Themis / Themis Trust
Background
Themis was a 501(c)(4) nonprofit group and conservative voter database project launched by David and Charles Koch, and spearheaded by Koch operative Karl Crow.1Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J OpenSecrets reported in 2012 that Themis began operating early in the 2010 midterm election cycle with the goal of reaching GOP and libertarian voters more effectively.2Viveca Novak. “Exclusive: Nonprofit Funneled Money to Kochs’ Voter Database Effort, Other Conservative Groups,” OpenSecrets, December 21, 2012. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/NrDhW
The Themis effort was funded via a range of obscure disregarded entities, with the now-defunct “shadow money mailbox” TC4 Trust acting as a central node and funding conduit. According to OpenSecrets, “Under its own name, Themis received $2.5 million from TC4. But the donor group also gave $5.6 million to a Themis unit called STN LLC, and sent $1.8 million to yet another Themis LLC, DAS MGR. The grants from TC4 to Themis total $9.9 million.”3Robert Maguire and Viveca Novak. “Exclusive: Largest Dark Money Donor Groups Share Funds, Hide Links,” OpenSecrets.org. September 10, 2013. Archived July 31, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/GoRG8
According to publicly-available IRS Form 990 filings, Themis Trust filed for termination in the 2014/2015 fiscal year. It has been suggested that Themis Trust may have either been replaced by or operated in tandem with the Kochs’ for-profit data products firm, i360.4Brendan Fischer. “Kochs’ Freedom Partners Spent $129M in 2014, Invested Massively in Voter Data Lists,” PR Watch, November 18, 2015. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8PDiV Virtually all board members associated with Themis have a history of working with Koch-tied groups or foundations, many with direct ties to i360. For example, Themis trustee Michael Palmer went on to start i360.5Mike Allen and Kenneth P. Vogel. “Inside the Koch data mine,” Politico, December 8, 2014. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/G1kU2 Themis’ former director of operations,6Themis Trust 990 form for tax year ending 2014. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Chris Cardiff, was i360’s chief operating officer.7“Christopher F. Cardiff,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2019.
The database was reportedly named for Themis, the Greek goddess who imposes divine order on human affairs.8Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
Stance on Climate Change
Themis did not make public statements on climate change.
Funding
Themis received millions of dollars in donations from the Koch-controlled group TC4 Trust and Freedom Partners (defunct as of May 2013), with donations sometimes funneled through “disregarded entities” to obscure their source and destination. According to IRS Form 990 filings, Themis Trust had 100 percent ownership of these entities, “DAS MGR, LLC” and “STN, LLC.”9Robert Maguire and Viveca Novak. “Exclusive: Largest Dark Money Donor Groups Share Funds, Hide Links,” OpenSecrets.org. September 10, 2013. Archived July 31, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/GoRG8
The following data is based on data collected by the Conservative Transparency project combined with DeSmog’s review of original IRS Form 990 filings.
| Intermediary (Disregarded Entity) | ||||
| Recipient & Year | DAS MGR, LLC | None (Direct) | STN, LLC | Grand Total |
| Freedom Partners | $14,906,000 | $14,906,000 | ||
| 2012 | $5,781,000 | $5,781,000 | ||
| 2013 | $9,125,000 | $9,125,000 | ||
| TC4 Trust | $1,800,000 | $2,500,000 | $5,625,000 | $9,925,000 |
| 2010 | $2,500,000 | $2,500,000 | ||
| 2011 | $1,800,000 | $2,500,000 | $4,300,000 | |
| 2012 | $3,125,000 | $3,125,000 | ||
| Grand Total | $1,800,000 | $2,500,000 | $20,531,000 | $24,831,000 |
IRS Form 990 Filings
Key People
Themis Trust Board of Directors
The following people were named on Themis Trust’s IRS Form 990 filings:
| Name | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | Description |
| Christopher Cardiff | Y | Y | Director of Operations | |||
| Christopher Taylor | Y | Product Manager | ||||
| Jeffrey Noble | Y | End User Relations | ||||
| John Rogers | Y | Database Administrator | ||||
| Justin Kimbler | Y | Y | Director of Modeling | |||
| Karl Crow | Y | Y | Director of Strategy | |||
| Michael Palmer | Y | Y | Y | Trustee | ||
| Paul Brooks | Y | Y | Y | Trustee | ||
| Xiaowan Chen | Y | Senior Modeler |
Christopher Cardiff
Christopher F. Cardiff was program officer for market-based management at the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation from February 2007 to February 2011, and was was chief operating officer of i360, the Kochs’ for-profit data products company, from February 2011 to March 2023. Cardiff received a M.A. in economics from San Jose State University in 2005, and worked there as an adjunct professor of economics in 2006. Prior to this, he was a Netscape engineer, subsequently promoted to vice president of software engineering, from January 1996 to February 2004.10“Christopher F. Cardiff,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2019.
Jeffrey Noble
Jeff Noble was a senior development associate Koch Companies Public Sector, the lobbying division of Koch Industries. In 2014, Mother Jones reported that Noble had transitioned to Freedom Partners from his position at Koch Companies Public Sector, and was scheduled to meet with donors alongside Americans for Prosperity staff at the Koch Palm Springs Seminar.11Daniel Schulman and Andy Kroll. “The Koch Brothers Left a Confidential Document at Their Donor Conference,” Mother Jones, February 5, 2014. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/OnI9K 12“Koch Palm Springs Seminar Attendees,” SourceWatch, 2014. Archived October 11, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/6Rf61
Noble’s other roles have included program manager for higher education at the Charles Koch Foundation, and manager of state and federal policy outreach at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University for five years. Jeffrey Noble has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Clemson University, with a minor in speech and communications, and studied international commerce and policy at George Mason University.13“JEFF NOBLE,” Charles G Koch Charitable Foundation. Archived May 26, 2010. Archive.fo URL:https://archive.fo/mUobm
Justin Kimbler
Justin Kimbler has been the vice president of data science at the Koch’s data products company, i360, since 2013. On his LinkedIn profile, he lists a role of “Data Services and Data Science Manager” at an unidentified non-profit from April 2010 to January 2014, and a position as a policy associate at the Charles Koch Foundation from June 2009 to April 2010. From September 2006 to June 2009, Justin Kimbler was an intern and legislative assistant at the U.S. House of Representatives. He received an M.S. in statistics from Texas A&M University in 2017, and a B.S. in business management from the University of Louisville in 2005.14“Justin Kimbler.” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
Karl Crow
Karl Crow was a former lead strategist for Aegis Strategic,15”Your Aegis Team,” Aegis Strategic. Archived November 2, 2015. a group founded by the Kochs to handpick state and federal Republican candidates. According to his Aegis profile, Crow went on to co-found Koch’s for-profit data products company i360, where he headed up “strategy development and implementation efforts in concert with the End-User, Data and Modeling teams.” Prior to i360, Crow worked as a project coordinator at the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, where he focused “on how political advocates for economic freedom are identified, trained and promoted.”16Andy Kroll. “New Koch-Linked Political Firm Aims to Handpick ‘Electable’ Candidates,” Mother Jones, January 17, 2014. Archived May 26, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/4USUJ
Michael Palmer
Michael Palmer was the chief technology officer for Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, and went on to found and lead i360, the Koch’s data products company.17Mike Allen and Kenneth P. Vogel. “Inside the Koch data mine,” Politico, December 8, 2014. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/G1kU2
Paul Brooks
In 1994, The New York Times reported that an individual named Paul Brooks was a senior vice president at Koch Industries.18Leslie Wayne. “Pulling the Wraps Off Koch Industries,” The New York Times, November 20, 1994. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/I1mw8
Other People
Ben Pratt
Ben Pratt, a Koch Industries executive, was identified as Themis’ chief operating officer by Reuters in 2012.19Paul Henderson. “Kochs help Republicans catch up on technology,” Reuters, May 17, 2012. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/edbC7
According to his LinkedIn profile, Pratt became senior vice president of market-based management at Koch Industries in 2009, and previously worked as chief information officer at Koch Supply & Trading, the commodity trading arm of Koch Industries, from 1995 to 2004.20“Ben Pratt,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
Actions
June 2010
While attending a Koch network gathering in Aspen, Colorado, Karl Crow reportedly introduced Themis and its mission under the heading of “Mobilizing Citizens.”21Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
“Is there a chance to elect leaders who are more strongly committed to liberty and prosperity?” Crow said, adding that he wanted to put forward a “strategic plan to educate voters on the importance of economic freedom.”22Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
The Guardian reported that Themis was described as a “micro-targeting” initiative to better understand the electorate. “How can we take advantage of this advanced technology?” the agenda asked.23Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
Related Organizations
PR Watch reported in 2015 that there might have been a connection between Themis Trust and a company named Demeter Analytic Services, as well as with Koch’s for-profit data products company, i360.24Brendan Fischer. “Kochs’ Freedom Partners Spent $129M in 2014, Invested Massively in Voter Data Lists,” PR Watch, November 18, 2015. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8PDiV
“It is not clear whether Demeter replaced Themis Trust, the Koch data operation also named for a Greek god that had previously been working with i360,” PR Watch reported. The article also noted that Themis’ 2013 tax filing described Demeter Analytics as a “related organization.”25Brendan Fischer. “Kochs’ Freedom Partners Spent $129M in 2014, Invested Massively in Voter Data Lists,” PR Watch, November 18, 2015. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8PDiV
The Koch-controlled Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, which funded Themis, has a 100 percent ownership of Demeter Analytics Services, which Politico has described as “the holding company for the Freedom Partners-owned data firm i360.”26Kenneth P. Vogel. “The Koch intelligence agency,” Politico, November 18, 2015. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/l0Ed9
Disregarded Entities
According to IRS Form 990 filings, Themis Trust retained 100 percent ownership of three disregarded entities:
- DAS MGR LLC
- STN LLC
- WSSPONSOR LLC
In its 2011 and 2012 IRS Form 990 filings, Themis also listed the following “related tax-exempt organizations”:
- The Institute for Faith, Work, & Economics (EIN 45-2481867)
- Evangchr4 Trust (EIN 45-2324423)
Contact & Address
The following information is based on publicly available IRS Form 990 filings.
As of 2013/2014:
2300 Clarendon Blvd
Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22201
Ph: (703) 672-2710
From initial filing in 2010/2011 through 2012/2013 filing:
1800 Diagonal Road
Alexandria, VA 22314
Suite 140
(703) 549-0780
Social Media
Themis had no known activity on social media.
Other Resources
- “Themis,” SourceWatch.
Resources
- 1Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
- 2Viveca Novak. “Exclusive: Nonprofit Funneled Money to Kochs’ Voter Database Effort, Other Conservative Groups,” OpenSecrets, December 21, 2012. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/NrDhW
- 3Robert Maguire and Viveca Novak. “Exclusive: Largest Dark Money Donor Groups Share Funds, Hide Links,” OpenSecrets.org. September 10, 2013. Archived July 31, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/GoRG8
- 4Brendan Fischer. “Kochs’ Freedom Partners Spent $129M in 2014, Invested Massively in Voter Data Lists,” PR Watch, November 18, 2015. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8PDiV
- 5Mike Allen and Kenneth P. Vogel. “Inside the Koch data mine,” Politico, December 8, 2014. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/G1kU2
- 6Themis Trust 990 form for tax year ending 2014. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 7“Christopher F. Cardiff,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2019.
- 8Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
- 9Robert Maguire and Viveca Novak. “Exclusive: Largest Dark Money Donor Groups Share Funds, Hide Links,” OpenSecrets.org. September 10, 2013. Archived July 31, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/GoRG8
- 10“Christopher F. Cardiff,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2019.
- 11Daniel Schulman and Andy Kroll. “The Koch Brothers Left a Confidential Document at Their Donor Conference,” Mother Jones, February 5, 2014. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/OnI9K
- 12“Koch Palm Springs Seminar Attendees,” SourceWatch, 2014. Archived October 11, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/6Rf61
- 13“JEFF NOBLE,” Charles G Koch Charitable Foundation. Archived May 26, 2010. Archive.fo URL:https://archive.fo/mUobm
- 14“Justin Kimbler.” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 15”Your Aegis Team,” Aegis Strategic. Archived November 2, 2015.
- 16Andy Kroll. “New Koch-Linked Political Firm Aims to Handpick ‘Electable’ Candidates,” Mother Jones, January 17, 2014. Archived May 26, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/4USUJ
- 17Mike Allen and Kenneth P. Vogel. “Inside the Koch data mine,” Politico, December 8, 2014. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/G1kU2
- 18Leslie Wayne. “Pulling the Wraps Off Koch Industries,” The New York Times, November 20, 1994. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/I1mw8
- 19Paul Henderson. “Kochs help Republicans catch up on technology,” Reuters, May 17, 2012. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/edbC7
- 20“Ben Pratt,” LinkedIn. Accessed August 16, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 21Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
- 22Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
- 23Ed Pilkington. “Koch brothers: secretive billionaires to launch vast database with 2012 in mind,” The Guardian, November 7, 2011. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/PVp4J
- 24Brendan Fischer. “Kochs’ Freedom Partners Spent $129M in 2014, Invested Massively in Voter Data Lists,” PR Watch, November 18, 2015. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8PDiV
- 25Brendan Fischer. “Kochs’ Freedom Partners Spent $129M in 2014, Invested Massively in Voter Data Lists,” PR Watch, November 18, 2015. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/8PDiV
- 26Kenneth P. Vogel. “The Koch intelligence agency,” Politico, November 18, 2015. Archived August 16, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/l0Ed9
