A low-profile Google Group
used by over 1,000 state
and national leftwing leaders and activists has been discovered thanks
to Wisconsin’s open records law. A Media Trackers inquiry into the
actions of a University of Wisconsin professor (
Joel
Rogers) turned up
records
and communications
from “Gamechanger Salon,” an online community that provides a forum for
leftwing activists and leaders to share tactics, strategies and
opinions.
Operating as a closed Google Group, much of what the network does is
unavailable for public review. However, a document listing the
network’s membership and a policy manual describing the mission and
ground rules for the entity were accessible when Media Trackers
discovered a non-password protected link in the emails obtained through
an open records request of a University of Wisconsin professor.
Media Trackers also attempted to join the group but our request to join
was denied.
Gamechanger Salon is comprised of “experienced change makers from
different ‘worlds’ of the movement to share stories, honest
reflections, interesting articles, and provocative ideas on how we
build a stronger, more coordinated, more game-changing movement for the
21st Century” according to the policy manual.
The group has the self-described goal of creating a “more coordinated”
movement for liberals across the country. Among those included on the
membership list are:
The group’s
policy manual directs members to abstain from forwarding emails to
recipients outside the group. It does warn, however, that with
1,000-plus
members,
anyone emailing the group should not say anything “you wouldn’t want to
be subpoenaed by a Grand Jury or broadcast on Fox News.”
Media Trackers’ open records request focused on the records of
University of Wisconsin Professor, and director of UW’s Center on
Wisconsin Strategy (COWS), Joel Rogers. Rogers, as the records request
turned up ....
[continued]
(H/T
Red
State)
