The Burlington-based Sanders Institute is winding down its operations as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ramps up his presidential campaign.
The Associated Press first reported Thursday that the nonprofit think tank founded by the senator’s wife, Jane O’Meara Sanders, and her son, David Driscoll, would stop raising money immediately and close its doors by the end of May. In a press release issued later that evening, the institute said that it was making the move in order to “avoid confusion or even the misperception of any overlap” between the institute and Sanders’ presidential campaign.
“We are proud of the work that the Sanders Institute has done to promote progressive solutions to the economic, environmental, racial and social justice challenges that America faces,” Driscoll said in a written statement. “That policy work has always been completely separate from electoral politics. We are taking this step in keeping with that core principle of good governance.”
As a 501c3 nonprofit, the institute is barred from certain lobbying and electoral activities. In an interview with the New York Times, O’Meara Sanders acknowledged that the situation “could become too mushy” if she remained active with the institute while campaigning for her husband.
Founded in June 2017, the institute was one of a pair of organizations that sprouted out of Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. The other, a 501c4 called Our Revolution, has more legal leeway to engage in political activity. Though some of Our Revolution’s leaders have decamped for the 2020 campaign, that organization appears to remain active.
Spokespeople for the Sanders Institute, Our Revolution and Sanders’ presidential campaign did not respond to Seven Days‘ requests for comment and interviews.
The institute has been criticized for paying Driscoll, who had no previous nonprofit or political experience, a salary of $100,000 to serve as executive director. A July 2018 investigation by VTDigger.org found that the organization had accomplished little in its first year. Last November, it hosted a three-day conference on the Burlington waterfront featuring New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Dr. Cornel West and the actors Danny Glover, Susan Sarandon and John Cusack.
Though the senator himself is not formally affiliated with the institute that bears his name, he was the featured guest at the Sanders Institute Gathering, which served as a launchpad, of sorts, for his 2020 campaign.
According to the institute’s press release, its board of directors voted February 28 to suspend operations. It did not say whether the organization would resume its activities at a later date, but O’Meara Sanders suggested it would.
“The work will definitely come back,” she told the Times.
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“The institute has been criticized for paying Driscoll, who had no previous nonprofit or political experience, a salary of $100,000 to serve as executive director. A July 2018 investigation by VTDigger.org found that the organization had accomplished little in its first year.”
Uh oh. 7D has reported something that isn’t 100% flattering of the Dear Leader.
Dear Leader going to be vewy, vewy angwy at 7D! Reawy angwy! He not gonna speak to bad old 7D no more!
Ah yes, the Sanders’ Socialists! One certainly needs to make $100,000/year to be a good socialist. And how does one possibly support socialism without 3 houses and a million bucks in the bank? Oh that’s right, Bernie wants us to be socialists…..not him and and Jane and the kids.
My question to Mr. Sanders, what did you do with the $9,000,000 sent to you in contributions prior to you announcing your bid for presidency? Are you using those funds for your campaign or did you add them to your personal bank account? Being this money has no accountability to it, I am just curious?
Most candidate’s family ‘membuhs’ and spouses become part of the campaign out of Love for the candidate and a belief in the message, but, the extended Sanders family has historically been in it to get on the payroll and hit the proletariat jackpot.
Who are they kidding.. They aren’t going to shut it down. No way in he$$, they like that money to much. They will still take money…With 5 homes, a condo in DC, private plane, new cars. He also pays wifey poo and all her kids, they will take money from PAC, pharmaceutical companies, he’ll take money from anyone. after all he took millions from Clinton and Soros.to leave the race, who knows he may have taken money from Vladimir Putin or the pres of Venezuela, Maduro..Have you notice Sanders hasn’t said a word about what’s going on in his wonderful Venezuela.!!!!