Press Statement

CAP Action Statement on ThinkProgress Operations

The Center for American Progress Action Fund released the following statement:

“The Center for American Progress and Center for American Progress Action Fund are both proudly unionized workplaces. We were faced with a difficult decision when, due to the same digital media trends that have faced so many media outlets, the ThinkProgress budget deficit—which fell to CAP and CAP Action to supplement—expanded from $700,000 to $2,500,000. In just the last eight years, CAP and CAPAF made an investment of over $11 million in ThinkProgress because of its important work, but that new level of deficit was unsustainable. Throughout an extensive process over many months, we were as transparent as possible with ThinkProgress staff. Finally, over several months we worked to find a new publisher, and unfortunately we found no one willing to take on ThinkProgress.

“At that point we were faced with a choice between shelving the site altogether or finding some productive value in using it with existing staff to hold the current corrupt occupant of the White House accountable. We felt that opting for the latter was the greater good, given the existential crisis our nation faces, and communicated that to staff and in public statements on Friday. However, it is clear that many former ThinkProgress staff feel that the site should simply be archived with no further posting, and we will honor that request, and end the membership program immediately.”

For more information on this, please contact Jesse Lee at [email protected] or 202-741-6350.