Non-profit

Just Democracy

Formation:

2020

Project of:

North Fund

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Just Democracy is a left-progressive racial and social advocacy coalition including 36 left-of-center organizations1 that supports left-of-center electoral initiatives including abolishing the Electoral College, expanding the number of seats on the Supreme Court (known as “packing the court”), eliminating the Senate filibuster, and adding Washington, D.C. as a state 2

Just Democracy is a division of the North Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization established in 2018 that has been characterized as “dark money.” 3 The North Fund advocates for left-of-center policy initiatives at the national and state level. 4

Background

Just Democracy is a coalition of left-leaning African-American and Latino organizations that favor eliminating the Electoral College, packing the Supreme Court, eliminating the Senate filibuster, and adding Washington, D.C. as a state. 5

Outside of electoral reform, Just Democracy advocates for left-of-center criminal justice reform, gun control measures, economic redistribution, and environmentalism. 6

Just Democracy contends that its proposed left-of-center electoral and administrative reforms are required to gain success on issues of police brutality, mass incarceration, gun violence, the environment, health care, and abortion. 7

The Just Democracy coalition includes the Working Families Party, 51 for 51, Truth and Conciliation, the Center for Popular Democracy, Black Women’s Health Imperative, Alliance of Families for Justice, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Black Male Voter Project. 8

Just Democracy has also worked the group Fix the Senate, which advocates for eliminating the filibuster. 9

The North Fund

The North Fund is a left-of-center nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. that operates as an umbrella organization for Just Democracy. According to the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, the North Fund operates other entities with names including Opportunity Wisconsin, 51 for 51, Accountable Tech, Voting Rights Lab Action and the Count Every Vote Project. Just Democracy is also on this list. 10

The North Fund’s projects have advocated for legalized marijuana in Montana, Medicaid expansion in Missouri, and D.C. statehood. 11

The North Fund itself does not have a website, but many of its projects—including Just Democracy—have websites. The North Fund has listed a physical address in Washington, D.C. that is managed by Carr Workplaces, a co-working space. However, a receptionist with the Carr told a Montana newspaper that the North Fund is not on Carr’s company registry. However, Carr allows customers to use the location as a street address to conduct virtual office business. 12

The North Fund was incorporated as a nonprofit with the IRS on December 28, 2018. 13

The North Fund is organized by several left-of-center leaders. These include Melanie Beller, a former aide to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV); Jim Gerstein, a former Democratic pollster; and Cristina Uribe, a Democratic party and labor union organizer. 14 15

References

  1. Our Coalition. Just Democracy. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://justdemocracy.us/our-coalition/
  2. Kerma, Roge. “To Achieve Racial Justice America’s Broken Democracy Must be Fixed.” Vox. September 21, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.vox.com/21446880/just-democracy-reform-gun-violence-police-brutality-climate-change
  3. Kelly, Matthew. “Dark Money Accounts for Roughly a Quarter of pro-Medicaid Expansion Committee’s Funds,” July 13, 2020. https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article244192572.html
  4. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
  5. Kerma, Roge. “To Achieve Racial Justice America’s Broken Democracy Must be Fixed.” Vox. September 21, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.vox.com/21446880/just-democracy-reform-gun-violence-police-brutality-climate-change
  6. About Us. Just Democracy. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://justdemocracy.us/about-us/
  7. Kerma, Roge. “To Achieve Racial Justice America’s Broken Democracy Must be Fixed.” Vox. September 21, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.vox.com/21446880/just-democracy-reform-gun-violence-police-brutality-climate-change
  8. Our Coalition. Just Democracy. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://justdemocracy.us/our-coalition/
  9. Nwanevu, Osita. “The Anti-Filibuster Armies Are Mounting Up.” The New Republic. October 2, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://newrepublic.com/article/159576/anti-filibuster-armies-mounting
  10. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
  11. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
  12. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
  13. North Fund. Open Corporates. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_dc/EXTUID_4231080
  14. North Fund. Open Corporates. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_dc/EXTUID_4231080
  15. Slanger, Addi. “Progressive Leaning D.C.-Nonprofit Spends Nearly $5 Million for Marijuana Legalization.” Bozeman Daily Chronicle. October 26, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/progressive-leaning-d-c-nonprofit-spends-nearly-5-million-for-marijuana-legalization/article_90fded5b-1e86-5ea8-a98e-3e6949430993.html
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