Swiss billionaire-backed dark money group sent millions to Biden and liberal causes

A dark money group called the Berger Action Fund (BAF), backed by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, reportedly donated tens of millions of dollars to other dark money organizations linked to President Joe Biden, Democrat politicians, and left-leaning organizations during the 2022 midterm elections cycle, according to recently released tax documents. Dark money refers to political spending meant to influence voter decisions, where the donor is not disclosed, and money sources are unknown.

“Dark Money refers to political spending meant to influence the decision of a voter, where the donor is not disclosed and the source of the money is unknown,” -via opensecrets.org

The BAF is affiliated with the private Wyss Foundation, which Wyss has supported since 1998. The same fund sent around $72 million to non-profit advocacy groups supporting Biden and congressional Democratic candidates. Dark money organizations are not required by law to list donor information.

“As long as it remains legal, Democrats will tap into dark money, which you obviously are seeing… But Democrats and nonprofit groups should avoid dark money, as well as setting up super PACs, because I do view that as a contradictory statement of what is right and wrong,” said Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen, a left-leaning thinktank.

Although some Democrats like Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) have been long-time critics of dark money schemes and have proposed legislation requiring groups to disclose their donors, left-wing dark money groups reportedly spent more than $1.5 billion to elect Biden in 2020, while Republican groups spent only slightly over $900 million to endorse Donald Trump. The BAF considers itself a pro-conservation and social welfare advocacy group.

In 2021, the BAF contributed $42.4 million to the Sixteen Thirty Fund, managed by Arabella Advisors, the largest left-wing dark money network in the U.S. They financially supported left-leaning organizations that were not required to submit tax returns to the IRS and did not identify their donors, just like other groups in the Arabella network.

In 2020, the Sixteen Thirty Fund distributed $410 million in grants, mostly to support Biden. The fund received $191 million in 2021 and spent $174 million of it. Tax documents reveal that the BAF gave over $20.2 million in 2021 to the Fund for a Better Future, which prioritizes the environment, election integrity, healthcare, and immigration rights.

In addition, the BAF donated approximately $20,000 to the Center for Popular Democracy and the Indivisible Project, which received criticism previously for posting an online manual instructing activists on how to pressure Congress. Left-leaning environmental organization, the League of Conservation Voters, received almost $10.6 million from the Fund for a Better Future in 2021, on top of campaigning donations of approximately $2.3 million they donated to Biden in 2020