How do the Dorr Brothers do it?

See the   full list  of all their organizations (24 in 11 states)

Mitch Berg, Shot in the Dark Blogger and podcaster, has been reporting on the Dorr Brothers since 2013
Commenting on their latest move capitalizing on the pandemic.



Watch these videos produced by the Iowa Gun Owners - Truth about IGO Facebook Page

Inside the Dorr Brothers Family Business Series

Episode 1: What State is This?
Episode 2: Attacking the Allies
Episode 3: Weakening the Cause








Article from Cleveland, OH

What about the Money?

They have admitted on video that they get paid from the for-profit mail & print house Midwest Freedom Enterprises LLC (MFE) where Aaron Dorr is Marketing Director. It appears they:
  • Rent or sell themselves their own mailing lists,
  • Have their multiple non-profits purchase their adverising, print and mailing materials from their for-profit company, and  
  • Pay themselves management fees.



  • NEW! Since the Dorr Brothers have been increasingly exposed and are being looked at with additional scrutiny, they responded by releasing a video called "Midwest Freedom Enterprises" to try to explain how this for-profit business works and why it shouldn't be questioned. The video raises more questions than answers. During the entire video they claim they and this business are the reason for every good thing that happened in Minnesota and Iowa since their arrival (when over and over the state legislators that were really involved in these efforts call them out as liars). They don't explain their management fees (not even mentioned). And they try to explain away their numerous dierct-mail FUNDRAISING LETTERS are the reason why they need MFE. 

How Much?

Per that same cleveland.com article:

"So how much money are Ohio Gun Owners and the group’s other state chapters bringing in?
In 2015, the group’s first year in existence, Ohio Gun Owners raised $10,904, according to a federal tax filing. In 2016, the group’s fundraising increased more than tenfold to $123,827. In 2017, the group said it made $89,483.
Minnesota Gun Rights from 2016 to 2018, the most recent three years tax records are available, raised about $225,200 annually. It reported spending about $200,000 annually, reporting 90% went toward fundraising expenses, according to its tax filings.

Another chapter, Iowa Gun Owners, raised $946,681 from 2015 to 2017, the most recent three years for which filings are available. It spent $953,951, of which $121,883 went to TV and radio advertising, and $216,765 went to “direct mail fees”. It reported spending $0 on fundraising.
Ohio Gun Owners in 2016 spent $99,936, including $26,252 on printing, postage and mail, and $6,055 on advertising. It reported spending another $53,296 on “direct mail fees” and $3,500 on “consulting.” In 2017, it spent $80,784, including $21,462 on direct mail fees, $18,500 on consulting, $6,965 on advertising and $5,397 on card-processing and copywriting. It did not disclose fundraising costs.
Georgia Gun Owners, an affiliate run by someone outside of the Dorr family, has raised an annual average of $235,100 in the three most recent years tax filings are available. It’s reported 30% of its spending goes toward fundraising.
The Dorrs have founded affiliates in Missouri, Idaho, Tennessee, Virginia, New Hampshire and Wisconsin that haven’t reported raising above $50,000, the threshold that triggers greater disclosure under IRS rules for nonprofits.
They recently also founded a national organization, the American Firearms Coalition, which the Dorrs used to protest the National Rifle Association for being too compromising at an April convention in Indianapolis."


Illegality?

Per that same cleveland.com article:
"Cleveland.com asked Scott Hubay, an Ohio attorney who specializes in campaign finance law, to review the filings for the Minnesota, Iowa and Ohio chapters. He said the combination of the Minnesota chapter’s high fundraising expenses, the management fees paid by the Iowa and Minnesota chapters to a Dorr-tied political firm and the lack of disclosure about employee compensation raises questions about how the Dorr groups spend their money in general.
“It seems to me like what they’re doing is using them just to drum up business to themselves,” he said."