Robert Raben

Robert Raben is a left-progressive lobbyist and political operative who has served Democratic politicians and left-of-center issues for decades. 1 He donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democrats and their causes ranging from U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to the LGBTQ Victory Institute (formerly the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund). 2 He served in the Department of Justice during the Clinton administration, holding the rank of Assistant Attorney General. 3

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At-A-Glance

Occupation: Donor, Other
Issue Areas: Multi-Issue Advocacy

Contents

    He is the founder and president of the liberal-aligned lobbying firm the Raben Group. The firm earned about $50 million from predominately Democrat organizations. 4 His clients include left-of-center “dark money” groups. 5

    Raben’s view on President Donald Trump is expressed by his hope that Democrats would halt the 2018 State of the Union address by chanting “you lie.” 6 He described the lack of LGBT judges as absurd. 7

    Background

    Robert Raben started his political career serving under then-U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-MA). He then worked in President Bill Clinton’s administration in the U.S. Department of Justice, rising to the rank of assistant attorney general. Raben started the Raben Group after Democratic nominee Al Gore lost the 2000 presidential election. 1

    Lobbying Activities

    In addition to running the Raben Group, Robert Raben also personally represents individual clients like the “dark money”5 group Sixteen Thirty Fund. 8 Raben lobbied on behalf of the Sixteen Thirty Fund to support the impeachment process of President Donald Trump, to affect the configuration of the Supreme Court, and to protect the Special Counsel investigating alleged Russian influence on the 2016 election. 8

    Raben also represented EarthRights International, a left-wing environmental law firm. 9

    Activism   

    Q Street

    Raben is involved with many political organizations including Q Street, a lobbyist association for LGBT people and their interests. Robert Raben and six of his employees are members of the group, which receives funding from Google and Walmart. 10

    Diverse Asset Managers Initiative (DAMI)

    Raben leads the Diverse Asset Managers Initiative, which seeks to raise and direct more investments towards minority-owned asset management firms. Other DAMI participants include the left-of-center Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Knight Foundation. 11 He describes success as when people of color reach a much higher level of participation in managing assets. 12

    Friends of the American Latino Museum

    Robert Raben founded a campaign to open a Smithsonian American Latino Museum. He seeks to have the facility represent an accurate history of 500 years of Latinos13 in the United States. 14

    Committee for a Fair Judiciary

    Robert Raben founded the left-of-center Committee for a Fair Judiciary. 15 It seeks to ensure federal judges represent and advocate for left-progressive political viewpoints including abortion, LGBT interests, environmentalist movements, and labor unions. It claims that Republican judges support voter suppression, corporation’s interference in elections, and gerrymandering. 16

    Alliance for Justice (AFJ)

    Raben sat on the board for the left-of-center group Alliance for Justice, whose aim is to appoint left-wing judges and defeat Republican nominees. 17

    Resource Impact

    Robert Raben is the president of the progressive Resource Impact. Its charter is supporting and promoting organizations focusing on issues like social change, civil rights, environmentalism, justice, and equity. 18 It houses an anti-Second Amendment group called Guns Down. 19

    Other Groups

    Raben currently sits on the boards for the UnidosUS Action Fund, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, and the My Brothers’ Keeper Alliance. 20

    Raben was on the boards of the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project, the American Constitution Society and the Hispanic National Bar Association. 20

    He also formed Green 2.0, Hispanics for a Fair Judiciary, the March on Washington Film Festival, and the Pasos Graduation ceremony for Latino law students. 20

    House Parties

    Raben hosts numerous “salon discussions” at his house, which are political discussions for journalists and political activists. 21 Raben holds fundraisers at his home, including one co-hosted with Google for U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY). 22

    Viewpoints

    Raben opined that students have contributed significantly to the United States by helping secure withdrawal from the conflict in Vietnam, aiding with desegregation, demanding apologies from people for historical wrongs, and creating diverse teaching faculties and minority cultural spaces. He encourages youth to chase money to influence the wielding of power. 23

    Raben warned liberals that the states’ passage of pro-life legislation, immigration enforcement laws, and opposition to gun control, means progressives have a long road to victory in changing the culture of the United States. He has said that President Barack Obama was a leader on the issues of immigration, LGBT, and gun safety. 24

    Donations

    Robert Raben’s personal political donations include over $100,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He contributed tens of thousands to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and thousands more to various Democratic presidential candidates like former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 2

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    References

    1. “When Clients Come Calling.” Roll Call. Accessed April 27, 2020. https://www.rollcall.com/2007/03/16/when-clients-come-calling/.
    2. “The Center for Responsive Politics.” OpenSecrets. Accessed April 27, 2020. https://www.opensecrets.org/search?order=desc&q=robert+raben&sort=A&type=donors.
    3. “Board of Governors.” Joint Center. Accessed May 1, 2020. https://jointcenter.org/about/board-governors/.
    4. “Raben Group Lobbying Profile.” OpenSecrets. Accessed April 24, 2020. https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-slobbying/firms/summary?cycle=2019&id=D000036932.
    5. Ludwig, Hayden. “ACORN’s Legacy Lives On in the Sixteen Thirty Fund.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, January 3, 2020. https://capitalresearch.org/article/acorns-legacy-lives-on-in-the-sixteen-thirty-fund/.
    6. Levine, Marianne, and Theodoric Meyer. “What Lobbyists Are Looking for from the State of the Union Address.” POLITICO, January 30, 2018. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2018/01/30/what-lobbyists-are-looking-for-from-the-state-of-the-union-address-241837.
    7. [1] “Openly Gay Federal Judges: More Than a Dream?” Justice Watch. Accessed April 27, 2020. https://afjjusticewatch.blogspot.com/2009/02/openly-gay-federal-judges-more-than.html.
    8. Willis, Derek. “Represent.” ProPublica, August 12, 2015. https://projects.propublica.org/represent/lobbying/r/301021809.
    9. Willis, Derek. “Represent.” ProPublica, August 12, 2015. https://projects.propublica.org/represent/lobbying/r/301022407.
    10. “Q Street.” Ballotpedia. Accessed April 27, 2020. https://ballotpedia.org/Q_Street
    11. Meyer, Theodoric, and Theodoric Meyer. “Livingston on How to Influence Trump.” POLITICO, March 23, 2016. https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/politico-influence/2016/03/livingston-on-how-to-influence-trump-213373.
    12. “Diverse Asset Managers Initiative and the Argument for Inclusion.” National Association of Investment Companies. Accessed April 27, 2020. http://naicpe.com/initiatives/naic-perspectives/diverse-asset-managers-initiative-argument-inclusion/.
    13. account, Robert RabenVerified. “Robert Raben (@RobertRaben).” Twitter. Twitter, April 18, 2020. https://twitter.com/robertraben.
    14.  “Friends of the American Latino Museum.” The Raben Group. Accessed April 27, 2020. https://rabengroup.com/cases/friends-american-latino-museum/.
    15. Nather, David. “IRS Scrutinized Some Liberal Groups.” POLITICO, July 22, 2013. https://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/irs-scrutinized-liberal-groups-094556.
    16. “Committee for a Fair Judiciary.” Committee for a Fair Judiciary. Accessed April 27, 2020. https://www.fairjudiciarycommittee.org/
    17. “Discover The Networks.” Discover the Networks | Alliance For Justice (AFJ). Accessed April 27, 2020. https://www.discoverthenetworks.org/organizations/alliance-for-justice-afj.
    18. “Resource Impact.” Resource Impact. Accessed April 27, 2020. https://www.resourceimpactdc.org/.
    19. Beckett, Lois. “’Guns Are the Problem’: Activists Get Tough on Gun Control after Vegas.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, October 5, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/05/we-need-fewer-guns-the-activists-who-are-rejecting-half-measures-on-firearms.
    20. “Robert Raben.” The Raben Group. Accessed April 27, 2020. https://rabengroup.com/people/robert-raben/.
    21. “The 2009 Power 100.” Washington Life Magazine, May 1, 2001. https://washingtonlife.com/2009/05/01/the-power-100/2/.
    22. Levine, Marianne, and Theodoric Meyer. “Will Lobbying Pay off for Drug Distributors?” POLITICO, May 8, 2018. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2018/05/08/will-lobbying-pay-off-for-drug-distributors-207557.
    23. Emma, Caitlin. “White House Computer Science Push.” POLITICO, December 15, 2015. https://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-education/2015/12/white-house-computer-science-push-state-chiefs-look-forward-post-essa-campus-assault-gets-scrutiny-in-state-capitals-211768.
    24. Allen, Jonathan, and Tal Kopan. “Culture Wars Return – with a Twist.” POLITICO, March 25, 2013. https://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/culture-wars-return-with-a-twist-089301.