Nonprofit profile: League of Conservation Voters Inc.

Type of organization: 501(c)(4)

Supports candidate: Pro-environment” leaders to Congress, mostly Democrats

Founded: 1969

Website: http://www.lcv.org/

Social media: YouTube Facebook Twitter,

Finances (calendar year 2010):

• Total revenue: $19.5 million
• Total expenses: $19 million
• Net assets: $6.4 million

Tax return: 2010

Principals:

• Gene Karpinski ( president): Lobbyist for U.S. Public Interest Research Group for 21 years. Former field director for liberal nonprofits People for the American Wayand Congress Watch.
• Patrick Collins (senior vice president, finance and administration): Former chief financial officer at M + R Strategic Services, a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm.
• Navin Nayak (senior vice president, campaigns): Deputy campaign manager for Clean Energy Works, a national campaign to push for climate change legislation.
• Tiernan Sittenfeld (senior vice president, government affairs) Lobbied for environmental preservation at U.S. Public Interest Research Group. Former co-director at the Pew-funded Heritage Forests Campaign.

• Scott Nathan (chairman, board of directors): Chief risk officer at Baupost Group, a Boston investment firm.

Profile:

A Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit with a network of more than 30 state affiliates, the League of Conservation Voters is the top-spending, non-disclosing liberal group in the 2012 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The League has spent more than $4.4 million on independent expenditures so far this year, the lion’s share of which has gone to ads attacking the “Dirty Dozen” — a list of mostly Republican candidates who have voted against environmental regulation.

The group has taken particular aim at George Allen, who faces incumbent Democrat Tim Kaine in Virginia’s tight U.S. Senate contest. The League unleashed $1.4 million in TV attack ads and direct mail, according to Federal Election Commission records.

The League teamed up with House Majority PAC to release "George Allen: What's Wrong with Washington," which criticizes Allen — a former senator and Virginia governor — for his alleged ties to energy companies.

The group is not required to disclose its donors, however the Center for Responsive Politics reported it has received $345,000 from Milwaukee philanthropist Lynde Uihlein.

Earlier this summer, the League and other big-name conservation groups launched a wave of ads attacking GOP Senate nominee Heather Wilson, a former congresswoman from New Mexico, for her voting record on the regulation of MTBE — a water contaminant.

Established in 1969 by veteran environmentalist David Brower, the League lobbies for pro-environmental legislation and supports candidates with a similar agenda. The group has spent nearly $1.1 million on lobbying since 2002, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Advertisements:

• A pro-Obama online video highlighting the president’s stance on climate change.
• An ad attacking Mitt Romney’s alleged political ties to the oil industry.
• "Emma" and "Who's Wilson With?" link former congresswoman and GOP Senate nominee Heather Wilson to water contamination in New Mexico.
• A wild West-themed ad attacking U.S. Rep Francisco Canseco.

Last updated: Oct. 1, 2012