Part two of ThinkProgress’ profiles of right-wing groups that are taking advantage of the Citizens United ruling to flood the airways with independent attack ads. See Part 1 here.
American Crossroads is an independent expenditure-only Super PAC.
Created in 2010, American Crossroads claims a “deep love for all that America represents – and a deep concern about the direction we are headed in” and says its vision its vision is that “our country is always at its best when its citizens—not self-serving politicians in Washington—are in control of its future.” It has raised more than $40 million already this cycle and spent at least $11.5 million on independent expenditures.
American Crossroads was co-founded by former George W. Bush campaign architect Karl Rove and Mitt Romney campaign adviser and former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie. The group’s president, Stephen Law, is a former chief legal officer and general counsel for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Mike Duncan, chairman of American Crossroads, is a former Republican National Committee Chairman.
One of the group’s top donors, Crow Holdings, is led by Harlan Crow, who made ethically questionable payments to the wife Justice Clarence Thomas and provided gifts to Thomas himself
Watch a sample American Crossroads ad:
Affiliates:
- Crossroads GPS, a 501(c)(4) organization
- Crossroads Generation, a Super PAC aimed at younger voters
YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/AmericanCrossroads
Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/americanxroads
Graphics by Adam Peck. Christina Lewis and Ellie Sandmeyer contributed to this report
