Conservative Partnership Institute
| Abbreviation | CPI |
|---|---|
| Formation | May 2017 |
| Founder | Jim DeMint |
| Founded at | Washington, D.C. |
| Type | nonprofit |
| 82-1470217 | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
| Purpose | political education and advocacy |
| Headquarters |
|
President | Edward Corrigan[a] |
Chairman | Jim DeMint |
Key people | |
Revenue (2021) | $45,707,730[c] |
| Expenses (2021) | $17,160,422[c] |
| Website | cpi |
The Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) is a United States-based conservative nonprofit organization. The stated purpose of CPI is the professional development of conservative staffers and elected officials.[1] Under the leadership of Mark Meadows, since 2017 the nonprofit has grown sixfold[2] to become the "nerve center" of the MAGA movement,[3] bolstering notable figures such as U.S. Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, according to The Washington Post.[4] The group has also held numerous "election integrity" summits in battleground states, advocating for changes to voting rules that will favor Republican candidates.[5]
Background[edit]
The Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) was founded in 2017 by former US Senator Jim DeMint, who serves as the organization's chairman.[1][6] Mark Meadows, former chief of staff to then-president Donald Trump, joined as a senior partner in January 2021.[7] Trump's Save America PAC donated $1 million to CPI.[8] A 2022 NPR investigation found CPI might be violating prohibitions on 501(c)(3) charities providing benefits to political parties by supporting candidates and groups aligned with the Republican Party.[9]
Property purchases[edit]
"Patriot's Row" Washington DC Properties[edit]
Within the span of one year, limited liability companies connected to CPI purchased nine properties that are "steps" from each other in Washington D.C.[4] Grid News refers to these purchasing entities as "shell companies".[10] The total purchase price for these properties is $41 million. These properties are located two blocks east of the United States Capitol, which houses the U.S. Congress.[4] The purchased properties, which CPI now controls, consist of "four commercial properties along a single Pennsylvania Avenue block, three adjoining rowhouses around the corner, and a garage and carriage house in the rear alley. CPI's aim, as expressed in its annual report, is to transform the swath of prime real estate into a campus it calls 'Patriot's Row'".[4]
"Camp Rydin" Eastern Shore Compound[edit]
In December 2021, CPI purchased a 2,200-acre (890 ha) compound near the eastern shore in Cambridge, Maryland.[11] Described as a "conservative Camp David" the lodge is "a place where conservatives can strategize and unite" and features marshland for hunting, fishing and kayaking as well as indoor tennis and basketball courts.[12] Roughly a dozen congressional staff training events are held at the compound each year, including a "researcher bootcamp" and a "legislative director retreat".
The name of Edward Corrigan, the president of CPI, appears on public documents related to the property purchases. The companies involved in the purchases list Cameron Seward, CPI's general counsel and director of operations, as an officer on corporate filings, and give CPI's Independence Avenue headquarters as their principal address.[4] Seward's name also appears on the purchasing companies' incorporation documents.
Finances[edit]
Finances for fiscal year 2021 (latest available) consist of: revenue of $45,707,730; expenses of $17,160,422; and donations of $45,027,954.[13]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Lahut, Jake (July 26, 2017). "DeMint launches new group to boost conservatives in Washington". Politico.
- ^ "Trump-Backed MAGA Hub Growing Rapidly, Tax Docs Reveal". Sludge. November 17, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ Przybyla, Heidi (March 16, 2023). "Inside the Trump world-organized retreat to plot out Biden oversight". POLITICO. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Schwartzman, Paul (March 15, 2023). "Steps from the Capitol, Trump allies buy up properties to build MAGA campus". Washington Post. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- ^ Stone, Peter (April 18, 2022). "'Election integrity summits' aim to fire up Trump activists over big lie". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Karni, Annie (June 13, 2018). "Trump White House advertises at a Hill job fair amid staff exodus". Politico.
The fair is being hosted by the Conservative Partnership Institute, an organization founded by former Heritage Foundation president Jim DeMint last year.
- ^ "Mark Meadows joins Conservative Partnership Institute". The Hill. January 27, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ "Trump gave $1M to Meadows nonprofit weeks after Jan. 6 panel's creation". Cnbc.com. February 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ Tom Dreisbach (August 31, 2022). "Experts say a Trump-backed charity is pushing the boundaries of tax law". NPR.
- ^ Severns, Maggie, Steve Reilly, and Anna Deen (February 16, 2023). "Meet 'Patriot's Row': Mark Meadows' MAGA hub buys a multimillion-dollar chunk of 'the Swamp'". Grid News. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Przybyla, Heidi (March 16, 2023). "Inside the Trump world-organized retreat to plot out Biden oversight". POLITICO. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Meet 'Patriot's Row': Mark Meadows' MAGA hub buys a multimillion-dollar chunk of 'the Swamp'". The Messenger. February 14, 2023. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "State Policy Network - IRS Form-990 yr2021". ProPublica - Nonprofit Explorer. November 15, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- "Conservative Partnership Institute Internal Revenue Service filings". ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
