{{Short description|American political action group}} The '''American Issues Project''' is an American political action group organized as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, so that it can engage in limited amounts of civic campaigning, but cannot legally advocate for or against candidates.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/us/politics/26donor.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink New York Times (October 26, 2008) "Swift Boat Financier Finds Efforts Are Muted"]</ref> During the 2008 United States presidential election, it became known for commercials linking Barack Obama to former Weather Underground founder William Ayers.<ref name ="Mother Jones">{{cite web |url= https://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/10/swift-boat-style-527-attacks-mccain-obama.html |date=2008-10-02 |access-date = 2008-10-29 |title = Swift Boaters Start Your Engines |publisher = Mother Jones | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081104011634/https://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/10/swift-boat-style-527-attacks-mccain-obama.html| archive-date= 4 November 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> The group has received substantial media attention.<ref name ="Washington Post">{{cite news |url= http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/10/fec_complaint_filed_against_gr.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120224074451/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/10/fec_complaint_filed_against_gr.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= February 24, 2012 |date=2008-10-10 |access-date = 2008-10-29 |title = FEC Complaint Filed Against Group That Ran Ayers Ad |newspaper = The Washington Post }}</ref><ref name ="Washington Post 2">{{cite news |url= http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/10/obama_mccain_carry_negative_me.html?hpid=topnews |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120224074503/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/10/obama_mccain_carry_negative_me.html?hpid=topnews |url-status= dead |archive-date= February 24, 2012 |date=2008-10-06 |access-date = 2008-10-29 |title = Without 527s, Candidates Must Carry Negative Message |newspaper = The Washington Post }}</ref> After Obama came into office, the group concentrated on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.<ref name = "Politico">{{cite web |url= https://www.politico.com/story/2009/02/video-group-counters-stimulus-with-jesus-in-tv-ad-019055 |date= 2009-02-20 |access-date = 2009-02-20 |title = VIDEO: Group counters stimulus with Jesus in TV ad |publisher = The Politico | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090221121035/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/19055.html| archive-date= 21 February 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref>
The AIP was co-founded by conservative political activists Tony Feather (also a co-founder of the conservative 527 group Progress for America) and Chris LaCivita.<ref name="Mother Jones"/><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/13/AR2008091302270.html Washington Post (September 14, 2008) "Group With Swift Boat Alumni Readies Ads Attacking Obama"]</ref>
Funding for AIP, which spent close to $3 million for the Ayers ads, is provided by Harold Simmons, who previously gave $3 million to fund Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and another $500,000 to Progress for America.<ref name="CBS News">{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/no-cavalry-coming-for-mccain/ |date=2008-10-22 |access-date=2008-10-29 |title=No Cavalry Coming For McCain |work=CBS News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025063346/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/22/politics/politico/main4538433.shtml |archive-date=25 October 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==See also== * RightChange.com * The Committee for Truth in Politics
==References== {{reflist}}
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Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States Category:501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations