Eric O'Keefe (political activist)
Encyclopedia
Eric O’Keefe is the chairman and CEO of the Sam Adams Alliance
and co-founder and co-chairman of the Alliance for Self-Governance.
O'Keefe is also chairman of the Health Care Compact
, and he serves on the board of directors of the Institute for Humane Studies
, the Center for Competitive Politics
, the Citizens In Charge Foundation
and the Club for Growth Wisconsin.
O'Keefe is a private investor residing in rural Wisconsin with his wife Leslie Graves.
. He drafted the plan for a term limits sweep across the country in 1992 and 1994. By early 1995, voters in twenty-three states had limited the terms of their U.S. congressional delegations through the ballot initiative
process.
In the case of U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
, five judges on the Supreme Court nullified the preferences of those voters, asserting that states do not have the right to determine the conditions under which their representatives in Congress will serve. However, term limits governing state legislatures remained in force. Fifteen states now have term limits on their legislative representatives.
One of these ads generated a lawsuit against ALT (ALT prevailed) claiming that the ad was "express advocacy" rather than an "issue ad".
In 1996, ALT ran a $24,000 radio ad campaign in a Wisconsin
race that showcased the opposition of State Assemblyman (D), David Travis
to term limits. Travis and the elections board responded by suing Americans for Limited Terms stating that the ads were "express advocacy" instead of "issue ads."
O'Keefe was quoted in an article defending his position,
Prior to 2007, O'Keefe served on the board of directors of Americans for Limited Government
.
In early 2008, O'Keefe argued that a commission recently created in Wisconsin
to monitor judicial elections was itself partisan, and therefore unreliable as a judicial watchdog group.
. With Aaron Steelman, he co-authored "The End of Representation: How Congress Stifles Electoral Competition".
He has also been published in the Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and the Sacramento Bee.
Sam Adams Alliance
Sam Adams Alliance is a non-profit organization based in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in Chicago in 2006, the group describes itself as a "fiercely independent organization dedicated to inspiring and encouraging grass-roots citizen activism."...
and co-founder and co-chairman of the Alliance for Self-Governance.
O'Keefe is also chairman of the Health Care Compact
Health Care Compact
The Health Care Compact is a proposed interstate compact – which is simply an agreement between two or more US states that is consented to by the United States Congress – that places authority and responsibility for healthcare regulation to the member states , and provides the funds to the states...
, and he serves on the board of directors of the Institute for Humane Studies
Institute for Humane Studies
The Institute for Humane Studies is a classical liberal non-profit organization whose stated mission is “to support the achievement of a freer society by discovering and facilitating the development of talented students, scholars, and other intellectuals who share an interest in liberty and in...
, the Center for Competitive Politics
Center for Competitive Politics
The Center for Competitive Politics is a Section 501 non-profit organization headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. The CCP's mission statement is "through legal briefs, studies, historical and constitutional analyses, and media communication, to educate the public on the actual effects of money...
, the Citizens In Charge Foundation
Citizens In Charge Foundation
The Citizens in Charge Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization based in Virginia. The Foundation is the only national organization dedicated to promoting the initiative & referendum process....
and the Club for Growth Wisconsin.
O'Keefe is a private investor residing in rural Wisconsin with his wife Leslie Graves.
Past experience
He is a founding board member of a term limits advocacy group, U.S. Term LimitsU.S. Term Limits
U.S. Term Limits is a non-profit organization that lobbies for term limits for elected officials at every level of government in the United States. Among other activities, USTL supports ballot initiatives in numerous states. The organization was established in 1992, and is one of several led by...
. He drafted the plan for a term limits sweep across the country in 1992 and 1994. By early 1995, voters in twenty-three states had limited the terms of their U.S. congressional delegations through the ballot initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
process.
In the case of U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton
U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton, 514 U.S. 779 ,was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that states cannot impose qualifications for prospective members of the U.S. Congress stricter than those specified in the Constitution. The decision invalidated the Congressional...
, five judges on the Supreme Court nullified the preferences of those voters, asserting that states do not have the right to determine the conditions under which their representatives in Congress will serve. However, term limits governing state legislatures remained in force. Fifteen states now have term limits on their legislative representatives.
Americans for Limited Terms lawsuit
O'Keefe served as president of Americans for Limited Terms (ALT) from 1996 to 2000. In congressional election cycles in 1996 and 1998, Americans for Limited Terms ran issue ads in a number of congressional districts, advising voters about the positions on term limits held by their congressional candidates.One of these ads generated a lawsuit against ALT (ALT prevailed) claiming that the ad was "express advocacy" rather than an "issue ad".
In 1996, ALT ran a $24,000 radio ad campaign in a Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
race that showcased the opposition of State Assemblyman (D), David Travis
David Travis
David M. 'Dave' Travis was a Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 81st Assembly District from 1982 through 2008.-External links:* official government website* Follow the Money - David Travis...
to term limits. Travis and the elections board responded by suing Americans for Limited Terms stating that the ads were "express advocacy" instead of "issue ads."
O'Keefe was quoted in an article defending his position,
There's an effort by incumbents to clamp down on issue ads because it's the only area of campaign spending that's tilted against incumbents. In my view it's among the most important campaign spending because it's an outlet for dissenting voices. It's extremely vital in democracy.
Other involvement
In 2001, O'Keefe assisted in cleaning up a business, Votenet, of which he was a part-owner. Votenet, as court records show, was victimized by two of its employees who were later convicted and imprisoned for their financial fraud. Although an attorney recommended that the company declare bankruptcy in order to step away from the financial destruction caused by the felonious employees, O'Keefe recommended against that course of action, enabling the company's creditors to be repaid and the company ultimately to stay in business.Prior to 2007, O'Keefe served on the board of directors of Americans for Limited Government
Americans for Limited Government
Americans for Limited Government describes itself as a non-partisan, nationwide network committed to advancing free-market reforms, private property rights and core American liberties...
.
In early 2008, O'Keefe argued that a commission recently created in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
to monitor judicial elections was itself partisan, and therefore unreliable as a judicial watchdog group.
Publications
O'Keefe is the author of a book, Who Rules America: The People Versus the Political Class, which makes the case for term limits. His book won praise from Milton FriedmanMilton Friedman
Milton Friedman was an American economist, statistician, academic, and author who taught at the University of Chicago for more than three decades...
. With Aaron Steelman, he co-authored "The End of Representation: How Congress Stifles Electoral Competition".
He has also been published in the Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and the Sacramento Bee.
External links
- The Sam Adams Project, profile on the New York Times Caucus blog.
- Independent Groups' Ads Increasingly Steer Campaigns, CNN, May 2, 1998
- History of the Political Parties, YouTube