Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Other Group

Defense of Democracy

Website:

defenseofdemocracy.org/
Location:

Fishkill, NY
Status:

Fiscally Sponsored Organization
Founded:

2022
President/CEO:

Karen Svoboda

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Defense of Democracy, based in Fishkill, New York, was launched in 2022 by two New York state public school parents. Its purpose is to oppose right-of-center school board candidates, particularly those endorsed by right-of-center education advocacy organization Moms for Liberty, and elect left-of-center candidates. 1

Background

In May 2022, Karen Svoboda and Laura Leigh Abby began a campaign to prevent the election of Wappingers Central School District school board candidates endorsed by the conservative education advocacy organization Moms for Liberty. 2 One of these candidates, Anthony DiLullo, ran under the slogan “Christ Is King.” 3 4

Motivated to act by what they characterized as “Christian nationalist” candidates endorsed by a “hate group,” Svoboda and Abby put up signs reading “Teachers Shouldn’t Be Preachers” to counter what they perceived as a threat to “free and diverse” public schools.  According to Abby, “We put out signs all over the community, people got involved, people donated money, we were able to pay for the signs, and then we just called ourselves Defense of Democracy.” 5 Voter turnout doubled, and the three Defense of Democracy-endorsed candidates were successful. 6

Defense of Democracy indicates it was incorporated in October 2022 and is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. 7

Defense of Democracy lists affiliated private Facebook groups operating in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and claims to organize volunteer subgroups including Veterans Defending Democracy, Youth Defending Democracy, and Librarians Defending Democracy. 8

It asserts that it is nonpartisan and exists to support “an inclusive public school system” while stating that it is devoted to “protecting marginalized communities from oppression.” It claims that “some of our most vocal advocates are individuals who by all counts are considered ‘conservative’ but happen to know and love people in the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.” 9

The organizer of the group’s Erie County chapter in western New York is transgender and a longtime LGBTQ rights activist. 10 Svoboda’s teenage son, a member of a Gay-Straight Alliance, handed out rainbow pride flags at his school’s winter carnival.  He and his fellow Alliance members were likened to pedophiles by a local politician. 11 Svoboda has additional LGBTQ children and Abbey is raising two children as part of a same-sex couple. 12

In its “Pledge to Protect Our Public Schools, Our Children, and Our Country,” Defense of Democracy asks those who sign the pledge to protect others from attacks by “Christofascist” groups, which it defines as groups similar to Moms for Liberty. 13 Moms for Liberty urges schools to teach only basic academic subjects, remove discussions of alleged “systemic racism” from curricula, eliminate special accommodations for transgender students, exclude sexually explicit books from school libraries, and advocate for traditional values. 14

Activities

Defense of Democracy opposes school board candidates endorsed by Moms for Liberty and other right-of-center parent groups through conducting rallies at school board meetings, outreach on social media, enlisting the support of elected officials, submitting New York state Freedom of Information Law requests, and conducting workshops on how to counter the “far right” in school districts. 15 16

It convinced a New York state school district to refuse a gift of pocket Constitutions from Moms for Liberty and circulated a petition in Florida calling for the resignation of several right-of-center school board members. 17

It also works in concert with similar groups including STOP Moms for Liberty, based in Pennsylvania.  Both groups planned protests and rallies at Moms for Liberty’s 2023 “Joyous Warriors National Summit” in Philadelphia. 18 19

Funding

A now-defunct Defense of Democracy GoFundMe campaign raised $8,125 from 91 donations in May 2022. 20 Defense of Democracy secured a fiscal agent, Fiscal Sponsorship Allies, 21 which collects donations on its behalf.  As of May 2023, Defense of Democracy had received $6,694 from 164 donors. 22

People

Karen Svoboda is the CEO and president of Defense of Democracy. She worked as director of development for the Alzheimer’s Association and was event manager for the American Cancer Society.  She has a bachelor’s degree in community organization and advocacy from Siena College. 23 She is the author of one book, Jolene the Disability Awareness Chicken, written under the name Karen Finnegan. 24 25

References

  1. “About Defense of Democracy.” Defense of Democracy. Accessed May 8, 2023. https://defenseofdemocracy.org/about/
  2. “Who We Are | M4L National – USA |.” Moms for Liberty. Accessed May 12, 2023. https://www.momsforliberty.org/about/
  3. Solomon, Will.  “The Moms Fighting Against Moms for Liberty.” The River. January 26, 2023.  Accessed May 8, 2023. https://therivernewsroom.com/the-moms-fighting-against-moms-for-liberty/
  4. Simms, Jeff. “Calls for ‘Parents’ Rights’ in Nearby School Election.” The Highlands Current. May 13, 2022.  Accessed May 9, 2023.  https://highlandscurrent.org/2022/05/13/calls-for-parents-rights-in-nearby-school-election/
  5. Solomon, Will.  “The Moms Fighting Against Moms for Liberty.” The River. January 26, 2023.  Accessed May 8, 2023. https://therivernewsroom.com/the-moms-fighting-against-moms-for-liberty/
  6. Vollers, Anna Claire. “Meet Moms For Liberty: The Rising Conservative Group Shaking up School Districts Nationwide.” OregonLive. April 26, 2023. Accessed May 8, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/reckon/2023/04/meet-moms-for-liberty-the-powerful-rising-conservative-group-shaking-up-school-districts-nationwide.html
  7. “Karen Svoboda.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 9, 2023.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-svoboda-739602254/
  8. “Our Chapters.” Defense of Democracy. Accessed May 12, 2023. https://defenseofdemocracy.org/chapters/
  9. “About Defense of Democracy.” Defense of Democracy. Accessed May 8, 2023. https://defenseofdemocracy.org/about/
  10. Solomon, Will.  “The Moms Fighting Against Moms for Liberty.” The River. January 26, 2023.  Accessed May 8, 2023. https://therivernewsroom.com/the-moms-fighting-against-moms-for-liberty/
  11. Vollers, Anna Claire. “Meet Moms For Liberty: The Rising Conservative Group Shaking up School Districts Nationwide.” OregonLive. April 26, 2023. Accessed May 8, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/reckon/2023/04/meet-moms-for-liberty-the-powerful-rising-conservative-group-shaking-up-school-districts-nationwide.html
  12. “Who Is Defense of Democracy.” Defense of Democracy YouTube page. Accessed May 12, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMXccDwmAs4
  13. “Pledge.” Defense of Democracy.” Accessed May 12, 2023. https://defenseofdemocracy.org/pledge/
  14. “Who We Are | M4L National – USA |.” Moms for Liberty. Accessed May 12, 2023. https://www.momsforliberty.org/about/
  15. “Petitions.” Defense of Democracy. Accessed May 9, 2023. https://defenseofdemocracy.org/petitions/
  16. Solomon, Will.  “The Moms Fighting Against Moms for Liberty.” The River, 26 Jan. 2023.  Accessed May 8, 2023. https://therivernewsroom.com/the-moms-fighting-against-moms-for-liberty/
  17. Vollers, Anna Claire. “Meet Moms For Liberty: The Rising Conservative Group Shaking up School Districts Nationwide.” Oregonlive, April 26, 2023. Accessed May 8, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/reckon/2023/04/meet-moms-for-liberty-the-powerful-rising-conservative-group-shaking-up-school-districts-nationwide.html
  18. Capital-Star, Special to the, et al. “Parents, Educators in Pa. and beyond Organize against Moms for Liberty.” Pennsylvania Capital-Star, 15 Apr. 2023. Accessed May 11, 2023. https://www.penncapital-star.com/civil-rights-social-justice/parents-educators-in-pa-and-beyond-organize-against-moms-for-liberty/
  19. Vollers, Anna Claire. “Meet Moms For Liberty: The Rising Conservative Group Shaking up School Districts Nationwide.” Oregonlive, April 26, 2023. Accessed May 8, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/reckon/2023/04/meet-moms-for-liberty-the-powerful-rising-conservative-group-shaking-up-school-districts-nationwide.html
  20. gofundme.com. “Defense of Democracy, Organized by Karen Svoboda.” Accessed May 10, 2023. https://www.gofundme.com/f/defenseofdemocracy
  21. Charitable Allies. “Fiscal Sponsorship.” Accessed May 9, 2023. https://charitableallies.org/fiscal-sponsorship/
  22. Givelively. “Defense of Democracy.” Accessed May 9, 2023. https://secure.givelively.org/donate/charitable-allies-inc/defense-of-democracy
  23. LinkedIn. “Karen Svoboda.” Accessed May 9, 2023.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-svoboda-739602254/
  24. Amazon. “Jolene the Disability Awareness Chicken.” Accessed May 10, 2023. https://www.amazon.com/Jolene-Disability-Awareness-Chicken-Finnegan/dp/166784640X
  25. The Highlands Current. “Calls for ‘Parents’ Rights’ in Nearby School Election,” May 13, 2022. Accessed May 9, 2023. https://highlandscurrent.org/2022/05/13/calls-for-parents-rights-in-nearby-school-election/
  See an error? Let us know!

Defense of Democracy


Fishkill, NY