News

Charles Koch’s “Stand Together” Donor Conduits Move $176 Million into his Network, Higher Education, and Right-Wing Policy, Advocacy, Litigation, and Media Groups in 2022

By David Armiak | December 20th, 2023 at 7:54 AM (CST)

In 2022, Stand Together Trust and Stand Together Chamber of Commerce contributed over $176 million to groups in Charles Koch’s “Stand Together” constellation of nonprofits as well as to higher education and right-wing policy, advocacy, litigation and media groups, the Center for Media and Democracy has found.

Bradley Funneled $86 Million to Right-Wing Litigation, Policy, Media, Youth Groups, and Higher Education in 2022

By David Armiak | December 13th, 2023 at 2:30 AM (CST)

The Milwaukee-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and its “aligned” donor advised fund funneled a total of $86.4 million to right-wing litigation outlets, national and state policy groups, media outlets, youth groups, and higher education in 2022, according to an analysis of its most recent IRS filings obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy.

Constitution in the Crosshairs: The Far Right’s Plan for a New Confederacy

By Nancy MacLean and Arn Pearson | December 12th, 2023 at 8:05 AM (CST)

The rightwing subversion of U.S. democracy is closer than you think.

ALEC Policy Summit Features Push to Legally Force a Constitutional Convention

By David Armiak | December 8th, 2023 at 6:31 AM (CST)

State lawmakers, corporate lobbyists, and right-wing operatives got together in Scottsdale, Arizona last week for the 2023 States and Nation Policy Summit hosted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The summit — one of the largest annual gatherings of the ALEC faithful, along with the summer meeting — caps off ALEC’s 50th anniversary year.

Climate | Environment | Featured Investigations | Opinion

Dispatches from the COP28 Climate Talks in Dubai

By Alex Carlin | December 6th, 2023 at 8:24 AM (CST)

CMD guest contributor Alex Carlin reports on his observations at the United Nations climate conference.

Democracy | Elections | Featured Investigations | Koch | News

Koch’s Super PAC Endorses and Will Canvass For Nikki Haley

By Don Wiener | December 4th, 2023 at 1:12 PM (CST)

Americans for Prosperity Action PAC, an outside super PAC largely bankrolled by industrialist Charles Koch and a handful of wealthy donors, has spent $972,000 to date running digital ads and mailing messages to voters warning that, despite his loyal base, former President Donald Trump is not electable in the 2024 presidential race.

Economy | Education | Featured Investigations | Koch | News

Charles Koch Foundation Sent $52.6 Million to Colleges and Universities in 2022 to Promote Its Business and Policy Interests

By David Armiak | November 29th, 2023 at 11:17 AM (CST)

Charles Koch contributed $52.6 million in grants to colleges and universities through his Charles Koch Foundation in 2022, an analysis of the personal foundation’s latest IRS filing obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy found.

Economy | Environment | Featured Investigations | Koch | News

Louisiana Environmental Justice Groups Oppose $6 Million Subsidy for Koch Methanol Plant Expansion

By Don Wiener | November 21st, 2023 at 10:28 AM (CST)

On October 11, St. James Parish in Louisiana approved giving Koch Industries an 80% property tax break on a $150-million expansion of its local methanol plant, which will save the company $5.9 million over the next decade.

DonorsTrust Funneled $134 Million to Right-Wing Groups in 2022

By David Armiak | November 17th, 2023 at 2:26 PM (CST)

To hide their identities from public scrutiny, megadonors used the Koch political network’s favorite conduit, DonorsTrust, to funnel $134 million to groups promoting the Right’s culture wars and spreading climate misinformation, Trump’s big lie, and hate, as indicated in IRS filings obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy.

Climate | Environment | Featured Investigations | News

New Report Reveals Big Oil’s Playbook to Silence Climate Protests

By Juliana Broad | November 6th, 2023 at 9:10 AM (CST)

A new report by Greenpeace USA details the widespread coordination between the public and private sectors to monitor activism, punish protesters both physically and legally, and grease the wheels for proposed anti-protest bills that criminalize civil disobedience.