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For Immediate Release
July, 28 2021, 10:39am EDT
Contact:
Christian Norton, christian@concertedaction.
Concerted Action Launches One-Stop-Shop Tech Helpline for Digital Organizers
"Organizers Helpdesk" to provide on-call support and training to organizers navigating new tech tools, websites, and platforms.
WASHINGTON
Digital consulting firm Concerted Action publicly launched a first-of-its-kind helpline service today to help digital organizers better navigate the wealth of new tech tools that have proliferated in the progressive organizing space in recent years.
The "Organizers Helpdesk" is a one-stop service providing dedicated support and training for digital tools, websites, and platforms such as Action Network, Phone2Action, and WordPress, among others. Geared primarily at labor unions and progressive organizations, the service connects digital organizers with experienced professionals in the field who can address and resolve technical challenges as they arise, as well as train organizers in the skills needed to master key technological tools for the long term.
"Digital organizers today have more technology at their disposal than ever before to help their organizations expand their reach, but the technology is evolving so quickly that it can be hard to keep up," said Christian Norton, the Founder and CEO of Concerted Action. "We know that tools are only as effective as those who wield them. We set up the Organizers Helpdesk because we want all organizers to have a handle on all the tools that are available to them, and for our movement to be bigger and stronger as a result."
Concerted Action is a consulting firm that has been a leader in digital advocacy since its founding in 2015, providing both technical and organizing support to a wide range of organizations and unions including the AFL-CIO, Common Cause, the Communications Workers of America, the Democratic National Committee, Daily Kos, and the Poor People's Campaign. The Organizers Helpdesk represents the wide launch of digital organizing support that Concerted Action has been providing and perfecting for years.
The Organizers Helpdesk directly connects unions and progressive organizations to specialists who can address technical issues in real time. The service now provides support to all organizations regardless of prior experience with digital organizing tools. Interested clients can access the service online, where they can book a call to set up a plan. The service offers two different plans: Advocates and Organizers. The Advocates plan will provide on-call support for key organizing tools such as Action Network, GetThru, and New/Mode. The Organizers plan will include all the tools in the Advocates plan, along with additional support for Action Builder, Phone2Action, Union Hall, VAN, and WordPress. Customized trainings are also available as an add-on.
Once clients have finalized a contract, they'll be able to email a central support email address and receive a quick response with next steps and a guarantee to resolve client issues in a timely manner. Responses to client support tickets can be expected within three hours during normal hours of operation (9am-6pm ET, Monday-Friday). Clients at the Organizer level will also have a special emergency line for all of their support needs.
"I love knowing that our folks get quick, patient, friendly, and accurate technical support," said Amy Miller, Donor Organizer with the Poor People's Campaign. "The report-backs about what kind of questions are coming up also help us work together to tweak our tools and provide training. I don't know how we ever did it without them."
The Organizers Helpdesk is launching widely as tech tools are evolving at a faster pace - and as digital organizing plays a bigger role in the success of unions and progressive organizations. Given the recent growth of distributed organizing and remote work, organizations with large staffs or volunteer bases are facing a growing need for support learning and mastering digital organizing tools. The Organizers Helpdesk ensures that labor unions and progressive organizations can make the work of organizing easier and more accessible for their volunteers and staff.
Concerted Action is a one-stop consulting firm specializing in advocacy, organizing and the digital tools that power grassroots movements. We help non-profits and unions recruit supporters, build engaged and motivated communities and generate action. We're strategic, experienced, versatile and committed to your cause. Launched in 2015 as Blue Bulldog Digital and relaunched as Concerted Action in 2018.
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Elon Musk Dropping Millions on Wisconsin Supreme Court Race to Rig Political Maps for GOP
"Wisconsin voters should get to decide this election, not the richest billionaire in the world," said the Working Families Party.
Mar 25, 2025
Early voting is underway for the April 1 election to determine ideological control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and right-wing billionaire Elon Musk recently admitted why he is pouring millions of dollars into the close contest: It "will decide how congressional districts are drawn" in the state.
As Mother Jones' Ari Berman reported Tuesday, Musk—the richest person in the world and a key figure in Republican President Donald Trump's administration—made that comment Saturday, while hosting the right-wing candidate, Judge Brad Schimel of Waukesha County, and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), for a discussion on X, the billionaire's social media platform.
Musk said that if Judge Susan Crawford of Dane County wins, "then the Democrats will attempt to redraw the districts and cause Wisconsin to lose two Republican seats. In my opinion that's the most important thing, which is a big deal given that the congressional majority is so razor-thin. It could cause the House to switch to Democrat if that redrawing takes place."
Liberals have had a 4-3 majority on the swing state's highest court since the 2023 election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz. Crawford and Schimel are fighting for a 10-year term filling the seat now occupied by 74-year-old left-leaning Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, who decided not to seek reelection. In addition to determining the future of Republicans' 6-2 advantage for congressional districts, next week's election is expected to impact abortion care, labor rights, and voter suppression efforts in Wisconsin.
From @ariberman.bsky.social: Elon Musk revealed why he's spending millions to flip the Wisconsin Supreme Court It’s all about preserving gerrymandered districts that lock in Republican power. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
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— Joe Sudbay (@joesudbay.bsky.social) March 25, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Berman noted that if Crawford won and Wisconsin's maps changed before the 2026 midterm elections, a Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Represntatives could "scrutinize the unprecedented role Musk is playing in shredding the federal government, accessing sensitive personal information on millions of Americans, and the $38 billion in federal funding his businesses receive."
The billionaire also has a personal stake in the race related to one of his businesses. As The New York Timesnoted Saturday: "A conservative-controlled court could be in a position to issue a Musk-friendly decision in a lawsuit from his electric car company, Tesla, challenging Wisconsin's law prohibiting vehicle manufacturers from owning dealerships. On social media, Mr. Musk began to show interest in the Wisconsin court election eight days after Tesla filed the lawsuit in January."
Crawford campaign spokesperson Derrick Honeyman toldThe Associated Press on Monday that "this race is the first real test point in the country on Elon Musk and his influence on our politics, and voters want an opportunity to push back on that and the influence he is trying to make on Wisconsin and the rest of country."
As of Tuesday, Musk has recently given at least $3 million to the state's Republican Party, according toWisPolitics—which has also "tracked nearly $19.5 million in spending" on the race by two political action committees (PACs) affiliated with the billionaire.
GOP paid canvasser shows depth of support for Schimel. None. www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
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— Mark Pocan (@markpocan.bsky.social) March 25, 2025 at 9:58 AM
As Common Dreamsreported last week, Musk's America PAC is also offering registered Wisconsin voters $100 if they sign a petition opposing "activist judges," which led critics to accuse the billionaire of trying to buy the state Supreme Court seat.
Those critics include the Working Families Party, which has sent a pair of emails in recent days highlighting how much Musk has spent "to install MAGA extremist Brad Schimel" on the court, and arguing that "Wisconsin voters should get to decide this election, not the richest billionaire in the world."
Forbesreported Tuesday that "Musk is far from the only billionaire who is financially backing the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Among the other billionaires listed in public filings as spending thousands to support Schimel—either directly or through the Wisconsin Republican Party—are ABC Supply co-founder Diane Hendricks, Uline president Elizabeth Uihlein, Uline CEO Richard Uihlein, and Joe Ricketts, the founder of TD Ameritrade and owner of the Chicago Cubs. Crawford has also drawn significant billionaire support from the likes of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, and Democratic megadonor George Soros, who gave the Wisconsin Democratic Party $1 million in January."
WisPolitics noted Tuesday that "Crawford has now reported $26.5 million raised, a record for any judicial candidate in U.S. history," while Schimel "has now raised $14.3 million." However, according to Michael Waldman, president and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice, dark money on the race is favoring the right-wing candidate.
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"Much of the money being spent is untraceable," he stressed. "As the latest data shows, Crawford's campaign spending of $22 million is more than double that of Schimel's $10.4 million. But independent groups like super PACs and nonprofits spending untraceable dark money favor Schimel by a much larger margin: $13.5 million benefiting Crawford compared with almost $35.5 million boosting Schimel."
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