama’s federal political action committee.

A review of publicly available IRS 990 forms for the years 1998 through 2002, shows that Annenberg grants went to 94 different projects during that period. The CAC grants required a 2-1 match, with the other two parts coming from other public and private sources, so a total of $147 million in grants were made as consequence of the CAC program over its 6-year lifespan, although only $49.2 million was issued directly by the CAC to grant recipients.

Through the course of Obama’s political career, 91 people who served at some time as staff or a board member for one of the groups that received CAC money also contributed money at some time to one of Obama’s political campaigns, which include his runs for the state Senate, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Senate and the presidency.

The information on contributions to Obama’s state senate campaigns comes from the Illinois State Board of Elections, and the information on contributions to Obama’s federal election campaigns comes from the Federal Election Commission, either directly or through the Center for Responsive Politics. (See list below.)

The bulk of the donations went to Obama’s U.S. Senate and presidential races, which occurred after the CAC had closed down and all of its grants had been distributed.

The Obama presidential campaign did not respond to inquiries for this story despite repeated phone calls and e-mails sent to the campaign by CNSNews.com.

The CAC, launched with a grant from the Annenberg Foundation in 1995, generated attention this year because one of its founding organizers was William Ayers, a former member of the Weather Underground, a domestic terrorist group. “I don’t regret setting bombs,” Ayers told the New York Times in 2001. “I feel we didn’t do enough.”

Obama, as chairman of the CAC, handled the organization’s fiscal matters. Ayers helped shape education policy for the CAC, through an arm of the organization called the Chicago Schools Reform Collaborative.

Another founding organizer of CAC was Anne Hallett, who served as executive director of the Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform. The CAC gave Cross City a grant of $25,000 in 1999, and two $50,000 grants in 2000 and 2001 respectively. Hallett later contributed a total of $3,750 to Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate campaign and his 2008 presidential campaign.

One of the biggest recipients of CAC grants was Business and Professional People for the Public Interest, also known as BPI. The group describes itself as “a public interest law and policy center that addresses compelling issues of social justice and quality of life in the Chicago region.” It lobbies and litigates on public and affordable housing issues, as well as education.

During the late 1990s, the organization operated the program called the Coalition of Schools for Better Education. From 1998 through 2001, the coalition received $375,000 in grants from CAC.

Barack Obama, former chairman of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (AP Photo). Over the years, Obama has received $105,513 in campaign contributions from 25 people who served as staff or board members of BPI. His federal PAC has also received $16,000 in contributions from people who served as staff or board members of BPI.

E. Hoy McConnell, executive director of BPI, contributed a total of $2,500 to Obama’s U.S. Senate and presidential campaigns. McConnell told CNSNews.com these contributions had nothing to do with the CAC grants received by BPI.

“That contribution was well after the grant had expired,” McConnell told CNSNews.com. “We’ve worked with Barack when he was a state senator. I personally support him (for president). But it isn’t anything organizational.”

Cindy Moelis, an attorney with BPI, made contributions totaling $1,900 to Obama’s state legislature campaigns, before contributing $2,500 to his U.S. Senate campaign. She also gave $1,000 to the Hope Fund PAC in 2006.

BPI board member Sheldon Baskin, a Chicago real estate lawyer, contributed a total of $18,600 to Obama. That includes contributions in 1998 and 2001 for his state senate campaigns; a 1999 donation for a U.S. congressional primary; contributions to the 2004 U.S. Senate race and a contribution in 2007 for the presidential race.

Baskin, a major contributor to other Democratic candidates, also contributed $5,000 to the Obama’s Hope Fund PAC.

Further, BPI board member Jean Rudd gave Obama $200 in 1997 for a state legislative campaign and $1,000 for his long shot Democratic primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush in 2000. Rudd also served as president of the Woods Fund. Obama served on the board of the Woods Fund along with William Ayers.

In all, BPI board members contributed a total of $5,300 to Obama’s underdog primary challenge to Rep. Bobby Rush.

In 1996, BPI gave William Ayers its Champion of the Public Interest award, according to Ayers’ Web site.

The Chicago Annenberg Challenge dissolved in 2002, and gave its remaining money, $1,418, to the Chicago Public Education Fund, which calls itself a “venture philanthropy” organization.

The CPEF was also the largest Annenberg Foundation grant recipient, according to the IRS forms, getting $2.2 million from 1998 through 2002.

Over Obama’s political career, 14 people who served on the board of directors of CPEF contributed $117,450 to his political campaigns. According to campaign reports, most of these board members were employed in private business in the Chicago area.

Three CPEF board members also contributed $17,500 to Obama’s Hope Fund PAC. (See list below.)

Some of the contributions that came from CPEF board members went to Obama’s early campaigns. For example, CPEF board members contributed $2,650 to Obama’s state Senate races, and $3,500 to his unsuccessful 2000 congressional primary campaign.

“The Annenberg Challenge provided funding for seed money for the Chicago Public Education Fund when Sen. Obama had a leadership position there,” CPEF spokeswoman Kristen Tschantz told CNSNews.com. “We consider ourselves a non-partisan organization. We have education leadership priorities, which we believe cross party lines.”

The Chicago Teachers Union received $331,500 in CAC grants from 1998 through 2001. Obama received a total of $6,000 in donations from the Chicago Teachers Union PAC and another $2,200 from staff employees of the union.

Another recipient of CAC grants was Bethel New Life, a religious community service organization. It received $120,000 in Annenberg money between 1999 and 2001. Bethel New Life board and staff members--eight different contributors--have given $3,980 to Obama’s various campaigns.

Mildred Wiley, senior director of Bethel New Life, who made no contributions to Obama, said individuals associated with the group, which is not political, make their own decisions about what they do politically.

Staff of Bethel New Life knew Obama well, but that was mostly in his capacity as a state lawmaker, Wiley said.

“Of course, he was well known,” Wiley said. “Our organization worked more with him as a state senator.”

The Community Renewal Society (CRS) also received Annenberg money for two separate programs: Successful Schools got three grants in 1998, 2000, and 2001 totaling $55,000, and Education Resources Reform Directory got one $75,000 Annenberg grant in 2001.

Eleven individuals who worked for the Community Renewal Society later made a total of $8,525 in campaign contributions to Obama’s U.S. Senate and presidential campaigns.

“We would not make any assumptions about any contributions individuals may have made to Sen. Obama,” CRS spokesman Al Shaw told CNSNews.com. “These questions would be better directed to Senator Obama.”

The Learning and Sharing Connection program was established by a nonprofit called the Strategic Learning Initiative. This program worked to encourage parental involvement in the public schools. Strategic Learning was one of the CAC’s largest grant recipients, getting $125,000 in 1998, $83,000 in 1999, $382,000 in 2000 and $75,000 in 2001.

Four employees and board members of the Strategic Learning Initiative have contributed $13,860 to Obama’s political campaigns.

The bulk of that is comprised of $11,330 in contributions from Strategic Learning Initiative President John Simmons. Simmons’s contributions include $500 to Obama’s failed congressional bid in 2000 and $1,000 to Obama’s state Senate campaign in 2001. Simmons was also contributed $4,250 to Obama’s 2004 U.S. Senate race, and gave another $1,000 to the Hope Fund PAC.

“We don’t address politics,” Simmons told CNSNews.com, speaking for the group. “I frankly didn’t know what he did with Annenberg. I just knew he was on the board.”

The Erikson Institute, a graduate school that offers advanced degrees in child development, received a total of $850,000 in CAC grants from 1998 to 2002. Four employees of Erikson provided a total of $8,350 for Obama’s U.S. Senate and presidential campaigns.

Two programs sponsored by the Chicago Academy of Sciences received CAC grants. The Teacher Integrated Learning program received $120,000 in 1998, and the Amundsen Network received $50,000 in 1999.

Members of the board of directors of the Academy of Sciences also contributed to Obama’s campaigns. Charles Douglas, chairman of the Chicago Academy of Sciences board, contributed $1,000 to Obama’s failed campaign for Congress in 2000, and $500 to his 2004 Senate campaign. In all, nine employees and board members of the Academy gave $26,900 to Obama’s various political campaigns. (See list below.)

Facing History and Ourselves, a national organization that works with schools and museums and has an office in Chicago, tries to teach decision-making by looking at history. The organization received $240,000 from CAC in 1998, $237,000 in 1999, $85,500 in 2000, and $50,000 in 2001.

Sheldon Baskin, a board member of BPI, who as already noted contributed a total of $18,600 to Obama’s political campaigns, was also a board member of Facing History and Ourselves.

Chuck Myers, a senior program director for Facing History and Ourselves, who did not contribute any money to Obama, helped oversee the Facing History and Ourselves’ program that received a CAC grant. He said he did not know of his organization having any interaction with Obama.

Here is a list of political contributions to Barack Obama from persons who have served as staff or board members of organizations that were Annenberg grantees.

Bethel New Life Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $120,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $3,980 Contributors Jacob Larrimore $1,000 (2008) Mary Nelson $700 (2007, 2008) Lawrence Grisham $500 (2004) Jeanette Williams $400 (2008) Howard Piggee III $400 (2004) Beatrice Young $980 (2004, 2008)

Business and Professional People for the Public Interest Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $375,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $105,513 Contributors E. Hoy McConnell $2,500 (2004, 2007) Paul Levy $4,300 (2004, 2007) Robert Lifton $7,100 (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007) Cindy Moelis $4,400 to campaigns (1995, 1997, 2002, 2004) $1,000 to Hope Fund PAC (2006) Lucy Ascoli $7,150 (1999, 20004, 2007, 2008) Sheldon Baskin $18,600 to campaigns (1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007) $5,000 to Hope Fund PAC (2005) Frances Grossman $3,050 (1999, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008) Jean Rudd $1,200 (1999) + 200 Dawn Clark Netsch $3,750 (2004, 2005, 2007) Lowell Sachnoff $9,600 (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) Leslie Stulberg $250 (2008) Sanjay Tailor $250 (2004) Robert Weissbourd $12,713 to campaigns (2003, 2004, 2007) $10,000 to Hope Fund PAC (2005, 2006) Donna M. Welch $250 (2004) Elizabeth Holland $2,800 (2008) Marc Hilton $300 (2007) David Bohan $2,300 (2007, 2008) Frank Beal $400 (2004) James M. Alter $500 (2007) Steven Kersten $2,300 (2007) Ellen Elias $300 (2008) Zorita Mikva $500 (1999) Robert Muzikowski $1,000 (2000) Alexander Polikoff $200 (2008) Elizabeth Lassar $2,300 (2007)

Chicago Academy of Sciences Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $170,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $26,900 Contributors Charles Douglas $1,500 (1999, 2003) Lisa Brown Tribbett $2,300 (2007) Alejandro Silva $4,600 (2007, 2008) Theodore Novak $5,600 (2003, 2004, 2008) Paula M. Trienans $6,600 (2004, 2008) Barbara Ann Speer $2,000 (2008) Deborah Lahey $1,500 (2007) Jill Riddell $500 (2007) Gary Holdren $2,300 (2007)

Chicago Teacher’s Union Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $331,500 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $8,200 Contributors Deborah Byrne $1,000 (2004, 2007) John Ostenburg $250 (2004) Marilyn Stewart $400 (2007, 2008) Norma Jean White $550 (2004) Chicago Teachers Union PAC $6,000 (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)

Community Renewal Society Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $130,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $8,525 Contributors Veronica Anderson $1,750 (2003, 2004, 2007) Linda Lenz $1,000 (2008) Calvin Morris $2,800 (2007) Alysia Tate $200 (2008) Lester Blair $500 (2004) Deloris Brown-Daniels $500 (2004) Warren Chapman $750 (2004) Joyce Ewell $250 (2004) Dwight Hopkins $300 (2008) Joyce M. Bristow $225 (2007) Juan Thomas $250 (2004)

Chicago Public Education Fund Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $2,251,418 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $117,450 Contributors ThomasDarden $7,850 (2003, 2004, 2007) Karen Kerr $500 (2008) David Weinberg $21,200 (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) Timothy Schwertferger $10,000 (2004) +1000 Penny Bender Sebring $6,600 to campaigns (2004, 2007) $10,000 to Hope Fund PAC (2005, 2006) Ralph Rydholm $1,000 (2003) Jana Schreuder $4,600 (2007) John Gilbertson $4,600 (2007) Brian Simmons $3,100 Penny Pritzker $18,600 to campaigns (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008) $5,000 to Hope Fund PAC (2005) Martin Koldyke $22,200 to campaigns (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008) $2,500 to Hope Fund PAC (2006) Anne Duncan $150 (1995) William Rufus $2,250 (2000, 2007, 2008) Susan Crown $14,800 (1999, 2003, 2004, 2007)

Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $125,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $250 Contributors Anne Hallett, Chicago $3,750 (2003, 2007, 2008)

Designs for Change Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $1,240,100 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $750 Contributors Donald Moore $750 (1999, 2004)

Erikson Institute Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $850,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $8,350 Contributors Linda Gilkerson $750 (2008) Joan McLane $300 (2003) Samuel J. Meisels $2,000 (2004, 2007) Barbara Bowman $5,300 (2003, 2004, 2007)

Facing History And Ourselves Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $613,140 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $22,700 Contributors Stacy Abramson $200 (2008) Dimitry Anselme $750 (2008) Sheldon Baskin $18,600 (1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007) Roxanne R. Degraff $550 (2007, 2008) Margot S. Storm $3,100 (2007, 2008) Judy Wise $15,000 (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,

Imagine Chicago Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $1,135,900 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $1,400 Contributors Joanna Riopelle $1,400 (2004, 2008)

Leadership for Quality Education Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $85,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $1,900 Contributors John Ayers $1,900 (2003, 2004)

Museum of Science and Industry Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $575,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $7,500 Contributors Jean Franczyk $1,000 (2004) David Moseana $6,500 (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)

North River Commission Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $80,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $250 Contributors Joel Bookman $250 (2007)

Small Schools Workshop Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $807,662 Total in Campaign Contributions: $200 Contributors William Ayers $200 (2001)

Strategic Learning Initiatives Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $665,000 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $13,860 Contributors John Simmons $11,330 to campaigns (1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008) $1,000 to Hope Fund PAC (2005) Jo Anderson $1,500 (2008) Rita McLennon $530 (2003, 2007) Wallace Winter $500 (2004)

Westside Association for Community Action Total in Grants from 1998-2002: $276,200 Total in Campaign Contributions from staff/board: $500 Contributors Michael P. Lieteau $500 (2007)

(Source for Obama state Senate campaign: Illinois State Board of Elections. Sources for Obama U.S. Senate and Presidential campaigns: Federal Elections Commission, Center for Responsive Politics.)

Once the MSM is aware that The People know about issues like this, they won’t be able to pretend they aren’t news. Sarah Palin said that she needs OUR help to get the MSM to report on the REAL issues. She’ll fight them, but she said she can’t do it alone. The article above is one of those issues! They need to know that WE know about it. Please help Sarah take on the MSM by sending a link to this article to the media contacts below:

Rush Limbaugh: elrushbo@eibnet.com
Glenn Beck: me@glennbeck.com
Sean Hannity: hannity@foxnews.com
Mark Levine: offair@radioinsidescoop.com

The Drudge Report: drudge@drudgereport.com

Reuters: david.schlesinger@reuters.com
AP: info@AP.org
Scripps-Howard News Service, Jennifer Sergent (Washington Correspondent): sergentj@shns.com

Boston Globe: letter@globe.com
Boston Globe: ombud@globe.com
Chicago Sun-Times, Jack Barry (General Manager): jbarry@suntimes.com
Chicago Sun-Times, Michael Cooke (Editor in Chief): mcooke@suntimes.com
Christian Science Monitor, Feedback: http://www.csmonitor.com/cgi-bin/contactus.pl
The Cleveland Leader: http://www.clevelandleader.com/contact
Houston Chronicle, News tips/Editor: citydesk@chron.com
Investor's Business Daily, IBD Editorial Department: ibdnews@investors.com
Kansas City Star, Steve Kraske: skraske@kcstar.com
Media Matters for America, News Tips: mm-tips@mediamatters.org
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Richard Foster (Editorial writer columnist): rfoster@journalsentinel.com
New Republic, Editors: online@tnr.com
Wall Street Journal, Greg Hitt: greg.hitt@wsj.com
Washington Post: ombudsman@washpost.com
Washington Times, John McCaslin: jmccaslin@washingtontimes.com

PBS The News Hour with Jim Lehrer: newshour@pbs.org

CBS Face the Nation: ftn@cbsnews.com
CBS Sunday Morning: sundays@cbsnews.com
CBS 48 Hours: 48hours@cbsnews.com

FOX News Sunday: FNS@foxnews.com
FOX News Watch: Newswatch@foxnews.com
FOX & Friends: Friends@foxnews.com
FOX Your World with Neil Cavuto: cavuto@foxnews.com
FOX News Live w/ Jamie Colby: Jamie@foxnews.com
FOX Report w/ Shepard Smith: Foxreport@foxnews.com
FOX Special Report with Brit Hume: special@foxnews.com
FOX On the Record with Greta Van Sustern: ontherecord@foxnews.com

CNN Lou Dobbs: loudobbs@cnn.com
CNN Wolf Blitzer: wolf@cnn.com
CNN Campbell Brown: campbellbrown@cnn.com (just for fun)
CNN Anderson Cooper 360: 360@cnn.com

IMPORTANT: Be sure to add your name and town, they don’t pay attention to anonymous emails. They also don’t read mass emails, so be sure to send “BCC” if being done as a group, or just send them individually so it will look like it went only to them.

Light your torches, grab your pitchforks, and tell the MSM what America is REALLY thinking about. MAKE it the news. Your email account is your weapon, and this is war. So lock and load, and use your electronic Liberty Teeth! Help Sarahcuda, and FReep the MSM!

MAKE this the news!!!

Want to protest the MSM? Volunteers needed! Check out this site: http://www.protestthemedia.com/

Obama is a marxist and a communist. His list of benefactors reads like a rogue’s gallery:
Bill Ayers, Obama benefactor - terrorist, communist
Bernadine Dohrn, Obama benefactor - terrorist, communist
Tony Rezko, Obama benefactor - felon, Syrian agent
Rev. Wright, Obama spiritual advisor - black supremacist
ACORN, part of the Democrat Party machine - voter fraud, mortgage fraud
Rashid Khalidi, Obama benefactor - PLO operative, terrorist
Raila Odinga, Obama cousin - Kenyan muslim strongman, Christian killer
Penny Pritzker, Obama campaign’s Finance Chair, bank fraud
Franklin Raines - Obama advisor, money man, Former Fannie Mae CEO & crook
Jim Johnson, Obama advisor, money man - Former Fannie Mae chairman & crook
Rev. Michael Pfleger, Obama supporter - radical, race-baiting priest
Khalid al-Mansur, Obama benefactor - Saudi tool, founding members of the Black Panthers
Louis FARRAKHAN, Obama supporter – Nation of Islam founder, racist

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.