Vote.org promised 8 million voters. Its founder says that was never the goal.

A Turbulent Showdown: The Internal Strife at Vote.org

The ongoing conflict between the current and former leadership of Vote.org is reaching a fever pitch, revealing the complexities of nonprofit governance in the political arena.

Debra Cleaver, the organization’s founder, has initiated a series of complaints with the attorneys general of four states, accusing the prominent voter registration group of defrauding its donors. Her allegations include an exaggerated claim of registering 8 million voters for the 2024 cycle, significant financial mismanagement, and the alleged misuse of charitable funds for the personal gain of its current CEO.

This controversy has its roots in Cleaver’s wrongful termination lawsuit following her dismissal in 2019, which appears to have ignited a broader legal battle. In response, Vote.org has threatened legal action against Cleaver, labeling her claims as a “sustained and vindictive campaign rooted in misinformation.”

Vanessa Avery, legal counsel for Vote.org and a partner at McCarter and English, vehemently denied Cleaver’s allegations, characterizing them as “categorically false.”

Unpacking the Allegations

In a detailed 28-page complaint shared with POLITICO, Cleaver asserts that the organization lacks a serious plan to meet its ambitious voter registration goal. The targeted 8 million registrations would exceed the total number of voters the group has registered over its entire 14-year existence. To date, Vote.org has registered approximately 2.2 million voters for the 2024 election cycle.

Cleaver, who now leads a similar organization called VoteAmerica, lodged her complaints with the attorneys general of New York, California, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. POLITICO has independently verified all complaints except the one from Georgia. Among Cleaver’s assertions is the suggestion that the organization initially aimed to register 6 million voters, only to raise the target to 8 million to sidestep the painful connotation related to the Holocaust.

“The failure to register 8 million voters is irrelevant to the organization’s true objectives,” Cleaver contended in her complaint. “The focus has been on survival, capturing donor attention, and maintaining relevance through the guise of scale.”

Scrutiny of Financial Practices

As one of the leading nonpartisan voter registration entities in the U.S., Vote.org has found itself under increased scrutiny regarding its internal management practices. The complaint references Taylor Swift’s previous collaboration with the organization. Following her endorsement of Kamala Harris, Swift directed her followers to Vote.gov for registration, bypassing Vote.org. A Daily Mail article detailing internal turmoil reportedly influenced her decision to distance herself from the organization. (A spokesperson for Swift has yet to comment.) Additionally, Vote.org’s financial management issues were highlighted in a Chronicle of Philanthropy investigation last year.

The complaints also allege inappropriate use of donor funds to cover CEO Andrea Hailey’s personal travel expenses, with a reported increase in spending on “travel conferences and meetings” amounting to over $275,000 in 2023. Furthermore, IRS documents reportedly indicate that Vote.org spent nearly $600,000 on legal fees in 2023, a substantial rise from $89,000 in 2019, as the organization dealt with Cleaver’s wrongful termination suit and another employee’s claims.

The Legal Landscape

In Cleaver’s case, she filed a lawsuit against Vote.org and one of its human resources vendors. This suit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning both parties dropped their claims without any financial settlement from Vote.org to Cleaver. However, the HR vendor reportedly paid Cleaver $50,000 in a separate agreement, which stipulated that Vote.org would not reimburse the vendor.

Additionally, Cleaver’s complaints allege that Vote.org has funded private security for Hailey, despite her assertion that staff members have not posed any threats. In contrast, Vote.org contends that Hailey has indeed received threats against her.

Avery, the legal counsel for Vote.org, stated, “For the past six years, she has organized a sustained and vindictive campaign rooted in misinformation, aimed at discrediting this organization and its leadership.”

She also emphasized that Cleaver’s wrongful termination lawsuit had been withdrawn with prejudice, suggesting that Cleaver is now resorting to “desperate and baseless tactics.” Vote.org intends to file a defamation claim soon and plans to defend itself vigorously against these accusations.

In defense of the ambitious voter registration target for 2024, which the organization ultimately did not meet, Avery remarked, “Successful organizations set ambitious goals—no one aims for underperformance. We set bold targets because the stakes are high.” She claimed that Vote.org has registered more voters than any other organization in U.S. history, although this statistic remains unverified.

A Founder’s Concerns

When asked about her motivation for filing the complaints, Cleaver stated, “As the founder, I would like nothing more than Vote.org to succeed. Unfortunately, for five years now, Vote.org has been plagued by a series of financial, governance, and ethical lapses.”

A spokesperson for the New York attorney general’s office confirmed receipt of the complaint and stated they are currently reviewing it. Representatives from the other states’ attorneys general offices have not yet responded to inquiries.

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