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{{Short description|Former American political action committee}} |
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{{Infobox organization |
{{Infobox organization |
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|name = American Solutions for Winning the Future |
|name = American Solutions for Winning the Future |
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|motto = |
|motto = |
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|formation = 2007 |
|formation = 2007 |
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|dissolved = July 2011 |
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|type = [[527 organization]] |
|type = [[527 organization]] |
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|status = Not-for-profit |
|status = Not-for-profit |
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|remarks = |
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'''American Solutions for Winning the Future''' (often referred to as '''American Solutions''') was a [[527 organization]] created by former [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker]] of the [[United States House of Representatives]] [[Newt Gingrich]] |
'''American Solutions for Winning the Future''' (often referred to as '''American Solutions''') was a [[527 organization]] created by former [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker]] of the [[United States House of Representatives]] [[Newt Gingrich]]. The group first received national attention for its 2008 effort, "Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less", focused on the issue of [[offshore drilling]]. The organization closed in July 2011.<ref name="Shutters doors"/> |
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American Solutions was established by Gingrich in 2007.<ref name="Narr">Kendra Narr, [http://www.politico.com/story/2011/08/former-gingrich-527-closes-062161 Former Gingrich 527 closes], ''Politico'' (August 26, 2011).</ref> Gingrich served as chairman of the group.<ref name="Narr"/> The group was a "fundraising juggernaut" that raised $52 million from major donors, such as [[Sheldon Adelson]] and the coal company [[Peabody Energy]].<ref name="Narr"/> The group promoted deregulation and increased [[offshore oil drilling]] and other [[fossil-fuel]] extraction and opposed the [[Employee Free Choice Act]];<ref name="Narr"/><ref name="McGarrVogel">Kathryn McGarr & Kenneth P. Vogel, [http://www.politico.com/story/2009/07/newts-big-cash-haul-8-million-025666 Newt's big cash haul: $8 million], ''Politico'' (July 31, 2009).</ref> ''Politico'' reported in 2009 that, "The operation, which includes a pollster and fundraisers, promotes Gingrich’s books, sends out [[direct mail]], airs ads touting his causes and funds his travel across the country."<ref name="McGarrVogel"/> American Solutions closed in 2011 after he left the organization.<ref name="Narr"/> |
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==Overview== |
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The organization described itself as "tripartisan" and placed an emphasis on addressing the "growing gap between a world that works (mostly but not completely private sector) and a world that fails (mostly but not completely government bureaucracies)" and remaking government to reflect the "habits, patterns, investments, and systems of productivity that characterize much of the modern world outside bureaucracy."<ref>{{cite news |title=1000th Workshop Site Announced by American Solutions |newspaper=PR Newswire |date=July 7, 2007}}</ref> |
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American Solutions was one of the nation's largest grassroots organizations with more than 1.5 million members and more than 200,000 donations from individuals and organizations. The group also employed more than 20 staff members.<ref>{{cite news |title=Newt's Big Cash Haul: $8 Million |first=Kenneth P.|last=Vogel |newspaper=Politico |date=August 1, 2009 |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25666_Page2.html }}</ref> |
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==Organization== |
==Organization== |
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[[ |
[[File:Gingrich1.jpg|thumb|right|American Solutions founder [[Newt Gingrich]] speaking at the April 15, 2009 [[New York City]] [[Tea Party protests|Tea Party]]]] American Solutions was officially launched with an opening presentation on September 27, 2007, before a standing-room only crowd at the Cobb Galleria Center in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], which featured then-Governor [[Sonny Perdue]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Purdue to serve on Georgia Solutions Team |agency=[[States News Service]] |date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> On September 29, 2007, American Solutions held its first "Solutions Day" with more than 2,000 workshops across the United States, designed to help volunteers learn how to get involved with government activism at the state, federal and local level. American Solutions' broad goals include transforming government "from bloated bureaucracy to lean machine."<ref name="WashPost">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/30/AR2007063001034_pf.html |title=Ever the Speaker|accessdate=August 1, 2008 |newspaper= The Washington Post|date=July 1, 2007 | first=Lloyd | last=Grove}}</ref> |
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In October 2010, American Solutions Director of Internet Strategy was named at [[George Washington University]]'s PoliticsOnline conference as one of the "Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics", joined by fellow winners including President [[Barack Obama]], [[MTV]] and ''[[The Huffington Post]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Silicon Valley Internet Strategist Named 'Top 10 Who are Changing the World of Internet and Politics' |newspaper=PR Newswire |date=October 28, 2010 |
In October 2010, American Solutions Director of Internet Strategy was named at [[George Washington University]]'s PoliticsOnline conference as one of the "Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics", joined by fellow winners including President [[Barack Obama]], [[MTV]] and ''[[The Huffington Post]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Silicon Valley Internet Strategist Named 'Top 10 Who are Changing the World of Internet and Politics' |newspaper=PR Newswire |date=October 28, 2010 }}</ref> The same month, ''Politico'' reported American Solutions had raised more than $10 million during the 2010 year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Newt Gingrich's $4 million tops 2012 field |first=Kenneth P.|last=Vogel |newspaper=Politico |date=October 16, 2010 |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43688.html }}</ref> |
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==Initiatives== |
==Initiatives== |
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"Drill Here. Drill Now." is an |
"Drill Here. Drill Now." is an American political slogan coined on May 20, 2008, by former speaker of the House, [[Newt Gingrich]] and the organization to advocate for increased use of America's domestic energy resources in a bid to lower the cost of oil. |
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The slogan inspired the title of Gingrich's 2008 book ''Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less: A Handbook for Slashing Gas Prices and Solving Our Energy Crisis''.<ref>{{citation |last1=Gingrich |first1=Newt | |
The slogan inspired the title of Gingrich's 2008 book ''Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less: A Handbook for Slashing Gas Prices and Solving Our Energy Crisis''.<ref>{{citation |last1=Gingrich |first1=Newt |author-link1=Newt Gingrich |first2=Vince |last2=Haley |title=Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less: A Handbook for Slashing Gas Prices and Solving Our Energy Crisis |year=2008 |publisher=[[Regnery]] |location=Washington, DC |isbn=978-1-59698-576-6 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/drillheredrillno00ging }}</ref> |
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===Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less=== |
===Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less=== |
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{{see also|United States offshore drilling debate}} |
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American Solutions was widely known{{whom?|date=March 2011}} for ''Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.'' A [[petition]] aimed to convince [[US Congress|Congress]] that Americans, including representatives from both major parties as well as [[Independent (voter)|Independents]], want them to open oil drilling in [[Alaska]]'s Wildlife Reserve and off the Atlantic, Pacific and Florida Gulf coasts, and to extract [[shale oil]] from the [[Rocky Mountains]], in order to make the country independent from foreign oil. {{As of|2008|08|20}} over 1,450,000 citizens had signed.<ref name="Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less">{{cite web |url=http://www.americansolutions.com/actioncenter/petitions/?Guid=54ec6e43-75a8-445b-aa7b-346a1e096659 |title=Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less. |accessdate=August 1, 2008 |work= |date= }}{{Verify credibility|date=March 2011}}{{Dead link |date=August 2011}}</ref>{{Verify credibility|date=March 2011}} [[South Carolina Republican Party]] chairman [[Katon Dawson]] was the first state party chair to endorse the campaign.<ref>Slade, David (July 10, 2008). [http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/10/gop_head_backs_oil_drilling47041/ "GOP head backs oil drilling"]. ''Post and Courier'' (Charleston).</ref> On September 27, 2008 Congress voted to lift the ban on [[offshore drilling]].<ref name="Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less" /> |
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In 2008, American Solutions launched its ''Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.'' campaign, which involved a television ad campaign featuring Gingrich and a petition to Congress in support of [[Arctic Refuge drilling controversy|opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling]], and expanded [[offshore drilling]]. The petition stated "We ... the undersigned citizens of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to act immediately to lower gasoline prices (and diesel and other fuel prices) by authorizing the exploration of proven energy reserves to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources from unstable countries."<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/news/drill-now-as-the-conservative-moveon/ Drill Now As The Conservative MoveOn?], CBS News/''The Politico'' (July 1, 2008).</ref><ref name="Wheaton">Sarah Wheaton, [https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/gingrich-weighs-in-on-drilling/ Gingrich Weighs In on Drilling], ''New York Times'' (June 19, 2008).</ref> [[South Carolina Republican Party]] chairman [[Katon Dawson]] was the first state party chair to endorse the campaign.<ref>Slade, David (July 10, 2008). [http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/10/gop_head_backs_oil_drilling47041/ "GOP head backs oil drilling"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081112061427/http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/10/gop_head_backs_oil_drilling47041/ |date=2008-11-12 }}. ''Post and Courier'' (Charleston).</ref> The petition garnered over a million names and email addresses.<ref name="Wheaton"/> |
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===Jobs Here. Jobs Now. Jobs First=== |
===Jobs Here. Jobs Now. Jobs First=== |
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[[File:Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker runs for Governor of Wisconsin in October 2010.jpg|thumb|Then [[Milwaukee County]] Executive [[Scott Walker (politician)|Scott Walker]] speaks before the [[Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2010]].]] |
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In August 2009, American Solutions launched |
In August 2009, American Solutions launched its "Jobs Here. Jobs Now. Jobs First" campaign, which promoted five major tax cuts: a two-year, 50 percent reduction in [[Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax|payroll taxes]]; a 100 percent annual write-off for small businesses' new equipment purchases; a reduction in the [[Corporate income tax in the United States|corporate income tax]] to 12.5 percent (the [[Corporation tax in the Republic of Ireland|Irish rate]]); elimination of the [[Estate tax in the United States|estate tax]]; and elimination of the [[capital gains tax]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Gingrich won't rule out run for presidency in 2012 |first=Genevieve |last=Reilly |newspaper=Stamford Advocate |date=June 14, 2010 |url=http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/Gingrich-won-t-rule-out-run-for-presidency-in-2012-577525.php }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Obama 'Jobs Summit' Who In the White House Has Ever Created a Job? |first=Newt |last=Gingrich |newspaper=Human Events |date=December 2, 2009 |url=http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=34637 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906114155/http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=34637 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 6, 2012 |accessdate=January 17, 2011 }}</ref> |
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===No More Obamacare=== |
===No More Obamacare=== |
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On January 6, 2011, American Solutions launched NoMoreObamacare.com, a website encouraging congressional Republican lawmakers to defund and repeal the [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act|federal health care legislation]] passed in 2010. The site included a petition calling for the bill’s repeal as well as tools for activists.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gingrich Launches Healthcare Repeal Website |first=Scott |last=Conroy |publisher=Real Clear Politics |date=January 6, 2011 |url=http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2011/01/06/gingrich-launches-health-care-repeal-website/ | |
On January 6, 2011, American Solutions launched NoMoreObamacare.com, a website encouraging congressional Republican lawmakers to defund and repeal the [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act|federal health care legislation]] passed in 2010. The site included a petition calling for the bill’s repeal as well as tools for activists.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gingrich Launches Healthcare Repeal Website |first=Scott |last=Conroy |publisher=Real Clear Politics |date=January 6, 2011 |url=http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2011/01/06/gingrich-launches-health-care-repeal-website/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108071652/http://realclearpolitics.blogs.time.com/2011/01/06/gingrich-launches-health-care-repeal-website/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 8, 2011 }}</ref> As of January 19, 2011, the petition had gathered more than 100,000 signatures.<ref>{{cite news |title=ObamaCare Repeal Passes the House |newspaper=Human Events |date=January 19, 2011 |url=http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=41291 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110126095742/http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=41291 |archive-date=January 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> |
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==Dissolution== |
==Dissolution== |
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Gingrich left the organization when he announced his forming an exploratory committee to run for president in March 2011, as required by law. The organization was dissolved in July 2011 |
Gingrich left the organization when he announced his forming an exploratory committee to run for president in March 2011, as required by law. The organization was dissolved in July 2011. Joe Gaylord, who took over after Gingrich's departure, stated: "We had difficulty raising money after Newt left."<ref name="Shutters doors">{{cite news |first=Karen |last=Tumulty |title=Newt Gingrich's former group, American Solutions, shutters its doors |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/newt-gingrichs-american-solutions-shutters-its-doors/2011/08/26/gIQAuERXgJ_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 26, 2011 |accessdate=August 27, 2011}}</ref> During its four years it raised $52 million but spent nearly two-thirds of that on fundraising.<ref name="Shutters doors"/> According to an August 2011 filing with the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]], it raised $2.4 million in the first half of 2011, but spent $2.9 million.<ref name="Shuts Down">{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Shear |title=Gingrich Fund-Raising Group Shuts Down |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/26/gingrich-fund-raising-group-shuts-down/ |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 26, 2011 |accessdate=August 27, 2011}}</ref> |
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On September 14, 2011, the defunct organization's landlord, B.G.W. Limited Partnership, filed a complaint against American Solutions in the landlord-tenant division of [[District of Columbia Superior Court]] alleging that the organization owed $16,000 in back rent on its offices located in the same "K" Street building that houses the other Gingrich Enterprises organizations, and that the office space had neither been vacated nor the keys surrendered. American Solutions failed to enter an appearance at a court hearing held on October 6, and on October 19 Superior Court Judge A. Franklin Burgess Jr. ruled that the organization owed $20,130 in back rent and court fees and authorized the U.S. Marshals Service to evict American Solutions.<ref>Benson, Clea [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-29/gingrich-s-former-political-group-ordered-by-court-to-pay-delinquent-rent.html "Gingrich’s Former Political Group Ordered to Pay Delinquent Rent"], Bloomberg News, November 29, 2011</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://www.americansolutions.com/ AmericanSolutions.com] |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070706103401/http://www.americansolutions.com/ AmericanSolutions.com] |
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*[http://www.americansolutions.com/drill/ Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less] |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101122233717/http://www.americansolutions.com/drill/ Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less] |
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*[http://www.americansolutions.com/energytax/ Stop the Energy Tax] |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101021090705/http://www.americansolutions.com/energytax/ Stop the Energy Tax] |
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{{Newt Gingrich}} |
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[[Category:527 |
[[Category:527 organizations]] |
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[[Category:Newt Gingrich]] |
[[Category:Newt Gingrich]] |
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[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in |
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Georgia (U.S. state)]] |
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[[Category:Organizations established in 2007]] |
[[Category:Organizations established in 2007]] |
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[[Category:Conservative organizations in the United States]] |
Formation | 2007 |
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Dissolved | July 2011 |
Type | 527 organization |
Legal status | Not-for-profit |
Purpose | Political action committee |
Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia |
Founder | Newt Gingrich |
Website | www |
American Solutions for Winning the Future (often referred to as American Solutions) was a 527 organization created by former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Newt Gingrich. The group first received national attention for its 2008 effort, "Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less", focused on the issue of offshore drilling. The organization closed in July 2011.[1]
American Solutions was established by Gingrich in 2007.[2] Gingrich served as chairman of the group.[2] The group was a "fundraising juggernaut" that raised $52 million from major donors, such as Sheldon Adelson and the coal company Peabody Energy.[2] The group promoted deregulation and increased offshore oil drilling and other fossil-fuel extraction and opposed the Employee Free Choice Act;[2][3] Politico reported in 2009 that, "The operation, which includes a pollster and fundraisers, promotes Gingrich’s books, sends out direct mail, airs ads touting his causes and funds his travel across the country."[3] American Solutions closed in 2011 after he left the organization.[2]
American Solutions was officially launched with an opening presentation on September 27, 2007, before a standing-room only crowd at the Cobb Galleria Center in Atlanta, Georgia, which featured then-Governor Sonny Perdue.[4] On September 29, 2007, American Solutions held its first "Solutions Day" with more than 2,000 workshops across the United States, designed to help volunteers learn how to get involved with government activism at the state, federal and local level. American Solutions' broad goals include transforming government "from bloated bureaucracy to lean machine."[5]
In October 2010, American Solutions Director of Internet Strategy was named at George Washington University's PoliticsOnline conference as one of the "Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics", joined by fellow winners including President Barack Obama, MTV and The Huffington Post.[6] The same month, Politico reported American Solutions had raised more than $10 million during the 2010 year.[7]
"Drill Here. Drill Now." is an American political slogan coined on May 20, 2008, by former speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich and the organization to advocate for increased use of America's domestic energy resources in a bid to lower the cost of oil.
The slogan inspired the title of Gingrich's 2008 book Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less: A Handbook for Slashing Gas Prices and Solving Our Energy Crisis.[8]
In 2008, American Solutions launched its Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less. campaign, which involved a television ad campaign featuring Gingrich and a petition to Congress in support of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, and expanded offshore drilling. The petition stated "We ... the undersigned citizens of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to act immediately to lower gasoline prices (and diesel and other fuel prices) by authorizing the exploration of proven energy reserves to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources from unstable countries."[9][10] South Carolina Republican Party chairman Katon Dawson was the first state party chair to endorse the campaign.[11] The petition garnered over a million names and email addresses.[10]
In August 2009, American Solutions launched its "Jobs Here. Jobs Now. Jobs First" campaign, which promoted five major tax cuts: a two-year, 50 percent reduction in payroll taxes; a 100 percent annual write-off for small businesses' new equipment purchases; a reduction in the corporate income tax to 12.5 percent (the Irish rate); elimination of the estate tax; and elimination of the capital gains tax.[12][13]
On January 6, 2011, American Solutions launched NoMoreObamacare.com, a website encouraging congressional Republican lawmakers to defund and repeal the federal health care legislation passed in 2010. The site included a petition calling for the bill’s repeal as well as tools for activists.[14] As of January 19, 2011, the petition had gathered more than 100,000 signatures.[15]
Gingrich left the organization when he announced his forming an exploratory committee to run for president in March 2011, as required by law. The organization was dissolved in July 2011. Joe Gaylord, who took over after Gingrich's departure, stated: "We had difficulty raising money after Newt left."[1] During its four years it raised $52 million but spent nearly two-thirds of that on fundraising.[1] According to an August 2011 filing with the IRS, it raised $2.4 million in the first half of 2011, but spent $2.9 million.[16]
On September 14, 2011, the defunct organization's landlord, B.G.W. Limited Partnership, filed a complaint against American Solutions in the landlord-tenant division of District of Columbia Superior Court alleging that the organization owed $16,000 in back rent on its offices located in the same "K" Street building that houses the other Gingrich Enterprises organizations, and that the office space had neither been vacated nor the keys surrendered. American Solutions failed to enter an appearance at a court hearing held on October 6, and on October 19 Superior Court Judge A. Franklin Burgess Jr. ruled that the organization owed $20,130 in back rent and court fees and authorized the U.S. Marshals Service to evict American Solutions.[17]
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Political and legislative career |
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Selected books |
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Related articles |
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