Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF)

Democracy Defenders Fund is one of two arms of the organization, the other being State Democracy Defenders Action. The Fund is organized as an educational nonprofit and most of its activity is centered around filing amicus briefs in 2024 election-related court cases and placing op-eds in media outlets. State Democracy Defenders Action is the lobbying and advocacy arm of the group. ^{1 2 3 4}

Democracy Defenders Fund is led by Norm Eisen, a former Obama administration diplomat who through a variety of organizations waged an aggressive legal action campaign against Trump. Its team includes former Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh (D). ^{1 5 3 4}

Background

Democracy Defenders Fund was formed in 2024 and received tax-exempt status in May 2024. The group is one of two nonprofit arms of the organization, the other being State Democracy Defenders Action. The fund is organized as a charitable nonprofit, and most of its activity is centered around filing amicus briefs in election-related court cases and placing op-eds in media outlets. State Democracy Defenders Action is the lobbying and advocacy arm of the group and is organized as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. The group also operates a Political Action Committee, the State Democracy Defenders PAC, that supports Democratic candidates and Democratic Party committees. ^{6 7}

Activity

Activities of the Democracy Defenders Fund include filing an amicus brief on behalf of former Republican members of U.S. Congress including Barbara Comstock (R-VA) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) opposing efforts to remove non-citizens from voter rolls in Virginia and opposing rejecting mail-in ballots with envelope errors including a lack of signature in Pennsylvania. ^{1 2}

In December 2024, the Fund requested for 16 federal agencies, such as the Departments of Justice and Defense to share details on whether they were contacted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), then led by Elon Musk. Norm Eisen, founder of the organization, alleged that his group would request for such agencies, as well as the then-Trump/Vance transition team, to share any potential internal communications between its employees and DOGE. Eisen further claimed that the Fund would provide public record requests for copies of any emails or other correspondence with the department’s representatives. In a statement, Eisen further alleged, “Musk’s mandate is immense — as are his potential conflicts of interest, which is why we’ve begun our inquiry.” ⁸

In May 2025, the Fund supported a letter criticizing the arrest of Wisconsin state judge Hannah C. Dugan of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, whom was arrested in April 2025 and charged with harboring an illegal immigrant and obstructing ICE agents by helping him avoid arrest. Eisen released a statement on the arrest, claiming, “The attack on Judge Dugan is a shocking abuse of power. This isn’t just an attack on one person. It strikes at the heart of what it means to have an independent judiciary, which is why these over 150 judges are speaking out.” ⁹

In June 2026, the Fund announced it would partner with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley to work with county attorneys due to allegations the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was interviewing county workers that administered the 2020 Presidential Election while attempting to make public 180,000 ballots of absentee voters submitted in Milwaukee County. ¹⁰

Congressional Investigation

In 2026, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), opened an investigation into the Democracy Defenders Fund. The committee requested documents and information concerning whether the organization had engaged in activities that advanced private financial interests while operating as a tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. According to a letter from the committee, investigators sought records related to the fund’s public advocacy concerning several private entities and policy matters, including Apple, a proposed merger involving Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, labor unions, and the law firm Platkin LLP. Committee members expressed concern that some of the organization’s activities may have benefited private interests that were not directly related to its stated charitable mission. The committee also questioned whether certain activities constituted lobbying or other conduct inconsistent with the requirements governing tax-exempt charitable organizations. ¹¹

People

Norm Eisen, who served as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic in the Obama administration, is the founder of the Democracy Defenders Fund. A longtime Democratic operative, Eisen has, through a variety of organizations, waged an aggressive legal campaign against former President Donald Trump dating back to his involvement in Trump’s first impeachment. Eisen co-authored The Democracy Playbook, which provides instructions for supporting government destabilization efforts and cites the 2004 “Orange Revolution” in Ukraine as a successful example of these tactics. ¹²

In August 2025, it was announced that Craig Becker would be joining Democracy Defenders Fund managing counsel for affirmative litigation. Prior to this, he served as a general counsel for the AFL-CIO. ¹³