Clinton Fans Form 527 To Tackle Gender, Race

With about a week to go before the critical Democratic presidential primary in Texas, several supporters of Senator Clinton have formed a new political organization in the state promising to tackle explosive issues of race and gender in the campaign for the White House.

"We believe that America's progress is dependent on providing real solutions to the challenges facing America today and tomorrow regardless of our President's race or gender," the fledgling group, Americans for Progress, declares on its Web site, americansforprogress.org, which is under construction. "As a group of Multi-Cultural men we intend to ensure that gender and racial bias do not consume the hearts and minds of the American people. We stand on a platform that neutralizes the forces of gender and race bigotry so Americans can focus on the issues."

The organization registered with the Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday as a so-called 527 group, known by a section of the tax code for nonprofit political committees. The report, at forms.irs.gov/politicalOrgsSearch/search/Print.action?formId=28976&formType=E71, identifies the group's board members as a businessman and former Green Bay Packers running back, Christopher Darkins of Houston; a high school teacher of Houston, Nelson Espitia, and a vice president of the Shell Oil Co. foundation, Hasting Stewart of Pearland, Tex.

"One thing we all share is we think that Senator Clinton is the most qualified person for the job," Mr. Darkins said in a phone interview yesterday with The New York Sun. "It's really a group that will focus on talking about issues we believe are important."

Asked whether Americans for Progress plans to take out television ads, Mr. Darkins said, "It's a mix, potentially, of commercials, the Internet, and potential phone dialing, phone calls."

Mr. Darkins would not discuss the group's fund-raising goals. "We're not in a position right now to disclose how much money we've raised," he said.

The former pro football player said the group had been working with advertising consultants, but he declined to identify them. "The strategy is still in formulation," he said.

Asked if the group plans to become active before Tuesday, Mr. Darkins said: "It's possible that we'll get something out before March 4th, but we're certainly positioning ourselves to be effective after the March 4th primaries. We're not convinced that the election won't continue on."

At least one other 527 group has been formed in recent days by people who support Mrs. Clinton's presidential bid, the California-based American Leadership Project. It disclaims any purpose to support Mrs. Clinton. However, the one Web video the group has released so far lauds the former first lady and closely tracks with her key arguments against her rival, Senator Obama.

Mr. Obama is also being supported by a California-based 527, Vote Hope.

The 527 organizations could attract money from donors who have "maxed out" to either Democrats' official campaign. The ostensibly independent groups often accept donations of any size, but the law requires the organizations to remain at arm's length from the campaign.

A spokesman for Mrs. Clinton, Howard Wolfson, said he had not heard of the new group, Amercians for Progress.

Federal Election Commission filings disclose that one of the founders of the organization, Mr. Stewart, gave $1,000 to Mrs. Clinton's presidential bid. The records do not seem to show any donations by Messrs. Darkins or Espitia. However, Diana Espitia, who shares the same Houston address as Nelson Espitia, has given $3,300 to Mrs. Clinton. In federal filings, Ms. Espitia is identified as "chief of staff" to an executive coach and author, Karen Otazo Hofmeister of Houston. Her husband, John Hofmeister, is the president of Shell. The Hofmeisters have each given the maximum $4,600 to Mrs. Clinton, though they also donated to two other presidential candidates who have since dropped out, Thomas Vilsack, a Democrat, and Mayor Giuliani, a Republican.

Mr. Darkins said he was not familiar with the Hofmeisters. A spokesman for Shell, Shaun Wiggins, said Mr. Hofmeister had no involvement with Americans for Progress. Messrs. Espitia and Stewart did not respond to an email seeking comment for this article, Mr. Stewart did not reply to a phone message, and Ms. Hofmeister could not be reached.