Non-profit

Texas Organizing Project (TOP)

Website:

organizetexas.org/

Location:

SAN ANTONIO, TX

Tax ID:

27-1482075

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Type:

Non-Profit Advocacy Group

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The Texas Organizing Project (TOP) is a left-leaning 501(c)(4) nonprofit group that focuses on organizing minority and low-income individuals in Texas’s largest metropolitan areas.

Activities

“Racial Justice” Donations

In July 2020, it was announced that the Sandler Foundation would be donating $200 million to “racial justice groups” in response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter Protests, and Texas Organizing Project (TOP) was one of the eight recipients named. The funds would reportedly be used help recipients advocate for left-wing policies in battleground states and create long-term constituencies that support these issues. 1

Bailing Out Bexar County Criminal Defendents for Campaign Canvassing

In November 2022, it was revealed that TOP had reportedly paid several criminal defendants which it had bailed from Bexar County jail to work on political campaigns in the state. According to News 4 San Antonio reporter Jaie Avila, there was a recorded conversation in which TOP statewide policy coordinator Laquita Garcia and TOP staffer Greg Williams spoke with a man the former two believed to be a criminal defendant TOP had bailed out, but who was in reality someone connected to the state’s bail bond industry. 2 Reportedly, the conversation involved TOP staffer Williams commenting, “We have certain asks of people that we bail out…The certain ask is, this is getting into election time, and we have people out here canvassing for us that we bailed out, they’re making twenty dollars an hour.” 3 TOP later released a statement claiming that Williams had, “misspoke regarding paid canvassing opportunities,” and that the organization, “unequivocally condemns the practice of quid pro quo, full stop.” 4

Campaign finance reports show that TOP has performed canvassing for the campaigns of several state political candidates including Democrat candidate Rochelle Garza, whom ran for Texas state attorney general in 2022 before losing to Republican incumbent Ken Paxton, and Baxton County sheriff Javier Salazar in 2020. 5 6 Finance reports also show that TOP received a $5,000 contribution in August 2022 from Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales. In addition, TOP had previously contributed towards canvassing for Gonzalez’s campaigns as well, with roughly $76,710 spent towards his 2018 campaign and another $27,702 towards his 2022 campaign. Gonzalez was reelected as Bexar County D.A in November 2022, but his office released a statement claiming, “My office does not engage in “quid pro quo” in any manner . . . Neither my office nor my campaign staff have provided direction to or have any influence over Texas Organizing Project’s PAC recruiting, hiring, or training practices for their canvassers or their program for defendants who are bonded out.”7

References

  1. Herndon, Astead W. “Progressive Donor Susan Sandler to Give $200 Million to Racial Justice Groups,” September 14, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/14/us/politics/Susan-Sandler-donation-racial-justice.html.
  2. Avila, Jaie. “Bail reform group paying bailed out inmates to canvass for candidates, DA.” News 4 San Antonio, November 7, 2022. https://news4sanantonio.com/news/trouble-shooters/bail-reform-group-paying-bailed-out-inmates-to-canvass-for-candidates-da
  3. Avila, Jaie. “Bail reform group paying bailed out inmates to canvass for candidates, DA.” News 4 San Antonio, November 7, 2022. https://news4sanantonio.com/news/trouble-shooters/bail-reform-group-paying-bailed-out-inmates-to-canvass-for-candidates-da
  4. Avila, Jaie. “Bail reform group paying bailed out inmates to canvass for candidates, DA.” News 4 San Antonio, November 7, 2022. https://news4sanantonio.com/news/trouble-shooters/bail-reform-group-paying-bailed-out-inmates-to-canvass-for-candidates-da
  5. Avila, Jaie. “Bail reform group paying bailed out inmates to canvass for candidates, DA.” News 4 San Antonio, November 7, 2022. https://news4sanantonio.com/news/trouble-shooters/bail-reform-group-paying-bailed-out-inmates-to-canvass-for-candidates-da
  6. Barragan, James. “Ken Paxton wins third term as attorney general, beating Democrat Rochelle Garza.” Texas Tribune, November 8, 2022. https://www.texastribune.org/2022/11/08/ken-paxton-rochelle-garza-attorney-general/
  7. Avila, Jaie. “Bail reform group paying bailed out inmates to canvass for candidates, DA.” News 4 San Antonio, November 7, 2022. https://news4sanantonio.com/news/trouble-shooters/bail-reform-group-paying-bailed-out-inmates-to-canvass-for-candidates-da
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Texas Organizing Project (TOP)

PO BOX 120296
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78212