The Capital Research Center has exposed and documented
a massive “dark money” network created by a former Clinton
administration staffer that is quietly leading attacks on the
Trump administration, originalist judicial nominees, prolife policies, and much more—and all under the guise of
“philanthropy.”8 9
Between 2013 and 2017, this hydra-like network took in
a staggering $1.6 billion which it used to advance the political
policies desired by wealthy left-wing interests through
hundreds of “front” groups: websites designed to look like
full-fledged “grassroots” organizations.10 And those interests
pay well: the network’s revenues grew by an incredible 392
percent over that same period.11 It’s likely 2018 tax returns
(not yet available) will show continued revenue growth for
the network. To date, some 340 of such front groups have
been counted in a list that continues to grow.12 13
It’s a nexus of hidden funding and invisible strings, and
the left-leaning Politico, looking at just one of its parts, called
that tentacle a “liberal secret-money network,” made up of
nonprofit groups that spend millions of dollars to shape
elections and policy, “even while criticizing ‘dark money’ and
its effects on politics.”14
And it’s all quietly nestled in the office of an unassuming,
Washington, D.C.-based consultancy: Arabella Advisors.
Meet the Arabellans
As with mapmaking, the cardinal rule of political cartography
is simple: find North. In the case of the Arabella nonprofit
network, North is found at the corporate headquarters of
Arabella Advisors on Connecticut Avenue in Washington,
D.C.
Arabella Advisors is a private for-profit company
that provides philanthropy consulting services to major
foundations, wealthy donors, and political influencers on
the Left. Arabella Advisors prizes the image of itself as “the
only provider of a true end-to-end platform of philanthropic
services” in the United States, specializing in “philanthropy
and impact investing” services, or what it calls “strategic
philanthropy.”15
Arabella’s version of “strategic philanthropy” usually takes
the form of guiding grants to left-wing causes, a service that
evidently pays well. The company has grown rapidly since its
creation in 2005 and today represents clients with collective
assets totaling more than $100 billion, according to its
website.16 Worth reported in November 2017 that Arabella
is the largest philanthropy consultancy in America and has
a staff of 160, catering to more than half of the 50 largest
grantmaking foundations in the country.17 18
Eric Kessler founded Arabella Advisors and currently
works as a principal and senior managing director for the
firm. Kessler comes from a wealthy Chicago family whose
fortune originated with the 1998 sale of Fel-Pro, their autoparts manufacturer and “fifth-generation family-owned
business,” for a reported $750 million.19 20
Prior to joining the Clinton administration, Kessler was
national field director for the League of Conservation Voters,
a major 501(c)(4) environmental advocacy group that has
been described as a “dark money heavyweight” by the left leaning Center for Public Integrity.21 He was later appointed
darkmoneyatm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/CRC_Arabella-Advisors-Dark-Money_small.pdf
h/t Jake