Citizens for Free Enterprise is a right-of-center advocacy organization that promotes free enterprise to create a dynamic economy and American prosperity. Citizens for Free Enterprise advocates for an economic system that protects economic freedom and provides individuals with equal opportunities for creating financial security. 1
Citizens for Free Enterprise Action is the political action arm of Citizens for Free Enterprise. 1
Activities
Citizens for Free Enterprise’s website provides links to articles highlighting successes in small businesses, the economic benefit of people moving from big cities to rural communities, and how small business owners in San Francisco are considering relocating due to increases in crime, homelessness, and regulations. 2
Citizens for Free Enterprise’s website also provides resources supporting the free enterprise system, 3 including a link to a 2023 Pew Research Center report which states that the public’s top policy concern is the economy, especially among Republican and Republican-leaning independent voters. 4
Finances
Citizens for Free Enterprise has since 2009 filed a 990-N e-postcard declaring annual revenue of less than $50,000. 5
Citizens for Free Enterprise Action, the group’s political action committee, is funded by donations from individuals and organizations. Joe Ricketts, founder and former CEO of Ameritrade, contributed $7.84 million in 2020 and $1.55 million in 2022. Scott Howell & Company, a political media consulting firm, contributed $13,500 in 2020. 6
Spending
Citizens for Free Enterprise Action, the political action committee associated with Citizens for Free Enterprise, spent over $6.9 million on 2020 federal elections in support of Republicans and against Democrats. Its largest contributions were in opposition to the House campaigns of Reps. Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM) ($1.58 million), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) ($1.49 million), and T.J. Cox (D-CA) ($1.44 million). 7
Citizens for Free Enterprise Action spent over $21,000 on 2022 federal elections. 8
People
Doug Ducey is the CEO of Citizens for Free Enterprise and a former Republican governor of Arizona. Ducey formerly worked as an executive at Proctor and Gamble and as CEO of Cold Stone Creamery. 1
Members of the board have included Matthew Plotts, Jennifer Smalley, and Timothy L. Vaughn. 9
References
- “About Us.” Citizens for Free Enterprise. Accessed August 5, 2023. https://citizensforfreeenterprise.com/about-us/.
- “News.” Citizens for Free Enterprise. Accessed August 5, 2023. https://citizensforfreeenterprise.com/news/.
- “Resources.” Citizens for Free Enterprise. Accessed August 5, 2023. https://citizensforfreeenterprise.com/resources/.
- “Economy Remains the Public’s Top Policy Priority; COVID-19 Concerns Decline Again.” Pew Research Center, February 6, 2023. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/02/06/economy-remains-the-publics-top-policy-priority-covid-19-concerns-decline-again/.
- “Citizens for Free Enterprise.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/details/.
- “Citizens for Free Enterprise PAC Donors.” OpenSecrets. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/citizens-for-free-enterprise/C00749671/donors/2020.
- “Citizens for Free Enterprise Recipients, 2020.” OpenSecrets. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2020?cmte=C00749671&tab=targeted_candidates.
- “Citizens for Free Enterprise Recipients, 2022.” OpenSecrets. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2022?cmte=C00749671&tab=targeted_candidates.
- Citizens for Free Enterprise, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-EZ), 2008, Part IV.