Tim Gill
Tim Gill is a software developer and major Colorado Democratic political donor. In business, he is best known for creating Quark, Inc. a privately held corporation most commonly associated with its page layout software1 and used to develop flyers, websites, graphics, and illustrations. 2 In 1999, Tim Gill sold 50 percent of his share in Quark to Quark’s co-owner, Ebrahim Rahimi, who bought a 50 percent stake in Quark from Gill in 1986. 3
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Gill has devoted significant resources to pro-LGBT and left-of-center politics since at least 1994,3 and is often referred to as a “megadonor” in Democratic circles. 4 Andy Kroll of Rolling Stone has referred to him as “the nation’s most powerful force for LGBTQ rights.” 5 His Gill Foundation contributes tens of millions of dollars annually, largely to left-of-center and LGBT-interest advocacy.
Gill Foundation
Gill (who is gay) increased his political and LGBT-interests advocacy after the passage of Colorado’s 1992 Initiative 2, which would have prohibited municipalities from enacting ordinances adding sexual orientation as a protected status under anti-discrimination laws. 6
Tim Gill created the Gill Foundation in 1994, an organization which underwrites academic research, polling, litigation, data analytics in support of pro-LGBT positions. 5
Many cases expanding LGBT rights, including Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health case (which made Massachusetts the first state to recognize same-sex marriage) to the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision were supported by Tim Gill. 5
Over the course of the past 25 years the Gill Foundation has contributed more than $360 million to pro-LGBT causes. 7
Political Activity
Gill was one of the “Gang of Four” liberal mega-donors, alongside now-Gov. Jared Polis (D), medical device heiress Pat Stryker, and millionaire geophysicist Rutt Bridges,8 who formed the Colorado Democracy Alliance project to build liberal advocacy infrastructure and support left-progressive political candidates in the state. The right-leaning Washington Free Beacon characterized Gill as a “dark money master” for his work with the Colorado Democracy Alliance. 9
The Joe Biden 2020 Presidential campaign has listed Tim Gill as a fundraiser on its website, meaning he has assisted in fundraising at least $25,000. 10
In down-ballot 2020 races, Gill has contributed $10,000 to the Iowa Democratic Party,11 as well as $2,800 through the pro-Democratic ActBlue PAC to the U.S. Senate campaign of former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO). 12
Gill’s husband, Scott Miller, was a consultant for the Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. 7 Miller had left the pro-Hillary Clinton PAC “Correct the Record” in 2016 in order to push for Biden to run in the 2016 presidential race. 13
During the 2012 campaign Gill “bundled” a total of $672,800 in contributions to the Obama for America campaign. 14