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Person

Tony Carrk

Nationality:

American
Occupation:

Former Deputy Campaign Director, Protect Our Care

Executive Director, Accountalble.US
Known For:

Healthcare Policy, Clinton Campaign Operative

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Tony Carrk is a Democratic Party campaign staffer and political activist. He has worked as deputy campaign director for the pro-Obamacare group Protect Our Care,1 a project of the liberal “dark money” organization Sixteen Thirty Fund. 2 Carrk previously worked as senior researcher and research director for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns,3 vice president for policy and research for the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAP Action), director of rapid response research for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), health policy director for ThinkProgress, and deputy research director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). 4 As of 2023, Carrk serves as executive director for Accountable.US, a self-described “nonpartisan watchdog group” and a former financial project of Arabella Advisors-managed nonprofit New Venture Fund. 5

Background

Cherchio Research

Tony Carrk is the founder of Cherchio Research, Communications & Strategy, a Democratic-aligned communications firm that provides opposition research, vetting reports, and strategic communications and messaging. 6

Protect Our Care

Carrk is a former deputy campaign director of Protect Our Care, an organization that lobbies against efforts to scale back or repeal Obamacare and advocates for increased government intervention in the health care market. 7 Protect Our Care has been associated with the “dark money” group the Sixteen Thirty Fund. 8

Clinton Campaign

In 2016, Carrk was a senior aide to Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign, working as research director. 9

Carrk’s role on the campaign came to public attention after emails from the Clinton campaign were hacked (allegedly by or at the direction of officers of Russian military intelligence10) and released by Wikileaks. 11 The emails showed that Carrk was tasked with conducting research on how Hillary Clinton’s closed-door speaking engagements with private corporations conflicted with her campaign positions. 12

Opinions which Carrk flagged as conflicting with Clinton’s campaign messages included a speaking engagement at a Goldman Sachs-Black Rock event where she advocated for a Canadian style Government-run healthcare system and supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership proposed free-trade agreement, despite not supporting either position in her campaign platform. 13 Carrk also raised concerns regarding Clinton’s comments regarding being “out of touch” with the middle class. 14

Accountalbe.US

As of 2023, Carrk serves as executive director for Accountable.US, a self-described “nonpartisan watchdog group” and a former financial project of Arabella Advisors-managed nonprofit New Venture Fund. 15

References

  1. “Tony Carrk” LinkedIn.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-carrk-b4a08410
  2. Ludwig, Hayden. “The Dark Money Group Propping Up Obamacare.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, December 19, 2018. https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-dark-money-group-propping-up-obamacare/.
  3. Tony Carrk” LinkedIn.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-carrk-b4a08410
  4. “Tony Carrk” https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-carrk-b4a08410
  5. “Tony Carrk.” Accountable.US, Accessed October 27, 2023. https://accountable.us/about/our-board-and-leadership/tony-carrk/
  6. “Services” Cherchio  https://www.cherchiorcs.com/#services
  7. “About” Protect Our Care.  https://www.protectourcare.org/about/
  8. Ludwig, Hayden. “The Dark Money Group Propping Up Obamacare.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, December 19, 2018. https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-dark-money-group-propping-up-obamacare/.
  9. “Services” Cherchio  https://www.cherchiorcs.com/#services
  10. Dilanian, Ken, Kenzi Abou-Sabe, Dartunorro Clark, and Tracy Connor. “Russian Intel Officers Charged with Hacking Dems, Clinton to Disrupt Election.” NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group, July 13, 2018. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mueller-charges-russian-intelligence-officers-hacking-dnc-clinton-n891236.
  11. 18 revelations from Wikileaks’ hacked Clinton emails, BBC. October 27, 2016. Accessed February 08, 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37639370
  12. Cheney, Kyle & Whetaon, Sarah. The most revealing Clinton campaign emails in WikiLeaks release. Politico. October 07, 2016. Accessed February 08, 2020. https://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/john-podesta-wikileaks-hacked-emails-229304
  13. Cheney, Kyle & Whetaon, Sarah. The most revealing Clinton campaign emails in WikiLeaks release. Politico. October 07, 2016. Accessed February 08, 2020. https://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/john-podesta-wikileaks-hacked-emails-229304
  14. Cheney, Kyle & Whetaon, Sarah. The most revealing Clinton campaign emails in WikiLeaks release. Politico. October 07, 2016. Accessed February 08, 2020. https://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/john-podesta-wikileaks-hacked-emails-229304
  15. “Tony Carrk.” Accountable.US, Accessed October 27, 2023. https://accountable.us/about/our-board-and-leadership/tony-carrk/

Connected Organizations

  1. Accountable.US (Non-profit)
    Executive Director
  2. Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAP Action) (Non-profit)
    Former Vice President for Policy and Research (2014-2015)
  3. Democratic National Committee (DNC) (Political Party/527)
    Former Director of Rapid Response Research (2011-2013)
  4. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) (Political Party/527)
    Former Deputy Research Director (2008)
  5. Protect Our Care (Non-profit)
    Deputy Campaign Director
  6. ThinkProgress (ThinkProgress.org) (Non-profit)
    Former Health Policy Director (2009-2011)
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