# American Issues Project

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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.[1] During the [2008 United States presidential election](/source/2008_United_States_presidential_election), it became known for commercials linking [Barack Obama](/source/Barack_Obama) to former [Weather Underground](/source/Weather_Underground) founder [William Ayers](/source/William_Ayers).[2] The group has received substantial media attention.[3][4] After Obama came into office, the group concentrated on the [American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009](/source/American_Recovery_and_Reinvestment_Act_of_2009).[5]

The AIP was co-founded by conservative political activists [Tony Feather](/source/Tony_Feather) (also a co-founder of the conservative 527 group [Progress for America](/source/Progress_for_America)) and [Chris LaCivita](/source/Chris_LaCivita).[2][6]

Funding for AIP, which spent close to $3 million for the Ayers ads, is provided by [Harold Simmons](/source/Harold_Simmons), who previously gave $3 million to fund [Swift Boat Veterans for Truth](/source/Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth) and another $500,000 to Progress for America.[7]

## See also

- [RightChange.com](/source/RightChange.com)
- [The Committee for Truth in Politics](/source/The_Committee_for_Truth_in_Politics)

## References

1. [New York Times (October 26, 2008) "Swift Boat Financier Finds Efforts Are Muted"](https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/us/politics/26donor.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink)

1. ["Swift Boaters Start Your Engines"](https://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/10/swift-boat-style-527-attacks-mccain-obama.html). [Mother Jones](/source/Mother_Jones_(magazine)). 2008-10-02. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20081104011634/https://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/10/swift-boat-style-527-attacks-mccain-obama.html) 4 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2008-10-29.

1. ["FEC Complaint Filed Against Group That Ran Ayers Ad"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120224074451/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/10/fec_complaint_filed_against_gr.html). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. 2008-10-10. Archived from [the original](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/10/fec_complaint_filed_against_gr.html) on February 24, 2012. Retrieved 2008-10-29.

1. ["Without 527s, Candidates Must Carry Negative Message"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120224074503/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/10/obama_mccain_carry_negative_me.html?hpid=topnews). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. 2008-10-06. Archived from [the original](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/10/obama_mccain_carry_negative_me.html?hpid=topnews) on February 24, 2012. Retrieved 2008-10-29.

1. ["VIDEO: Group counters stimulus with Jesus in TV ad"](https://www.politico.com/story/2009/02/video-group-counters-stimulus-with-jesus-in-tv-ad-019055). [The Politico](/source/The_Politico). 2009-02-20. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090221121035/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/19055.html) 21 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2009-02-20.

1. [Washington Post (September 14, 2008) "Group With Swift Boat Alumni Readies Ads Attacking Obama"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/13/AR2008091302270.html)

1. ["No Cavalry Coming For McCain"](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/no-cavalry-coming-for-mccain/). *[CBS News](/source/CBS_News)*. 2008-10-22. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20081025063346/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/22/politics/politico/main4538433.shtml) 25 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2008-10-29.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [American Issues Project](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Issues_Project) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Issues_Project?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.