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Political Party/527

Good Jobs West Virginia

Type:

Political Action Committee (PAC)
Formation:

2016
Treasurer:

Stephen Hill

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Good Jobs West Virginia was a political action committee (PAC) that campaigned during the 2016 gubernatorial election in the state of West Virginia and opposing then-State Senate President Bill Cole (R). It was almost entirely funded by the political action committees Democratic Governors Association and Jobs and Opportunity, which is also primarily funded by the Democratic Governors Association. 1 2

The Democratic Governors Association, a major donor to Good Jobs West Virginia, receives its funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield, pharmaceutical companies, the United Food and Commercial Workers union, and the Carpenters and Joiners Union, among other contributors. 3 4

Background

Good Jobs West Virginia ran an ad campaign that was supported by the Democratic Governors Association and Jobs and Opportunity during the 2016 gubernatorial election in West Virginia in support of Democratic candidate Jim Justice. 5 6 It was registered as a political action committee in West Virginia. 7

In August 2016, it was reported the Democratic Governors Association was funding Good Jobs West Virginia to run campaign ads that criticized the Republican nominee for West Virginia’s gubernatorial election, Bill Cole, for specific items of West Virginia’s budget while he served as state Senate president. The ad claimed Cole misrepresented $500,000 in public funds, arguing various “items” were not being used as he claimed. 8

Associated Organizations

Democratic Governors Association

Good Jobs West Virginia is listed as an affiliate of the Democratic Governors Association by the Center for Public Integrity. The Democratic Governors Association is a national organization that funds ad campaigns supporting Democratic candidates in gubernatorial races. 9

Jobs and Opportunity

During the 2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election, Good Jobs West Virginia’s second largest funder was Jobs and Opportunity, receiving $650,000 in total contributions. 10 Jobs and Opportunity is listed on Center for Innovative Policy’s tax returns as a related organization. 11 It is also primarily funded by the Democratic Governors Association. 12

Funding

On September 30, 2016, Good Jobs West Virginia reported receiving $650,000 from Jobs and Opportunity and $350,000 from the Democratic Governors Association between July and September 2016. 13 It also reported receiving $25,000 from the Democratic Governors Association in May 2016 in a June 2016 report. 14

On December 7, 2016, Good Jobs West Virginia reported receiving $410,000 from the Democratic Governors Association in November. 15

In January 2017, Good Jobs West Virginia received $49,500 from the Democratic Governors Association. 16

Leadership

Good Jobs West Virginia’s Treasurer was Democratic Party operative Stephen Hill, who also was treasurer for Jobs and Opportunity. 17 18 19 Hill is listed as an officer for Guarantee Our Votes Project, a Center for Public Integrity project that advocates for left-of-center policies for state governments and is chief operating officer for the Democratic Governors Association. 20 21 22

References

  1. Kendall, Pam. “Outside Spending in W.Va. Election Nears $20 Million.” WV News, November 10, 2016. https://www.wvnews.com/outside-spending-in-w-va-election-nears-20-million/article_8b0db543-5ab8-5029-8f02-462bf7a7cf3c.html.
  2. West Virginia Secretary of State PAC Search. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/pac-search/pac.aspx?id=1614.
  3. Kendall, Pam. “Outside Spending in W.Va. Election Nears $20 Million.” WV News, November 10, 2016. https://www.wvnews.com/outside-spending-in-w-va-election-nears-20-million/article_8b0db543-5ab8-5029-8f02-462bf7a7cf3c.html.
  4. “Overview.” Democratic Governors Association. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtedetail.php?ein=521304889&cycle=2022
  5.  Associated Press. “Dem Governor Pac’s $234k AD Hits West Virginia Gop Nominee.” West Virginia Public Broadcasting, August 19, 2016. https://wvpublic.org/dem-governor-pacs-234k-ad-hits-west-virginia-gop-nominee/.
  6. Kendall, Pam. “Outside Spending in W.Va. Election Nears $20 Million.” WV News, November 10, 2016. https://www.wvnews.com/outside-spending-in-w-va-election-nears-20-million/article_8b0db543-5ab8-5029-8f02-462bf7a7cf3c.html.
  7. “West Virginia Secretary of State Political Action Committee Search.” West Virginia Secretary of State. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/pac-search/pac.aspx?id=1614.
  8. Associated Press. “Dem Governor Pac’s $234k AD Hits West Virginia Gop Nominee.” West Virginia Public Broadcasting, August 19, 2016. https://wvpublic.org/dem-governor-pacs-234k-ad-hits-west-virginia-gop-nominee/.
  9. Zubak-Skees, Chris, and Kytja Weir. “Meet the 10 Shadowy Groups That Snuck into Your State Races.” Center for Public Integrity, January 28, 2022. https://publicintegrity.org/politics/state-politics/meet-the-10-shadowy-groups-that-snuck-into-your-state-races/.
  10. Good Jobs West Virginia. “State of West Virginia Campaign Financial Statement (Long Form) in Relation to the 2016 Election Year.” West Virginia Secretary of State, September 30, 2016. https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/pac-search/ReadCFRSReport.aspx?DocId=4934.
  11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Center for Innovative Policy. 2022. Schedule R, Part II
  12. Kendall, Pam. “Outside Spending in W.Va. Election Nears $20 Million.” WV News, November 10, 2016. https://www.wvnews.com/outside-spending-in-w-va-election-nears-20-million/article_8b0db543-5ab8-5029-8f02-462bf7a7cf3c.html
  13. Good Jobs West Virginia. “State of West Virginia Campaign Financial Statement (Long Form) in Relation to the 2016 Election Year.” West Virginia Secretary of State, September 30, 2016. https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/pac-search/ReadCFRSReport.aspx?DocId=4934.
  14. Good Jobs West Virginia. “State of West Virginia Campaign Financial Statement (Long Form) in Relation to the 2016 Election Year.” West Virginia Secretary of State, June 21, 2016. https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/pac-search/ReadCFRSReport.aspx?DocId=4941.
  15.  Good Jobs West Virginia. “State of West Virginia Campaign Financial Statement (Long Form) in Relation to the 2016 Election Year.” West Virginia Secretary of State, December 7, 2016. https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/pac-search/ReadCFRSReport.aspx?DocId=4938.
  16. Good Jobs West Virginia. “State of West Virginia Campaign Financial Statement (Long Form) in Relation to the 2016 Election Year.” West Virginia Secretary of State, February 6, 2017. https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/pac-search/ReadCFRSReport.aspx?DocId=4942.
  17.  Good Jobs West Virginia. “State of West Virginia Campaign Financial Statement (Long Form) in Relation to the 2016 Election Year.” West Virginia Secretary of State, February 6, 2017. https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/pac-search/ReadCFRSReport.aspx?DocId=4942
  18. “Jobs and Opportunity.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00622340/?cycle=2018&tab=about-committee.
  19. “DGA Announces Senior Staff.” DGA. February 20, 2019. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-announces-senior-staff-2/
  20. “Guarantee Our Votes Project.” Open Corporates. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_dc/EXTUID_4296910.
  21. Center for Innovative Policy website. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.centerforinnovativepolicy.org/.
  22. “DGA Announces Senior Staff.” DGA. February 20, 2019. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-announces-senior-staff-2/
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