An advocacy group formed by allies of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear reported in an IRS filing last month that it raised $1,378,250 in 2024, though the identity of its donors was not disclosed.
“Heckbent” was formed early last year by Beshear allies as a 501(c)(4) “social welfare” organization, which are often called “dark money” groups due to IRS rules not requiring them to identify donors. Such groups have grown to be a dominant force in American elections since the Citizens United decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010.
The group is led by Beshear’s top political strategist Eric Hyers, who said it would promote the Democratic governor’s policy agenda. Hyers led Beshear’s two campaigns for governor. His firm also runs In This Together, which is Beshear’s political super PAC that must disclose donors to the Federal Election Commission.
As previously reported in 2024, Heckbent contributed $400,000 to Kentuckians for Public Education, a PAC that spent $1.5 million on ads to successfully defeat a constitutional ballot referendum that would have allowed public money to go to private education. In This Together also contributed $900,000 to the PAC to help defeat the ballot measure.
In Heckbent’s 990 form filed in November, it listed the purpose of this expense to defeat the constitutional amendment as “social welfare.” IRS rules require a 501(c)(4) to direct a majority of its spending on social welfare, which includes “seeking legislation germane to the organization's programs.”
Heckbent categorized as “political” its $175,000 contribution to Kentuckians for Good Judges, an independent PAC that paid for ads in support of Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Pamela Goodwine, who ended up winning the race by a wide margin. In This Together was the only other donor to the PAC, giving $335,000.
Heckbent reported spending more than $917,000 total, including another $149,535 on “advertisements during the Kentucky General Assembly that urged legislators to support a budget that fairly compensates teachers for the work they do in Kentucky Public Schools.”
In This Together made the required disclosures to the FEC of who contributed $2.5 million to the PAC in 2024 and $1.4 million in the first half of this year, but the 990 IRS filing of Heckbent last month listed “N/A” by each of its 51 itemized contributions.
Five contributions to Heckbent were each $100,000, while the next largest were for $85,000 and $75,000. The smallest contribution was $5,000, with 12 coming in at that amount.
Hyers did not immediately reply to an email asking if he or the governor would voluntarily disclose the identities of Heckbent’s donors last year, and how they would respond to anyone criticizing the nature of anonymous donors who may or may not also be attempting to influence policies.
As for Beshear’s donors to In This Together, last year the top two donors each gave $250,000 — Deborah Simon, an Indiana philanthropist and part owner of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, and Andrew Nathan Schwartzberg, the president of a Maryland real estate company who also owns a part of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. In the first half of this 2025, Schwartzberg was also the top donor to the PAC, giving $225,000.
In This Together has been used as a tool for Beshear to build allies and raise his political profile around the country as he weighs a potential run for president in 2028. The PAC has contributed to candidates and races around the country, in addition to paying for his travel around the country to speak at political events and fundraisers.
