No Labels

No Labels is an American political organization that claims to support centrist, bi-partisan policies and politics.[3] It was established in 2010. It is a registered 501(c)(4) and does not disclose its donors. As of April 2023, it is a registered political party in Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon,[4] and has ballot access in Alaska. Overall, Democrats appear to be the most concerned the group might spoil the 2024 United States presidential election for the other party.[5][6] Nancy Jacobson, the president of the Board and CEO since its founding, has come under scrutiny in recent years as controversies surrounding her tenure continue to mount.[7]

No Labels
FormationDecember 13, 2010 (2010-12-13) (public launch)
TypePolitical
Legal status501(c)(4)
HeadquartersWashington, D.C.
Region served
United States
CEO
Nancy Jacobson (I)
Board of Directors[1]
Nancy Jacobson (President)
Jerald S Howe Jr. (Treasurer)
Margie Fox
Andrew Tisch
Kenneth A Gross
Andrew M. Bursky
Dennis C. Blair
Charles R. Black Jr. (R)
National Co-chairs
Benjamin Chavis[2]
Larry Hogan (R)
Joe Lieberman (I)
Websitewww.nolabels.org

History and policy proposals

No Labels was launched in 2010 by Nancy Jacobson, with the stated goal of developing and supporting bipartisan, centrist solutions to America's problems.[8][9] Billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Andrew Tisch were among initial prominent supporters.[10][11][12][8][9]

In 2017, the group helped to start the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives, a bipartisan group of 58 congresspeople which has backed issues such as funding for infrastructure, criminal justice reform, and gun safety in schools.[13][14] The group has been said to also have created a similar bipartisan working group in the U.S. Senate.[15]

Third party 2024 Presidential ticket

The Washington Post reported that No Labels is raising $70 million in an effort to create a "Unity Ticket" third option on the ballot in the 2024 election in the event that both major parties nominate "unacceptably divisive candidates".[16] Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and former Republican Maryland Governor Larry Hogan have been linked as potential No Labels candidates.[17][18] No Labels intends to get approved to be on the ballot in all 50 states.[19] The effort has been controversial as a third party ticket has never come close to winning, but has regularly tipped elections for one party or another, with Democrats especially alarmed about how it could boost the 2024 chances of Republicans.[20][21]

Domestic policies

No Labels supported the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The law aims to curb the frequency of mass shootings in the United States by expanding criminal background checks, barring domestic-violence offenders from purchasing guns, and funding school security initiatives, mental health services, and programs that would allow authorities to seize guns from troubled individuals.[22]

In July 2022, No Labels supported the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, providing $52 billion worth of grants and other incentives for the semiconductor industry to decrease US dependency on other countries, including China.[23]

In 2021, the Problem Solvers Caucus released a "Building Bridges" blueprint for a bipartisan infrastructure deal. It was the first deal to be endorsed by Republicans and Democrats during that budget cycle.[24]

For the 2019-2020 House term, the Problem Solvers Caucus reached an agreement with then-Leader Pelosi on a couple of House rules changes that gave Republicans more power for that term.[25][26][27]

Leadership

Nancy Jacobson has been running the organization since co-founding it in 2010, and seems to be the main driver of the organization.[28] In December 2020, No Labels announced Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, as a national co-chair to serve alongside No Labels Founding co-chair Joe Lieberman, a former senator with no party affiliation.[29] In January 2023, No Labels announced Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. as national co-chair to serve along with Senator Lieberman and Governor Hogan.[30]

Board of Directors

Board members for the 2020 fiscal year include:[31]

Board Member Role Since Quick Bio
Nancy Jacobson President 2010 A former Democratic Party fundraiser and operative, she also runs the organization as CEO.[32]
Jerald S Howe Jr. Treasurer 2010 Corporate lawyer for a $10 billion defense contractor.[33]
Margie Fox Director 2010 'Partner and consigliere' at a design and branding studio.[34] A previous firm run by her and her husband, Maloney & Fox, listed No Labels as a client.[35]
Andrew Tisch Director 2012 Has worked in various parts of his family's conglomerate.[36]
Kenneth A Gross Director 2012 Lawyer and political consultant and has written on lobbying ethics and conflicts of interest.[37]
Andrew M. Bursky Director 2015 His investment firm focus on manufacturing, service and distribution companies.[38]
Dennis C. Blair Director 2019 Promoted to Admiral in the Navy and served ~16 months as Obama's Director of National Intelligence.[39]
Charles R. Black Jr. Director 2019 Worked for firms advising and lobbying on behalf of prominent Republicans, industries, and foreign governments.[40]

Previous board members include Ted Buerger (2010-2010), Josh Bekenstein (2010-2010), Mark Nunnelly (2010-2010), Mark McKinnon (2010-2012), Nate Garvis (2010-2013), Holly Page (2010-2013), and Lisa Borders (2014-2017).[41]

Funding

As a registered 501(c)(4) organization, No Labels is not required to disclose the identities of its donors, and chooses not to in many cases.[42]

No Labels' early donors include Andrew Tisch, co-chairman of Loews Corporation; Ron Shaich, founder of Panera Bread; and Dave Morin, a former Facebook executive.[43] Writing in The New York Times around the launch of No Labels in 2010, Frank Rich said: "This is exactly the kind of revolving-door synergy between corporate power and governance that turns off Americans left, right and, yes, center. Oblivious to this taint, No Labels named a few fat-cat donors who have ponied up $1 million-plus... What America needs is not another political organization with a toothless agenda and less-than-transparent finances."[42]

No Labels raised approximately $12 million from 2010 to mid-2014.[44]

According to The Daily Beast, by the end of the 2018 cycle, No Labels' super-PACs received more than $11 million from fifty-three donors, most of whom come from the financial industry.[45]

A Chicago Sun-Times investigation reported that super PACs related to No Labels include United for Progress, Inc.; Citizens for a Strong America, Inc.; United Together; Govern or Go Home; and Forward, Not Back.[46][47][48]

OpenSecrets reported that Rupert Murdoch donated $500,000 to United Together, one of the super PACs associated with No Labels.[49]

The New Republic reported in 2023 that No Labels has received major funding (along with two dozen new donors) from Harlan Crow, a leading donor to Republican and conservative causes.[50]

Criticism

Toxic work environment

In December 2022, an article in Politico described a "toxic" culture within No Labels, citing a "cutthroat culture, one where staffers are routinely fired or pushed out, have little trust in management, and believe the workplace environment can be difficult for minority and female colleagues."[51]

Specific criticisms included the hiring of Mark Halperin, a journalist and author accused by multiple women of sexual harassment in 2017.[52]

In response to the criticism, several senior officials for the group described staff complaints as coming from, according to Politico, "aggrieved ex-workers" who could not adapt to a demanding office culture.

Demanding total loyalty

CEO Nancy Jacobson has also been described as requiring total loyalty from No Labels staff.[53]

Ethics questions

Despite not taking a salary until 2022 (the organization has not disclosed the amount), No Labels has worked with firms run by CEO Nancy Jacobson's husband Mark Penn, awarding multiple contracts worth roughly $1 million.[53]

Secrecy

Nancy Jacobson has been accused of asking staff to obscure where they work on LinkedIn in order to make it harder for journalists to figure out who is working for No Labels. All employees are also required to sign an NDA.[53] The identity of the members of No Labels' Governing Board, while not listed on the organization's site[54] is available in IRS filings, which as of May 9, 2023, are only available through fiscal year 2020.[55]

Dark money

Critics of the organization have suggested that No Labels exists primarily to advance the financial interests of the wealthy, pointing in particular to the organization offering large "dark money" campaign donations to members of Congress without disclosing the source of the funds.[45][56][57] This has been echoed in critiques that the group caters to the wealthy and special interests that drive partisanship, instead of bringing people together.[58]

No Labels appears to have relationships with a variety of dark money organizations, with journalists uncovering eight linked super PACs in 2018,[59] all of which have since been shuttered (see table below).

Linked PAC Formed Closed Type
United Together[59] 2017[60] 2020[60] super PAC
Forward Not Back[59] 2017[61] 2020[61] super PAC
Citizens for a Strong America Inc[59] 2017[62] 2020[62] super PAC
United for Progress, Inc.[59] 2017[63] 2020[63] super PAC
Progress Tomorrow, Inc.[59] 2018[64] 2020[64] super PAC
Govern or Go Home[59] 2018[65] 2020[65] super PAC
Patriotic Americans PAC[59] 2018[66] 2020[66] super PAC
No Labels Action, Inc.[59] 2018[67] 2022[67] super PAC
No Labels Problem Solvers PAC 2022[68] PAC
No Labels 2024 2023[69] super PAC

2024 spoiler

While both Republicans and Democrats have expressed concern No Labels would simply nominate a "spoiler candidate" for the 2024 presidential race, Democrats appear most apprehensive, fearing that a No Labels ticket on the ballot would attract more voters that otherwise would've voted for Joe Biden.[50][70][71] No Labels co-founder William Galston resigned from his involvement in the organization over this issue stating, "My view is that an independent third-party candidacy makes Trump's return to the White House more likely, not less likely."[72][73]

See also

References
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  2. Schwarz, D. Hunter (March 17, 2023). "A third party got on the ballot in Arizona for 2024. Could they change the outcome of the election?". Deseret News. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  3. Broadwater, Luke (2020-12-15). "No Labels, Planning Centrist Push in New Congress, Taps Larry Hogan". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
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