The American Movement

Campaign Ethics & Governance Manual

Stewardship Before Fundraising

Version 1.0

A Personal Message from Antonio Merrick

If you are reading this document before seeing a "Donate" button on my campaign website, that is intentional. The American Movement was founded on a simple belief:

The American people deserve honesty before they are asked for money.

Running for President of the United States is one of the most difficult undertakings in American politics. I fully recognize that my campaign for President in 2028 is a long shot. History tells us that most presidential candidates do not win.

Because of that reality, I believe I have a moral responsibility to answer an important question before asking anyone for financial support:

"What happens to my donation if you do not become President?"

That question deserves a clear answer. I will never ask Americans to contribute to my campaign without first explaining how those contributions will be protected, managed, and used.

Whether this campaign succeeds or falls short, every decision regarding campaign resources should reflect the values we are asking the American people to support.

This document is my public commitment. It explains how The American Movement intends to conduct itself, how campaign funds will be managed, how ethical decisions will be made, how conflicts of interest will be addressed, how volunteers and staff will be expected to behave, and how remaining campaign funds will be handled if our campaign ends. Trust should be earned before it is requested.

Mission Statement

The American Movement exists to unite Americans around service, integrity, accountability, and constitutional government. Our campaign will strive to demonstrate that ethical leadership begins long before Election Day.

Core Principles

Every action taken by The American Movement should reflect these principles:

Integrity before politics.
Service before self.
Transparency before secrecy.
Accountability before excuses.
Unity before division.
Stewardship before fundraising.

These principles apply equally to the candidate, campaign leadership, staff, consultants, and volunteers.

Financial Stewardship

Campaign contributions are not personal gifts. They are resources entrusted to a campaign for a specific public purpose. Every contribution—whether it is $5 or $5,000—will be treated with equal respect. Campaign funds will be used only for lawful campaign purposes and will never be knowingly converted to personal use.

Campaign financial records will be maintained accurately and required reports will be filed in accordance with applicable federal law. Whenever practical, expenditures will be evaluated for necessity, value, and responsible use of donor resources.

Before We Ask for Donations

The American Movement intends to publish this manual before actively soliciting contributions because supporters deserve to understand our standards before deciding whether to contribute.

We believe transparency should come before fundraising.

If the Campaign Is Not Successful

I recognize that there is a significant possibility that I may not become President. That possibility does not reduce my responsibility to the people who choose to support this campaign.

If campaign funds remain after the campaign concludes, those funds will be handled in accordance with applicable federal law. Subject to those legal requirements, it is my intention that any remaining funds continue serving the American people through lawful charitable, political, or civic purposes rather than remaining idle or being used for personal benefit.

At no time will campaign funds be intentionally converted to my personal use.

Should a charitable or nonprofit initiative ever be considered as a recipient of remaining funds, it would be structured to comply with applicable law and appropriate governance standards. Any such decision would be made only after receiving appropriate legal guidance.

Ethics

Every member of The American Movement is expected to conduct themselves honestly and professionally.

We reject corruption, self-dealing, retaliation, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and the misuse of public trust.

Winning an election is never more important than protecting the integrity of the campaign.

Conflicts of Interest

Campaign decisions should always be made in the best interests of the campaign and the American people. Individuals involved in campaign leadership should disclose potential conflicts of interest whenever reasonably possible. When appropriate, individuals with a significant personal or financial interest in a matter should refrain from participating in decisions involving that matter.

Transparency

Transparency builds trust. The American Movement intends to provide accurate information regarding campaign operations while respecting legal, privacy, and security obligations.

Required campaign finance reports will be filed in accordance with federal law, and the campaign will strive to communicate honestly with supporters and the public.

Whistleblower Protection

No staff member or volunteer should fear retaliation for raising a good-faith concern about ethics, financial stewardship, legal compliance, or misconduct. Concerns should be reviewed respectfully and fairly. Retaliation against individuals who report concerns in good faith is inconsistent with the values of The American Movement.

Standards for Staff and Volunteers

Every representative of The American Movement should:

Treat every person with dignity and respect.
Follow all applicable laws.
Protect confidential campaign information.
Avoid discrimination and harassment.
Represent the campaign truthfully.
Report suspected misconduct promptly.
Place service above personal recognition.

Every volunteer is an ambassador of the campaign.

Responsible Leadership

Leadership is not measured by titles. Leadership is measured by accountability. Every leader within The American Movement should be willing to accept responsibility for mistakes, correct them promptly, and learn from them.

Commitment to the American People

The American Movement believes that ethical leadership begins before Election Day. This manual is not intended to be a marketing document. It is intended to serve as a public commitment regarding how this campaign intends to operate.

As the campaign grows, this manual may evolve to address new circumstances, while remaining consistent with the principles of integrity, transparency, stewardship, accountability, and service.

Closing Statement

Whether this campaign receives one donation or one million… Whether we receive one vote or enough votes to win the Presidency… Our commitment will remain the same. We will strive to conduct ourselves in a manner that honors the trust placed in us by the American people. Because public office is temporary. Character is permanent.

Antonio Merrick for President 2028