American Principles Project

The American Principles Project (APP) is a socially conservative 501(c)(4) think tank founded in 2009 by Robert P. George, Jeff Bell, and Francis P. Cannon.[2] It is chaired by Sean Fieler.[3][4] It is led by Terry Schilling, the son of the late former U.S. Representative Bobby Schilling.[5][6] It has opposed Common Core standards and advocated for monetary reform by suggesting a return to the gold standard.[7][8][9] The organization has an affiliated super PAC, the American Principles Project PAC, which spent nearly $4 million during the 2020 election cycle.[10]

American Principles Project
AbbreviationAPP
Formation2009
FoundersFrancis P. Cannon, Jeff Bell
Legal statusNon-profit
Headquarters2800 Shirlington Road, Arlington, VA 22206
Coordinates38.842541°N 77.084644°W / 38.842541; -77.084644
Chairman of the Board
Sean Fieler
Founding President
Francis P. Cannon
President
Terry Schilling
Budget
Revenue: $2,072,613
Expenses: $1,964,657
(FYE December 2014)[1]
Websiteamericanprinciplesproject.org

History

In 2009, the American legal scholar Robert P. George and political strategist Francis P. Cannon formed APP. In 2010, Jeff Bell became the policy director at APP, alongside Cannon.[11]

In 2011, APP sponsored a Republican presidential primary debate, called the Palmetto Freedom Forum, where panelists Jim DeMint, Steve King, and Robert P. George asked questions.[12]

Following the Republican Party's post-2012 election review, in which the GOP suggested de-emphasizing social issues, APP published a report detailing the importance of social issues to the Republican Party. The report pointed out that Republicans ran almost exclusively on economic issues during the 2012 election to lackluster effect.[13]

In 2018, the APP Foundation released a “Contract with American Families” describing its agenda for 2019.[14] In 2021, APP created a membership program that it called an "NRA for Families."[15]

Super PAC

The American Principles Project super PAC received $3.2 million from Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein between 2020 and 2022.[16] In 2022, the PAC spent $25,000 on commercials for a school board election in Polk County, Florida.[17]

Policy initiatives

Abortion

APP is anti-abortion.[18]

Education

The American Principles Project has been critical of the Common Core standards.[19]

In 2012, Jane Robbins, Senior Fellow at the American Principles Project, and Emmett McGroarty, Executive Director of APP Education, co-authored a report for the APP and the Pioneer Institute called Controlling Education From The Top: Why Common Core Is Bad For America.[20] APP staff members have testified before state legislatures, encouraging states to withdraw from the Common Core standards.[21] APP argued that the Republican Party would suffer in the 2016 presidential election if it fielded a pro-Common Core candidate.[22]

APP has also opposed the teaching of critical race theory and transgender topics in public schools.[23]

Economics and monetary policy

The American Principles Project has been critical of Federal Reserve System monetary policy and has advocated a return to the gold standard.

In November 2014, Steve Lonegan, Director of Monetary Policy at the American Principles Project, sent a public letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen requesting a meeting to discuss how current monetary policy is "reducing" the standard of living for "average working Americans."[24]

In 2015, American Principles Project funded a conference on economic policy held from August 27–29, 2015, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to advocate for hard money monetary policies and an end to government involvement in the money supply.[25] According to associates of hedge fund CEO Robert Mercer interviewed by Bloomberg, Mercer was the main financial backer of the Jackson Hole Summit.[26]

LGBTQ people

APP has funded political campaign ads that reflect the organization's opposition to civil rights protections for LGBTQ people.[27] APP has opposed same-sex marriage and supported restrictions on transgender youth.[28]

In the 2017 Virginia elections, the American Principles Project ran anti-transgender robocalls in the district in which Democratic candidate Danica Roem, a former journalist who is a transgender woman, was challenging Republican Delegate Robert Marshall.[29]

In February 2021 Terry Schilling co-authored an op-ed in USA TODAY criticizing the proposed Equality Act, arguing that transgender women should not compete in women's sports.[30]

The APP has said that its longterm goal is to eliminate transgender healthcare in its entirety.[31] In February 2023, the group's president, Terry Schilling, told CNN that they oppose gender-affirming care for all Americans, regardless of age and that they are working with states to introduce and pass bans on it for all ages, but are starting with bans for children since "that's where the vast majority of the American people are right now."[32]

Voting

APP has worked with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America against voting rights legislation.[33] In 2021, the APP PAC contributed $280,000 to Restoration PAC, which ran inaccurate commercials about the For the People Act.[34]

References
  1. "Quickview data" (PDF). GuideStar. See also "Charity Rating". Charity Navigator.
  2. Fuller, Jaime (June 4, 2014). "Jeff Bell was the New Jersey GOP Senate nominee in 1978. Also, in 2014". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  3. Pazniokas, Mark (2022-04-12). "'Parents Against Stupid Stuff' PAC sets sights on CT race for governor". CT Mirror. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  4. Gillman, Todd (February 5, 2015). "Rick Perry embraces idea that Texas is "crazy" at American Principles Project gala". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  5. Smith, Zachary Oren (May 28, 2020). "Terry Schilling, son of a Republican candidate for Iowa's 2nd District, defends deleted tweets, saying they won't hurt his father's chances". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  6. "Son of U.S. House hopeful Bobby Schilling, who is now running his campaign, defends anti-gay tweets". The Gazetta. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. May 27, 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  7. "Two Moms vs. Common Core". National Review. 2013-05-12. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  8. "Gold standard insures the dollar has more buying power: Opinion". NJ.com. 26 October 2014.
  9. "Conservative Think Tank Tries to Tie Gold Standard to Hitler And The Nazis". Townhall.com. 30 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2014-10-30.
  10. Israel, Josh. "Group that fought marriage equality spending millions on ads attacking Democrats". The American Independent. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  11. "Jeffrey Bell". Encounter Books. 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  12. Wenger, Yvonne. "Five top GOP presidential candidates talk specifics at S.C. forum". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  13. Citation error. Mouse-over '[verification needed]' for pop-up msg.
  14. O'Brien, Cortney. "Sen. Rubio Helps Unveil New 'Contract with American Families'". Townhall. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  15. Manchester, Julia (2021-06-16). "Conservative group launches organization billed as 'NRA for families'". TheHill. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  16. "National conservative groups pour money into local school board races". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  17. "Conservative PACs inject millions into local school races". AP NEWS. 2022-10-11. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  18. "After Supreme Court abortion decision, some fear rollback of LGBTQ and other rights". PBS NewsHour. 2022-06-24. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  19. "Common Core motives, costs being questioned". Telegraph Herald. 3 December 2013.
  20. Brown, Emma (February 5, 2015). "La. Gov. Bobby Jindal rails against Common Core State Standards". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  21. "WV Against Common Core to host second town hall forum". The State Journal. 14 October 2014. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  22. McLaughlin, Seth (March 1, 2015). "Common Core opposition unites 2016 hopefuls at CPAC, with Jeb Bush lone outlier". Washington Times. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  23. "'Big Family' advocacy group to counter teaching of critical race theory and transgender issues in schools". Washington Examiner. 2021-06-19. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  24. "APIA Letter to Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen Requesting Meeting". FixTheDollar.com. 17 November 2014. Archived from the original on 7 March 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  25. "Official site". Jackson Hole Summit. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  26. Mider, Zachary (20 January 2016). "What Kind of Man Spends Millions to Elect Ted Cruz?". Bloomberg. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  27. Gabriel, Trip (2022-07-22). "After Roe, Republicans Sharpen Attacks on Gay and Transgender Rights". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  28. Murray, Sara (2022-04-22). "Republicans build momentum as they drive anti-LGBTQ legislation nationwide". CNN. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  29. Lavers, Michael K. (October 18, 2017). "Joe Biden endorses Danica Roem". Washington Blade. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  30. Mir, Frank; Schilling, Terry (25 February 2021). "Not a fair fight: Our athlete daughters shouldn't have to compete with transgender women". USA TODAY.
  31. Astor, Maggie (January 25, 2023). "G.O.P. State Lawmakers Push a Growing Wave of Anti-Transgender Bills".
  32. Cole, Devan (February 11, 2023). "GOP lawmakers escalate fight against gender-affirming care with bills seeking to expand the scope of bans". CNN. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  33. Glenza, Jessica; Levine, Sam (2021-04-09). "US anti-abortion groups shift focus to voting restrictions". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  34. DiStaso, John (2021-04-02). "In new ad campaign, dark-money group calls for Hassan, Shaheen to oppose federal voting bill". WMUR. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
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