116514-0001/LEGAL125742668.1
April 21, 2015 TO: Hillary for America FROM: Marc E. Elias Jonathan S. Berkon RE:
Interactions with Priorities
This memorandum summarizes the rules that govern interactions between Hillary for America (“HFA”) and Priorities USA Action Fund (“Priorities”). We have already conveyed a substantial portion of this advice, but wanted to gather it in one place. We anticipate updating this memo from time to time, as new fact patterns are brought to our attention.
I.
Fundraising
A.
Providing Donor Information to Priorities HFA may identify donor prospects for Priorities and provide Priorities with the donors’ contact information. The best mechanism for transmitting this information is via a standard template form prepared by HFA and approved by counsel.
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Priorities may also ask HFA to make recommendations on the following topics: (1) whom to solicit; (2) how much to solicit from each donor; and (3) messages to emphasize when soliciting funds. It is important that HFA not take any actions that would confer fundraising authority on Priorities’ staff or consultants; that would take away their ability to raise soft money. Accordingly, while it is permissible for HFA to relay to Priorities how much it believes a particular donor is willing or able to contribute, HFA should not explicitly request that Priorities raise soft money. For example:
Permissible:
“Donor A works in financial services and has been a long-time contributor. I think she’d be willing to do six figures for Priorities.”
Not recommended:
“I want you to call Donor A and ask for $250,000.” As we have conveyed, Priorities’ fundraising personnel also need to take care to
not
tell prospective donors that they are soliciting funds on behalf of or at the request, suggestion, or direction of the Secretary, an HFA staffer, or any HFA campaign agent. Nor should the fundraising personnel suggest this through phrases such as, “It would mean a lot to Secretary
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Merely completing this spreadsheet likely would not be an in-kind contribution from HFA to Priorities. However, sending over a substantial portion of HFA’s donor list likely would have to be valued and reported as an in-kind contribution.