DonorsTrust — the donor conduit favored by the Koch political network — funneled over $152.5 million to MAGA groups, right-wing national and state think tanks and litigation centers, hate groups, youth groups, and more in 2023, according to an analysis of its latest IRS filing obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy.
Economy
The Invisible Hand: How Dark Money Is Inventing Prestige for Right-Wing Academics
In October, the American Academy of Sciences and Letters honored health economist Jay Bhattacharya with an award for intellectual freedom. The professor has been a go-to expert for Republican politicians and right-wing groups working to politicize public health and government efforts to control COVID.
The Rise of “Pro-Labor” Conservatism
Championing labor has long been the purview of progressives, despite recent rhetoric from Republicans who claim to represent working class America.
Koch Invests in Massive Land Grab From West African Herders
An investment arm of the largest private company in the U.S. — Koch, Inc. — is investing in an agricultural business venture that will provide corporations with carbon offsets while pulling local natural resources from almost 7.2 million acres of land in three West African countries.
Private Equity Giants Invest More Than $200M in Federal Races to Protect Their Lucrative Tax Loophole
So far this election cycle, just 11 private equity billionaires have contributed more than double the amount 147 private equity firms pumped into federal elections during the entire 2016 election cycle.
ALEC Moves a Partisan and Corporate Agenda at This Week’s Annual Meeting in Denver
American Legislative Exchange Council state lawmakers, right-wing operatives, and corporate lobbyists are descending on Denver this week for the pay-to-play group’s 51st Annual Meeting to hear presentations and vote on model policies and resolutions that impact the environment, education, elections, fundamental human rights, and more.
Groups Behind State Anti-ESG Legislation Received $85 Million From Corporate Billionaires and Dark Money Funds
A review of IRS tax filings reveals that six of the groups leading the legislative attack against environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing principles have received more than $85 million in recent years from several large foundations.
Teaching Teachers to Bust Unions
A right-wing group is expecting to bring together hundreds of public school teachers from across the country this week to teach them how to decertify their unions and keep “the socialist dogma of their leadership [out of] our children’s classrooms.”
Extreme Right State Freedom Caucuses Create Big Headaches for Republicans
State freedom caucuses represent an extreme Right faction of the already MAGA-dominated Republican Party that uses procedural measures in state legislatures to advance their culture war agenda.
Assets of Koch-Controlled Organizations Soar to Over $8.1 Billion
The Koch fleet’s combined net revenue skyrocketed in 2022, up to $4.8 billion.