Overview

James Arthur "Art" Pope is a North Carolina businessman; conservative megadonor; and political operative who has been called the "Knight of the Right" for his role in reshaping North Carolina politics from a swing state into a Republican stronghold. As CEO and chairman of Variety Wholesalers; a discount retail chain; Pope used his fortune to fund a network of conservative organizations that effectively took over North Carolina's state government. He served on the board of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council); which drafts model legislation for state legislatures on behalf of corporate interests. Pope's network of organizations; including the John Locke Foundation; Civitas Institute; and Americans for Prosperity; spent tens of millions on state legislative races; helping Republicans win supermajorities that enabled aggressive gerrymandering of congressional and state legislative districts. A 2011 investigation by the Institute for Southern Studies found that Pope-backed groups had spent over $40 million on North Carolina politics over the previous decade. Governor Pat McCrory appointed Pope as state budget director in 2013; giving him direct control over the budget after his political spending had helped elect McCrory. Under Pope's influence; North Carolina passed voter ID laws; reduced early voting; and enacted some of the most aggressive redistricting in the country; maps later struck down by federal courts as unconstitutional racial gerrymanders.

Key Affiliations

Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (3)

Known Associates & Connections

Sources & Documentation

2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports