Convention of States Action (COSA) is a nonprofit organization that supports states to call for an Article V convention to propose new federal constitutional amendments. Founded by Mark Meckler and Michael Farris in 2013, COSA advocates for constitutional amendments that would put limits on federal power and spending, and create term limits for federal officials. ¹

COSA is the advocacy affiliate of the Convention of States Foundation (also known as Citizens for Self-Governance). ²

Activities

Convention of States Action seeks an Article V convention called by the states to recommend constitutional amendments restraining federal power in favor of state authority. COSA claims that too many sweeping decisions that impact Americans are made by unelected federal bureaucrats. The Convention proposed by COSA would be limited to a discussion of amendments that would limit the federal government’s power and jurisdiction, as well as spending and terms for federal officials. ³

COSA encourages citizens to support a Convention by making calls and sending emails to legislators, becoming a volunteer on one of its teams, which includes activists, social media supporters, event coordinators, and prayer teams, and becoming a leader within the movement. Leadership roles include state coordinators, legislative liaisons, information analysts, and district captains. ⁴

COSA’s Emerging Leaders Program provides remote internships to college students and young professionals. COSA intends to support the holistic development of activists through courses that include leadership and personal development, professionalism, Western civilization, statesmanship, and constitutional education. The Emerging Leaders Program intends to inspire young people to become virtuous citizens intent on preserving liberty. ⁵

Endorsements

Convention of States Action and its Convention of States Project are endorsed by individuals like Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts, actor Kirk Cameron, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), former Trump administration chief of staff Mark Meadows, Fox News pundit Sean Hannity, and former Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Jim DeMint (R-SC). COSA is also endorsed by organizations like the Texas Public Policy Foundation and the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. ⁶

COSA claims to have five million supporters and support from 15 of the 34 states needed to call a Convention of States. ⁷

Funding

COSA is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While COSA does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from Conservative Action for America ($876,000 in 2022), ⁸  America First Works ($250,000 in 2020) ⁹, and Freedom in the World ($56,000 in 2022). ¹⁰

Staff

Michael Ruthenberg is the chief operating officer of both Convention of States Action and the Convention of States Foundation, and is a private real estate investor. ¹¹

Robert Kelly is the general counsel for COSA. Kelly sits on the board and is the chief operating officer and the general counsel for the Convention of States Foundation. ¹²

Patricia Meckler is the vice president of external relations for both COSA and the Convention of States Foundation. ¹³

Board of Directors

Mark Meckler is co-founder, president, and chief executive officer of COSA and the president of the Convention of States Foundation. Meckler was a co-founder and former national coordinator of Tea Party Patriots before founding Citizens for Self-Governance. ¹⁴ Meckler is also the chief executive officer (CEO) of Defending Liberty and Health Care Compact. ¹⁵

Tim Dunn is the chief executive officer of CrownQuest Operating, a former executive at Parker and Parsley Petroleum, and a former engineer at the Exxon Production Research Company. Dunn is the chair of the Christian Advisory Board of the Israel Allies Foundation, ¹⁶ the vice chair of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the chair of both America First Works and Empower Texans. Dunn sits on the boards of Transparency Texas, the Lucy Burns Institute, the First Liberty Institute, the 1789 Alliance, CSG Action, Citizens for Self-Governance (Convention of States Foundation), and Health Care Compact. ¹⁷

Eric O’Keefe is the chair of Citizens for Self-Governance (Convention of States Foundation) ¹⁸ and co-founder of the Campaign for Primary Accountability PAC. ¹⁹ O’Keefe sits on the boards of the Wisconsin Alliance For Reform, the Wisconsin Club for Growth, Private Citizen, the Citizens In Charge Foundation, Health Care Compact, the Institute For Free Speech, and Capital Research Center. ²⁰ O’Keefe is the founder, former chair, and former CEO of the now-defunct Sam Adams Alliance ²¹ and a founding board member of the Center for Competitive Politics. ²²

Kyle Stallings is the founder andthe chief executive officer of Desert Royalty Company and a co-founder of MarketPlace Midland. Stallings sits on the boards of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the First Liberty Institute, and Watch and Pray Ministries International. Stallings also sits on the Texas Lieutenant Governor’s Workforce and Economic Development Advisory Board. ²³

1. “Who is Mark Meckler, President of Convention of States Action?” Convention of States Action, March 1, 2021. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://conventionofstates.com/news/who-is-mark-meckler-president-of-convention-of-states-action.
2. Convention of States Action, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Schedule R, Part II.
3. “Why Call an Article V Convention?” Convention of States Action. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://conventionofstates.com/#whyCallCos.
4. “Take Action.” Convention of States Action. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://conventionofstates.com/take_action.
5. “Convention of States Internship.” Convention of States Action. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://www.internship.conventionofstates.com/.
6. “Endorsements.” Convention of States Action. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://conventionofstates.com/endorsements.
7. “Who is Mark Meckler, President of Convention of States Action?” Convention of States Action, March 1, 2021. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://conventionofstates.com/news/who-is-mark-meckler-president-of-convention-of-states-action.
8. Conservative Action for America, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Schedule I, Part II.
9. America First Works, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Schedule I, Part II.
10.  Freedom in the World, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Schedule I, Part II.
11. “Michael Ruthernberg,” LinkedIn. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeruthenberg/.
12.  Convention of States Action, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
13. Convention of States Action, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
14. “Who is Mark Meckler, President of Convention of States Action?” Convention of States Action, March 1, 2021. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://conventionofstates.com/news/who-is-mark-meckler-president-of-convention-of-states-action.
15. “Mark Meckler.” ProPublica. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.propublica.org/search?qss=%22Mark+Meckler%22.
16. “About Me.” Tim Dunn. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://timdunn.org/about-me-2/.
17. “Tim Dunn.” ProPublica. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/name_search?q=%22Tim+Dunn%22.
18. The Lawfare Project Inc, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
19. “Campaign for Primary Accountability.” Ballotpedia. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://ballotpedia.org/Campaign_for_Primary_Accountability.
20. “Eric O’Keefe.” ProPublica. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.propublica.org/search?qss=%22Eric+O%E2%80%99Keefe%22.
21. “About.” Sam Adams Alliance. Archived from the original February 16, 2013. Accessed January 25, 2024. http://web.archive.org/web/20130216105044/http://samadamsalliance.org/about.
22. “Leadership.” Citizens for Self-Governance. Accessed January 29, 2024. https://selfgovern.com/leadership/.
23. “Kyle Stallings.” MarketPlace Midland. Accessed January 25, 2024. http://www.marketplacemidland.com/board-members/kyle-stallings/.