Leadership Now Project

The Leadership Now Project (LNP) is a nonprofit membership group for business leaders who seek to "protect and renew American democracy."[1] For 2023-2024, the group stated that its goals were to educate business professionals about democracy, reform elections, and, as a 501(c)4 organization, support "moderate candidates" in U.S. elections.[2]

The New York Times described LNP as a "coalition of 400 politically active current and retired executives".[3] The Associated Press described LNP as a "group of business executives, academics and thought leaders."[4] Bloomberg described LNP as a "group of business leaders who had organized to counter what they saw as threats to democracy during the last Trump administration."[5]

History

The Leadership Now Project was founded in 2017 by Daniella Ballou-Aares as President, Vicky Hausman (now with Forward Majority) as Treasurer, and Katherine Cousins as Secretary.[6] Ballou-Aares is the CEO of LNP.[7][8][9]

The New York Times described Ballou-Aares as a "business executive who was a senior State Department adviser during the Obama administration."[3]

In 2018, LNP's revenues were $445,000 and by 2021 its revenues were $2.4 million.[10][11]

Members

Members of LNP include

Activities

Prior to the 2020 election, the Project arranged for more than 50 business leaders to issue a statement about election integrity.[14]

In 2024, LNP submitted an amicus brief to oppose immunity from prosecution for President Donald Trump.[15][16] It also supported an anti-gerrymandering ballot initiative in Ohio.[17]

In June 2024, LNP issued a pledge, signed by business leaders, that it asked to be signed by presidential candidates. The six commitments of the pledge include the "peaceful transition of power, in victory or defeat."[18][19]

In 2024, Melinda Gates participated in LNP's Annual Meeting in New York.[20][21]

The group has also attracted criticism, such as its lack of practical action for the leaders' companies to reduce "income and wealth inequality" and improve job security.[22]

2024 US Presidential election

In the run-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential elections and after the first Presidential debate organized by CNN in Atlanta, Ballou-Aares of LNP explained on CNN's Quest Means Business about why LNP believes Joe Biden should withdraw from the race.[23] Ballou-Aares told Michelle Fleury of the BBC how more than 80% of the membership of LNP believed going public about asking President Joe Biden to pass the torch was the right thing to do.[24]

LNP issued a statement asking President Biden to step aside and not run for re-election,[3] with a private letter from 168 business professionals.[12][13]

In the statement, LNP described the possibility of a second Trump term “an existential threat to American democracy”.[3] The statement noted that at the first presidential debate in Atlanta, Mr. Biden “failed to effectively make the case against Trump, and we now fear the risk of a devastating loss in November.”[3]

In September 2024, LNP endorsed Harris-Walz.[25][26]

In October 2024, The Financial Times quoted Ballou-Aares of LNP in its article titled Kamala Harris’s Wall Street charm offensive begins to pay off as saying: "People had been staying out, giving to congressional campaigns and preparing for the worst . . . they are now engaged."[27]

References

  1. ^ "Leadership Now Project". Leadership Now Project. 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  2. ^ "Priorities". Leadership Now Project. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Vogel, Kenneth P. (2024-07-03). "A Group of Business Leaders Call on Biden to Step Aside". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  4. ^ KIM, SEUNG MIN; WEISSERT, WILL; AMIRI, FARNOUSH (4 July 2024). "Biden vows to keep running as signs point to rapidly eroding support for him on Capitol Hill". apnews.com. Associated Press. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  5. ^ Sink, Justin (4 July 2024). "Biden's Fourth of July Shrouded by Pressure to Drop 2024 Bid". bloomberg.com. Bloomberg News. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Leadership Now Project, 990-EZ, 2017" (PDF). Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  7. ^ Viser, Matt (5 July 2024). "Biden declares that only 'the Lord Almighty' can drive him from the race". washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  8. ^ McFarland, Jen (28 May 2019). "A MORE PERFECT UNION". hbs.edu. Harvard Business School. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Daniella Ballou-Aaers". representwomen.org. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Leadership Now Project, Form 990, 2018" (PDF). Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "Leadership Now Project, Form, 990" (PDF). Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Scherer, Michael (2024-07-05). "Business leaders, pro-Democracy activists send letter asking Biden to withdraw". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  13. ^ a b "More Democratic Megadonors Abandon Biden". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  14. ^ "Business Leaders Speak Out on Election Integrity". The New York Times. 2020-10-14. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  15. ^ ""In Trump Case, Justices Get Reminded Presidents Aren't Kings"". Leadership Now Project. 2024-04-10. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  16. ^ Buehler, Katie · (April 9, 2024). "In Trump Case, Justices Get Reminded Presidents Aren't Kings - Law360 Pulse". www.law360.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  17. ^ Steinglass, Steven H. (2024-06-12). "The business case for rejecting Ohio gerrymandering • Ohio Capital Journal". Ohio Capital Journal. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  18. ^ "Business Leader Statement On Respect For Elections". Leadership Now Project. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  19. ^ Angell, Melissa (June 27, 2024). "Reid Hoffman, Other Business Leaders Call on Candidates to Respect the Election Outcome". Inc.
  20. ^ "Melinda French Gates Highlights Leadership Now Project on LinkedIn". leadershipnowproject.org. Leadership Now Project. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  21. ^ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/melindagates_building-womens-political-power-not-only-activity-7198816920731611137-YGEo/
  22. ^ Kelly, Jack. "Leadership Now Project: How Do We Save Our Democracy?". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  23. ^ Quest Means Business [@questCNN] (5 July 2024). ""Our major concern is that Trump does not return to the presidency. We are deeply concerned that Biden will not be able to make the case against the former president." Leadership Now Project CEO @dballouaares on her organization's push to get Joe Biden off the ballot" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "BBC News Interview with CEO Daniella Ballou-Aares". vimeo.com. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  25. ^ "Vance Rallies Supporters in Arizona as Walz Stumps in Pennsylvania". nytimes.com. The New York Times. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024. Leadership Now Project, a coalition of business leaders that pushed President Biden to leave the race, will endorse Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday evening, said Daniella Ballou-Aares, the group's chief executive. The group, founded in 2017, has endorsed both Democrats and Republicans ...
  26. ^ "Leadership Now Project Endorses Kamala Harris for President and Tim Walz for Vice President". leadershipnowproject.org. Leadership Now Project. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  27. ^ Masters, Brooke; Fontanella-Khan, James; Agnew, Harriet; Fedor, Lauren (4 October 2024). "Kamala Harris's Wall Street charm offensive begins to pay off". ft.com. The Financial Times. Retrieved 22 October 2024.