ABC News(NEW YORK) — Bernie Sanders Wednesday will help formally launch a new, much-anticipated organization, dedicated to continuing the legacy of his presidential campaign.
But even before it gets off the ground, the organization has already been plagued by major internal turmoil, a number of last minute resignations and lingering questions about the size and scope of the donations the group will solicit.
The senator will address fans and volunteers via live-stream at 9 p.m. ET from a local studio in Vermont. According to the organization, Sanders’ followers have organized almost 2500 viewing parties around the country for the occasion.
The group, dubbed “Our Revolution,” will function as a 501(c)(4), according to its website. Last week, ABC News reported that the unique tax status could allow it to accept unlimited contributions without having to reveal its donors. However, because of the organization’s close ties to Sanders, a sitting senator, the group could be limited by campaign finance regulations.
On Wednesday morning, just hours before the kickoff event, Sanders’ former campaign manager and newly appointed head of the organization, Jeff Weaver, told ABC News the group still had not ironed out how it would handle donations. He said there had not been further conversations internally about whether, for the example, the group would proactively limit the size of donations or disclose its donors.
“We are going to do everything here by the book and make sure we fully comply with every applicable law and regulation,” Weaver said during a phone interview.
Earlier this month, the newly formed organization sent out an email with the senator’s name “Bernie” branded at the top and bottom, directing followers to donate directly to a congressional candidate in Florida, Tim Canova, who is challenging former Democratic Party Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Despite this, Weaver argued Sanders will not have a formal role in the day to day operations of the organization.
“He did not quote-unquote start it,” Weaver said about Sanders’ involvement. “He is not on the board and he is not an employee.”
“People who are involved in this organization are obviously people who support the senator,” he added. “There is no doubt about that.”
This week, however, the organization lost several key members of Sanders’ former campaign staff who had previously agreed to stay on and work for “Our Revolution,” including all of the organizing outreach team and much of the digital team as well.
As first reported in Buzzfeed, several of these younger, tech-savvy folks walked out after the Senator changed his mind and decided Weaver would run the show.
According to sources, Sanders had personally assured staff that Weaver would not be involved in a major way. Sanders’ former body-man, Shannon Jackson, had been named the organization’s executive director. But last Monday on a conference call, it was clear Weaver had been put in charge. People with long-standing personal grievances with Weaver’s management as well as philosophical disagreements about how the group should operate asked Sanders to reconsider or limit Weaver’s role. When that did not happen, they resigned.
For months –- and perhaps for the entirety of the Senator’s campaign -– there were disagreements about the role and responsibility of online organizing. Younger members of the staff, engaged in this work, often felt underappreciated and that tension seemed to come to a head this summer, as Sanders and his team struggled to figure out their next steps.
As a result of the last minute walkouts from some of the campaign’s core aides, the new organization is reportedly very understaffed, and, arguably, without the folks who created some of the special grassroots sauce that propelled Sanders’ insurgent campaign.
“Our Revolution” hired a for-profit, Washington, D.C.-based digital marketing team in part to make up for the loss of staff.
“We have all the infrastructure in place,” Weaver said. “We are just going to hire a few more people to reconstitute the team.”
Sanders and top aides have said “Our Revolution” will be engaged in a variety of activities, including educating followers and the public on policy issues related to the economy and the environment, generating support and involvement around ballot initiatives and legislation and training future progressive candidates.
“Obviously, the imperative is the November election right now and then beyond that the organization will continue to help create a progressive bench and help keep people organized around the country,” Weaver told ABC News. He clarified in some circumstances the group would provide money to local progressive grassroots as well as “technical assistance.”
The organization’s board also remains in flux, but Sanders’ wife, Jane Sanders, will be stepping down from her post as chair, sources added.
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