Obama's Former Campaign Org Shaking Up Leadership

The head of Organizing for Action (OFA), Obama’s former campaign apparatus, is resigning his position, causing a shake-up in the group’s top staffers.

OFA Director Jon Carson is resigning his position to go to work for an undisclosed solar power company starting in December. Replacing him as the head of Obama’s campaign organization will be the group’s national grassroots organizing director Sara El-Amine.

Many of the group’s top staffers will also be climbing the ladder. OFA’s deputy national issues campaign director Abby Witt is being named the new managing director. Also being promoted to management will be Jennifer Warner and Ashley Pinedo.

Katie Hogan, the group’s spokesperson, released a statement announcing the changes. “These new leadership positions strengthen OFA’s ability to empower grassroots volunteers to become even better organizers in their communities, engage their networks with information about getting affordable health coverage and make their voices heard,” the statement read.

Carson isn’t completely leaving Obama’s pitch group, though. He will reportedly become a co-chairman with Obama flack Jim Messina.

OFA’s influence is not as strong as it once was. According to The Hill, even though the nation is on the verge of an important election, in the last quarter OFA raised only about half the amount it raised earlier this year.

The group also fired half its paid staff and stopped chasing high-dollar donors.

Last year OFA was accused of selling access to the President for campaign donations. Donors who gave OFA $500,000 each were allowed to attend quarterly meetings with Obama as well as other meetings at the White House.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston, or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.