Investigating Power
DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund, the favorite donor conduits of the Koch political network, distributed $123 million in grants in 2021 to right-wing advocacy groups, litigation centers, media outlets, climate deniers, extremists, pro-gun groups, and other tax-exempt organizations that make up America’s right-wing infrastructure, the latest tax filings from both groups detail.
The $152 million represents a 27% increase over the $120 million CMD calculated the network brought in almost three years ago.
An Illinois Circuit Court judge has rejected the efforts of the right-wing Liberty Justice Center to prevent voters from having their say on a constitutional amendment to protect workers’ rights in November.
The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation, a major funder of rightwing groups promoting the Big Lie about the 2020 presidential election, is also pushing voter suppression policies in states across the country
New ALEC and industry-backed bills that would blacklist banks that divest from fossil fuels have been introduced in Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia so far this year.
With backing from a myriad of right-wing groups, the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison released a “research report” last month on the need to eliminate the income tax in the state.
Spurred by $158 million from one secret donor, DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund pumped a record amount of money into right-wing campaigns to remake the Supreme Court, spread election and climate disinformation, and support extremists last year.
CMD President Lisa Graves testified at a March Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on “The Big-Money Assault on Our Judiciary.” Video from the hearing and written testimony now available here.
In a video with the right-wing Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Kentucky senator made it clear that he’s teaming up with the American Legislative Exchange Council to back Trumpian voter suppression efforts this year.
The billionaire-funded foundation of news site RealClearPolitics will promote the anti-labor and pro-corporate libertarian agenda of the State Policy Network.