MINNEAPOLIS — Billionaire George Soros is spending money to fuel an initiative to “dismantle” and replace the Minneapolis Police Department, according to campaign finance records.
An advocacy nonprofit group in Soros’ network called The Open Society Policy Center has ponied up a donation of $500,000 to Vote Yes 4 Minneapolis in November, one month after it was established, the records show. The center is a coalition of at least 33 activist organizations. They are pushing a ballot initiative to amend the city charter to replace the police department with a public safety agency, Fox News reported.
The Vote Yes 4 Minneapolis movement has collected more than $1 million to undermine policing in the city, according to campaign finance records released Tuesday. The Soros contribution remains the most significant to date.
“Open Society is a longtime funder of efforts to secure racial justice and equity,” an Open Society Policy Center spokesperson told Fox News. “We’re proud to support local organizations who are engaging their elected leaders, city officials, and neighbors on how best to achieve community safety and well-being.”
“This has included a wide range of approaches to public safety and we defer to the judgment of our grantees on what works best to achieve safe and healthy communities,” the spokesperson said.
Other outside liberal groups have also stepped in to provide significant assistance to the effort. Since the Soros donation was made, the Washington, D.C.-based MoveOn.org provided $430,000 in contributions and other non-cash aid in the form of goods and services, according to campaign finance records. Moreover, the ACLU contributed $75,000 in cash and $4,000 in staff time, the records show.
Vote Yes 4 Minneapolis collected $1,022,000 in cash contributions since its formation late last year, according to the records. After expenses, the group reports a current cash balance of roughly $475,000.
