The LIBRE Initiative

Background

The LIBRE Initiative is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that has described itself as “dedicated to informing the U.S. Hispanic community about the benefits of a constitutionally limited government, property rights, rule of law, sound money supply and free enterprise through a variety of community events, research and policy initiatives that protect our free and open society,” in order “to empower the U.S. Hispanic community so it can thrive and contribute to a more prosperous America.” ¹

The group has portrayed itself as working to achieve its objectives by “developing a network of Hispanic pro-liberty activists across the United States,” providing “sources of information, education, and trainings on issues that impact the daily lives of the Hispanic community,” and encouraging members of the community to “raise their voices and actively participate in advancing public policy that seeks to increase their prosperity as contributing members of our society.”²

According to its website, as of July 2023 The LIBRE Initiative has state chapters in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. ³

Fox News in 2015 presented the group as a “grassroots” product of “a coalition of Hispanic leadership organizations,” according to reporting by the media watchdog group Media Matters for America. However, “Libre is staffed by veteran Republican operatives, and the group has received over $10 million in funding from oil billionaires Charles and David Koch. Libre has admitted its message ‘aligns more with Republicans’ and ‘with the principles and ideas of Charles and David Koch.’” ⁴

During the Obama administration, The LIBRE Initiative opposed the Affordable Care Act as well as increases in the minimum wage, and supported voter ID laws.⁵ The group spent approximately $9 million on outreach to Hispanic voters during the 2013/2014 election cycle.⁶

The LIBRE Initiative’s support for a “broad overhaul of the immigration system, including a path to citizenship…put the group at odds with many of the [Republican] party’s grass-roots conservative voters,” according to a 2015 story in The New York Times.⁷

In 2015, the liberal advocacy group People For The American Way accused The LIBRE Initiative of making “vicious, often dishonest attacks against Democrats.”⁸

The rise of Donald Trump in the Republican Party had a negative impact on the group’s work, according to a May 2016 HuffPost article.⁹

In 2018, LIBRE Initiative President Daniel Garza and dozens of other conservatives signed a coalition letter opposing a federal gas tax increase. The letter was organized by Americans for Tax Reform.

In 2018, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) criticized The LIBRE Initiative for giving out free gifts to Latino communities in exchange for personal data on their political beliefs.¹⁰

In 2018, The LIBRE Initiative praised certain Democrats for their work on protecting “DREAMers.”¹¹

According to 2019 reporting by Jane Mayer in The New Yorker, The LIBRE Initiative had engaged with Latino voters by offering free services ranging from Spanish-language driver’s education, to English-proficiency classes, to giving out Thanksgiving turkeys. The group had been described as one attempt among many by the Kochs to improve their image and “look more compassionate.”¹²

The LIBRE Institute

The LIBRE Institute is a 501(c)(3) sub-project of the LIBRE Initiative, also run by Daniel Garza, the president of The LIBRE Initiative, and David Velazquez, the group’s executive director. ¹³ The LIBRE Institute is based on “four pillars”—”Economic Prosperity, Education, Faith, and Family”—and with the stated aim of being a “trusted resource in helping Hispanics grow more prosperous, and lessen their dependency on government.”¹⁴

The Institute has organized events to distribute free school supplies¹⁵ and runs a research project that has requested proposals for “market-based solutions, rooted in conservative and libertarian values.”¹⁶

Koch Ties

The Washington Post reported in September 2016 that following a restructuring of the Koch network, The LIBRE Initiative would henceforth operate as a project of Americans for Prosperity, arguably the Koch network’s chief political action group.¹⁷

The LIBRE Institute has admitted its message “aligns more with Republicans” and “with the principles and ideas of Charles and David Koch,” according to 2019 reporting by Media Matters.¹⁸

Stance on Climate Change

March 7, 2016

After the Supreme Court’s paused implementation of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan, LIBRE‘s director of policy engagement, Carli Dimino,¹⁹ lauded the ruling on the group’s website:²⁰

“The plan would negatively transform the nation’s electricity system in an attempt to cut emissions from existing power plants by a third by 2030, closing hundreds of the coal-fired plants that keep hospitals consistently running, that have kept us warm this past winter and will keep us cool in the coming months, that power the Internet… list of essentials goes on forever.

[…]

“The truth is that having abundant and reliable energy enables a healthier economy and environment, and we should welcome the fact that the U.S. Supreme court has put a hold on a disastrous plan.”

June 24, 2014

In a blog post entitled “Hispanics Can’t Catch Their Breath, or a Break, Thanks to Obama’s CO2 Rule,” Carli Dimino, The LIBRE Institute’s director of policy engagement, wrote:²¹

“The EPA’s own leadership admits that reducing CO2 in the U.S. alone will not affect global CO2 levels in a meaningful way, which suggests this move has more to do with politics than protecting the environment.

[…]

“It is clear that the proposed EPA rule is bad enough on its own, considering all Americans will feel a lot of economic pain in exchange for a negligible impact on climate. But the fact that Latinos will once again disproportionately bear the costs of bad policy is disheartening…”

April 14, 2014

The LIBRE Initiative tweeted: “$3 million of YOUR tax dollars are going to fight climate change in the Pacific Islands,”²². The tweet included a link to an article published by conservative news outlet CNSNews.org, a project of the Media Research Center, about a U.S. government grant of $3 million to the Pacific-American Climate Funds.²³

Funding

The Washington Post reported in 2015 that The LIBRE Initiative had received $10 million in funding from the Koch brothers since 2011. The money was channeled to LIBRE via Freedom Partners, a group dubbed the “Koch brothers’ secret bank” by Politico.²⁴

The following information is based on a combination of data archived by the Conservative Transparency project, combined with original research of publicly available IRS Form 990 filings by DeSmog:²⁵

Libre Initiative as Recipient

Recipient & Donor	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Grand Total
Libre Initiative Institute (Recipient)			$300,000	$250,000	$150,000	$700,000
DonorsTrust			$200,000	$250,000	$150,000	$600,000
Schwab Charitable Fund			$100,000			$100,000
The LIBRE Initiative (Recipient)	$3,957,366	$6,200,000	$6,500,000	$5,600	$7,600,000	$24,262,966
Center to Protect Patient Rights	$152,366					$152,366
Freedom Partners	$3,112,000	$6,200,000	$6,500,000	$5,600	$7,600,000	$23,417,600
TC4 Trust	$693,000					$693,000
Grand Total	$3,957,366	$6,200,000	$6,800,000	$255,600	$7,750,000	$24,962,966

Libre Initiative as Donor

The LIBRE Initiative gave $275,000 to the Hispanic Leadership Fund in 2014, according to IRS Form 990 filings.

IRS Form 990

Key People

Daniel Garza, The LIBRE Initiative’s founder and president, previously worked as a White House staffer under President George W. Bush.²⁶ ²⁷

David Velazquez, The LIBRE Initiative’s executive director, has over “ten years of ministry experience in the Central Florida area,” according to his bio page.²⁸ ²⁹

Wadi Gaitan was listed as The LIBRE Initiative’s press secretary in 2019 and its communications director in 2023. According to his 2019 bio page, prior to working for the group, he was the Republican Party of Florida’s director of communications, and had other roles including: press secretary for the U.S. House of Representatives Republican Conference while it was chaired by Rep Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington; communications director for Florida Republican Carlos Curbelo’s successful run for the House in 2014; and a position with Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign in which he “worked on Hispanic media.”³⁰ ³¹

César Grajales has described himself as a lobbyist for both Americans for Prosperity and The LIBRE Initiative on his LinkedIn profile, and as having previously worked as LIBRE’s Florida regional director.³²

Actions

June 6, 2018

The LIBRE Initiative co-wrote a letter with Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners in support of a trade bill opposing import tariffs.³³

February 12, 2018

The LIBRE Initiative President Daniel Garza was among dozens of conservative coalition members opposed to a federal gas tax increase, an effort organized by Americans for Tax Reform.

September 16, 2016

According to reporting by The Washington Post, three Koch network groups – The LIBRE Initiative, Concerned Veterans for America, and Generation Opportunity – were being consolidated as projects under the banner of Americans for Prosperity.³⁴

April 30, 2015

The Washington Post reported that The LIBRE Initiative had helped 250 Latinos, including undocumented immigrants, pass the Nevada driver’s test by organizing a test preparatory session in Las Vegas.³⁵

Contact & Address

As of July 2023, The LIBRE Initiative’s mailing address, phone number, and email address were: ³⁸

1310 N. Courthouse Rd.
Ste. 700
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 224-3200
[email protected]

Note: This mailing address and phone number are identical to those of Americans for Prosperity.

GuideStar lists the address of “The LIBRE Initiative Trust” as:

1320 N. Courthouse Rd.
Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201

@LIBREinitiative on Twitter.
@theLIBREinitiative on Facebook.

Other Resources

“The Libre Initiative,” SourceWatch.

Resources

1
“About Us,” The LIBRE Initiative. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/aGZra
2
“FAQs,” The LIBRE Initiative. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/qaFkQ
3
“About Us,” The LIBRE Initiative. Archived July 12, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.fo/wip/5OkJ1
4
Eric Hananoki. “The Libre Initiative: A Koch-Funded Group Being Passed Off As Empowering Hispanics,” Media Matters, March 2, 2015. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/hvTbQ
5
Fernando Espuelas. “Koch Brothers Aggressively Hunting 2016 Hispanic Vote,” Huffpost, June 4, 2014. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/RDL5z
6
Ashley Parker. “Koch Brothers Woo Hispanic Voters With Turkeys and Questionnaires,” The New York Times, November 25, 2015. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/qmkwO
7
Ashley Parker. “Koch Brothers Woo Hispanic Voters With Turkeys and Questionnaires,” The New York Times, November 25, 2015. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/qmkwO
8
Michael B. Keegan. “New Report Details Kochs’ Plan to Target Latino Voters,” Huffpost, February 19, 2015. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL:https://archive.fo/6qHrf
9
Michelle Fields. “Koch-Funded Efforts To Win Hispanics Crashing, Burning,” Huffpost, May 25, 2016.
10
(Press Release.) “CORTEZ MASTO: KOCHS’ DARK WEB OF MONEY FLOWS THROUGH THE LIBRE INITIATIVE TO DECEIVE LATINOS,” Catherine Cortez Masto, April 24, 2018. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/UnJD0
11
Tim Mak. “Breaking With Trump’s GOP, Koch Brothers Praise Democrats On Immigration,” NPR, May 17, 2018. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/7BQfz
12
Jane Mayer. “New Koch,” The New Yorker, January 18, 2016. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/t7xaH
13
“The LIBRE Institute Team,” The LIBRE Institute. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/hh6YV
14
“About – The LIBRE Institute,” The LIBRE Institute. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/ogfwk
15
“The LIBRE Institute Completes Back to School Events,” The LIBRE Institute. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/rjhGY
16
“Request for Proposals – ‘The LIBRE Institute Perspective Series’,” The LIBRE Institute. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/my0RY
17
Matea Gold. “In major shift, Koch consolidates network of advocacy groups into Americans for Prosperity,” The Washington Post, September 16, 2016. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8gPkt
18
Eric Hananoki. “The Libre Initiative: A Koch-Funded Group Being Passed Off As Empowering Hispanics,” Media Matters, March 2, 2015. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/hvTbQ
19
“ICYMI: The LIBRE Initiative Testifies in Favor of Protections Against Civil Asset Forfeiture,” The Libre Initiative, May 31, 2017. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL:https://archive.fo/YQLdh
20
Carli Dimino. “U.S. Supreme Court Stay Welcome News to Non-Celebrities,” The LIBRE Initiative, March 7, 2016. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/61N16
21
Carli Dimino. “Hispanics Can’t Catch Their Breath, or a Break, Thanks to Obama’s CO2 Rule,” The LIBRE Initiative, June 24, 2014. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/fvzVh
22
“$3 million of YOUR tax dollars are going to fight climate change in the Pacific Islands.” Tweet by user @LIBREinitiative, April 14, 2014. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.
23
“Federal Gov’t to Spend $3M to Fight Climate Change – in the Pacific Islands,” CNSNews.com, April 10, 2014. Archived June 19, 2014. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/JIZMi
24
Mary Jordan and Ed O’Keefe. “Koch brothers make push to court Latinos, alarming many Democrats,” The Washington Post, April 30, 2015. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/zHO4f
25
“Libre Initiative,” Conservative Transparency. Search performed July 29, 2019.
26
Jim Schaffer. “Why the Koch-Backed Libre Initiative is Welcoming Puerto Ricans to Florida,” Nonprofit Quarterly, January 10, 2018. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/5qSg2
27
“About Us,” The LIBRE Initiative. Archived July 12, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.fo/wip/5OkJ1
28
“David Velazquez,” The LIBRE Initiative. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/RH1Ri
29
“About Us,” The LIBRE Initiative. Archived July 12, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.fo/wip/5OkJ1
30
“WADI GAITAN,” The LIBRE Initiative. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/bmlNK
31
“WADI GAITAN,” The LIBRE Initiative. Archived July 12, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wip/BWSPl
32
“César Grajales,” LinkedIn. Accessed July 29, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
33
“Bipartisan Trade Bill Wins Backing of AFP, Freedom Partners and The LIBRE Initiative,” Freedom Partners, June 6, 2018. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/Rj0nE
34
Matea Gold. “In major shift, Koch consolidates network of advocacy groups into Americans for Prosperity,” The Washington Post, September 16, 2016. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8gPkt
35
Mary Jordan and Ed O’Keefe. “Koch brothers make push to court Latinos, alarming many Democrats,” The Washington Post, April 30, 2015. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/zHO4f
36
Matea Gold. “In major shift, Koch consolidates network of advocacy groups into Americans for Prosperity,” The Washington Post, September 16, 2016. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8gPkt
37
Mary Jordan and Ed O’Keefe. “Koch brothers make push to court Latinos, alarming many Democrats,” The Washington Post, April 30, 2015. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/zHO4f
38
“The LIBRE Initiative” website. Archived July 12, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wip/0AJCl

DeSmog

DeSmog

The LIBRE Initiative

The LIBRE Initiative