Grassroots Groups Protest Role of Billionaire Jeff Yass in Undermining Democracy and Attempting to Buy Election - Action Center on Race and the Economy

(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)— Today at 11:30am ET, grassroots organizers and community members in Philadelphia will protest at the Susquehanna International Group’s HQ, Jeff Yass’ corporation. Jeff Yass—the richest man in PA—is a founder of Susquehanna International Group (SIG), a large privately held Wall Street firm. He is reportedly worth $30 billion and is the 6th biggest mega donor in the country for the upcoming midterm elections.

“Jeffrey Yass, the richest person in Pennsylvania, is spending his vast wealth to benefit himself. He spends his millions of dollars on issues that divide us pitting communities against each other. We’re here today to show up in a way that he doesn’t – in person and with justice on our side. We’re calling attention to what he’s doing to Pennsylvania. He should have to answer to all of us for the totality of the division he sows through his political spending. said Pastor Nicolas O’Rourke with PA Working Families Party. 

Yass is one of the leading right-wing donors ripping our democracy apart. He helped to fund the January 6th insurrection and funded many efforts to weaken public schools. Jeff Yass keeps a low-profile to peddle influence under the radar. On Thursday grassroots organizations representing an unprecedented coalition of people will fight back.

Jeff Yass is a threat to democracy in Pennsylvania. He rigs the rules to work for him and line his pockets, using his billions to elect and influence politicians to pass policies against the interests of working people,” said Howard Fisher, member of One Pennsylvania.

Last year a Pro Publica investigation found he avoided over $1 billion in tax payments. Yass is the single largest donor to Pennsylvania’s rightwing dark money infrastructure. He funds elections though a network of political action committees (PACs) and lobbying groups that influence legislation on issues like privatizing public schools, cutting corporate taxes, banning abortion, busting unions, cutting our social safety nets.

Yass is the single largest donor to Pennsylvania’s rightwing dark money infrastructure. He funds elections though a network of political action committees (PACs) and lobbying groups that influence legislation on issues like privatizing public schools, cutting corporate taxes, banning abortion, busting unions, cutting our social safety nets, campaigning against ‘critical race theory’ in schools, and blocking climate solutions

“Jeffrey Yass is a threat to our democracy. Billionaires should not have unchecked influence in our society,” said Diana Robinson, Civic Engagement Director for Make the Road PA.

We need to stop billionaires like Yass from rigging the rules by:

  1. Taxing the rich and abolishing the uniformity clause in Pennsylvania so that billionaires pay what they owe to our communities and stop having so much money to pollute our democracy; 
  2. Passing campaign finance limits in Pennsylvania so those with the most can’t give unlimited campaign donations; and
  3. Passing lobbying reform bills, like a gift ban, so billionaires have less influence on legislation. 

The coalition of groups organizing this protest includes Pennsylvania Working Families, Free the Ballot, Make the Road PA, Reclaim Philadelphia, One Pennsylvania and the Action Center on Race & The Economy.

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The Action Center on Race & the Economy (ACRE) is a 501(c)(4) organization formed in 2017 that drives political and policy campaigns that fight for structural change. We directly take on the financial institutions and anti-democratic actors that are responsible for pillaging communities of color and poor families, subverting voting rights, and destroying our environment. 

We support racial, economic, and environmental justice organizations with strategic planning and advocacy coordination on political campaigns. We also lead campaigns to spotlight the political influence that corporate and financial profiteers wield as they erode the basic racial and economic rights of communities of color.