Defending Democracy Together is a right-leaning 501(c)(4) advocacy and incubation group founded in Washington, D.C. in January 2018. Its leadership consists of Weekly Standard editor-at-large William “Bill” Kristol, Ethics and Public Policy Center senior fellow Mona Charen, and other conservatives.^[1] The group has taken positions in opposition to a number of initiatives by President Donald Trump, often through its project, Republicans for the Rule of Law; most prominently, it has supported continuing birthright citizenship and strongly supported the Justice Department investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election.^[2][3][4] The group hosts a number of fiscal projects on issues such as immigration, trade, and U.S. foreign policy.

The Defending Democracy Together Institute is the 501(c)(3) counterpart of Defending Democracy Together. It also has a 527 super PAC, Defending Democracy Together Action Fund.

In October 2018, DDT co-signed comments submitted to the National Parks Service concerning a proposed rule change which would eliminate demonstrations on the White House’s southern sidewalk, require permits for demonstrations, and charge fees for “costs associated with permitted demonstrations.” The comments were also co-signed by left-of-center organizations, including the Arkay Foundation, Democracy Fund, Pritzker Innovation Fund, and Third Way. Ostensibly right-leaning co-signers included former Rep. Bob Inglis, the advocacy group Stand Up Republic, Hoover Institution senior fellow Larry Diamond, and the environmentalist Niskanen Center.^[5]

Projects

Defending Democracy Together manages the Becoming American Initiative, a fiscal project of the group created to “provide the conservative case for immigration and DACA reform.” The Initiative is headed by Linda Chavez, a DDT board member and former Reagan administration official.^[6]

The Russia Tweets and Republicans Against Putin are also projects of DDT. The latter has accused President Trump of not “stand[ing] up to [Vladimir] Putin.” ^{[7] [8]}

Funding

Defending Democracy Together has been criticized for taking at least $600,000 in two grants from Democracy Fund Voice, a 501(c)(4) group created and funded by left-wing mega-donor Pierre Omidyar.^[9] According to Democracy Fund Voice’s website, in May 2018 it “approved two grants to Defending Democracy Together: first in the amount of up to $100,000 over one year and then in the amount of up to $500,000 over one year” (image available here). ^[10]