Swiss billionaire-backed Open Democracy PAC registers in Minnesota

Last week, a leftist entity called Open Democracy PAC-Minnesota registered with the state Campaign Finance Board.

The national group is headquartered in Washington, DC, and was created in March 2021.

So far, its political endorsements are all candidates running for Secretaries of State. The group’s focus appears to be on ballot box access.

Open Democracy registered locally on July 26. The first financial report for the group is not due until late September. Depending on the timing of its expenditures (if any), we may not know what this group is up to until after the November election.

According to filings at the Federal Election Commission, the national Open Democracy PAC has received $3.2 million in donations in the 2021-2022 election cycle.

The bulk of the money raised comes from the 1630 Fund ($2.5 million) and the Pritzker family ($125,000), among others. Hollywood actress Kate Capshaw contributed $50,000.

The 1630 Fund is associated with Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss. He made his fortune in medical devices.

According to filings with the IRS, the 1630 Fund is organized as a 501(c)(4) dark money nonprofit. It was founded in 2009 and its headquarters is in Washington, DC. For the two most recent years available (2017 and 2018), the fund took in $223 million.

In that era (2018) the Fund reported a small donation to the local group TakeAction Minnesota.

For the year 2020, the George Soros-backed Open Society Foundation lists 15 donations to the 1630 Fund, totaling $17 million.

The flood continues…