Research Cited

Conservative Wisconsin law firm strengthening ties with local school boards

Bradley Files, Education, SPN, Wisconsin

Source: Wisconsin Public Radio | Published: 7/22/2024

David Armiak, research director with the progressive watchdog group Center for Media and Democracy, said it is impossible to compare the state school board association to WILL. He said the association is statewide non-partisan organization “where WILL is a right-wing funded ideological group that is pushing right-wing policies.” “They’re getting paid to do this by […]

Big Oil Rallies to Obstruct Accountability

Climate, Economy, Environment, Koch, RAGA

Source: DeSmog | Published: 7/19/2024

RAGA obtains some of its largest donations from the fossil fuel industry — including Koch Industries, Exxon, and the American Petroleum Institute, all of whom are defendants in climate liability cases — according to an analysis by the Center for Media and Democracy.

Business Leaders Must Defend Our Legal Frameworks And Institutions

Climate, Economy, Environment

Source: Forbes | Published: 7/18/2024

Businesses and investors must take action on this growing threat, but they should prepare for significant pushback. In recent years, Dismantling advocates have mounted a large-scale advocacy effort to undercut businesses and investors working to address Environmental, Social, and Governance risks. As reported by Center for Media and Democracy, their arguments center around the claim […]

Mackinac Center asks for name to be pulled from Project 2025

Democracy, Extremism, SPN

Source: Michigan Advance | Published: 7/18/2024

Progress Michigan says the Mackinac Center’s connections to the Heritage Foundation run deep, noting that both are members of the State Policy Network, described by the Center for Media and Democracy as “the tip of the spear of far-right, nationally funded policy agenda in the states that undergirds extremists in the Republican Party.” Additionally, Progress […]

How lawmakers’ ties to a conservative group brought the Israeli military’s ‘horror movie’ to Utah

ALEC, Democracy, Extremism

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune | Published: 7/8/2024

As the 2021 chair of the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, Adams sat on a panel with Israeli-American Council CEO Elan Carr, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump as the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating anti-Semitism — a position focusing on foreign policy. Carr told the audience that Adams was a “champion” […]

Are Corporations Accountable for Their Political Spending?

ALEC, Campaign Finance, Democracy

Source: Green America | Published: 6/30/2024

David Armiak, research director at the Center for Media and Democracy, says that overturning Citizens United would be a way to bring integrity back to politics and “get back to a situation where politicians actually listen to their constituents and visit with their constituents, rather than those that give them a bunch of money.”

Big Tech Wants Your Paycheck

ALEC, Economy

Source: The Lever | Published: 6/26/2024

Although it is uncertain if there is a financial link between ALEC and the financial technology groups supporting the earned-wage access bills, ALEC is known to peddle its influence for money, said David Armiak, research director for the Center for Media and Democracy. “The more money you spend, the more influence you get,” Armiak told The […]

By the Wealthy, for the Wealthy: The Coordinated Attacks on Public Education in the United States

Bradley Files, Education, Koch

Source: U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | Published: 6/24/2024

The Bradley Foundation spent $7.5 million to fund 34 state affiliates of the State Policy Network to push conservative policy agendas, including privatizing education, and $8.3 million to building a youth movement to “win the American Culture War.”

God and QR Codes for Trump; The Courage Tour Goes to Michigan

Democracy, Extremism, Trump

Source: Washington Spectator | Published: 6/24/2024

The financial supporters for the Courage Tour are not yet clear, but Wallnau’s media channels have attracted a broad range of donors. According to the Center for Media and Democracy’s David Armiak, these include, unsurprisingly, Mike Lindell’s MyPillow (another partner in the Courage Tour) and the conservative Christian dark money groups, the Capstone Legacy Foundation […]

Dark Money Uncovered

Campaign Finance, Democracy, Elections, Koch

Source: The Progressive | Published: 6/20/2024

David Armiak, research director and investigative journalist at the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), notes in an interview that, increasingly, brand new nonprofits “that haven’t filed any IRS disclosure yet” are formed and start running issue ads or targeting candidates just weeks before voters go to the polls. Such pop-up groups—usually super PACs or […]