{"id":2319217,"date":"2024-08-05T05:27:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-05T09:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democratic-dark-money-fuels-nonpartisan-climate-group-behind-swing-state-ads-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-05T05:31:26","modified_gmt":"2024-08-05T09:31:26","slug":"democratic-dark-money-fuels-nonpartisan-climate-group-behind-swing-state-ads-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democratic-dark-money-fuels-nonpartisan-climate-group-behind-swing-state-ads-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Democratic dark money fuels \u2018nonpartisan\u2019 climate group behind swing state ads &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocratic-dark-money-fuels-nonpartisan-climate-group-behind-swing-state-ads-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2319217&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The \u2062article discusses the connections between various nonprofit\u2062 organizations, particularly the Windward Fund and the Potential \u200cEnergy Coalition (PEC),\u2063 and their financial ties to prominent billionaires \u200clike George Soros, Bill Gates, and \u200dMark \u2063Zuckerberg. Science Moms,\u2063 a project within the PEC, claims to be a nonpartisan initiative addressing \u200dclimate change but is linked to\u2064 a \u200blarger network\u200d of Democratic-aligned dark \u200bmoney, primarily\u2063 managed by Arabella Advisors. \u200cDespite its claims of \u2064independence, the Windward Fund\u200b has \u2063faced scrutiny regarding its financial arrangements and the lack \u2063of required disclosures for its projects, which allows it to effectively shield its backers from scrutiny. The article details significant funding from various foundations \u2062and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/explainer-what-in-the-world-is-actually-happening-with-olympics-womens-boxing-debacle\/\" title=\"Explainer: What in the World Is Actually Happening with Olympics Women&#039;s Boxing Debacle?\">highlights ongoing \u2062debates<\/a> around transparency and the influence of dark money in political campaigning, especially\u200b in swing states leading up \u200dto \u2064elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Democratic dark money fuels &lsquo;nonpartisan&rsquo; climate group behind swing state ads<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1722130\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>In its own telling, Science Moms is a &ldquo;nonpartisan group of scientists&rdquo; working to fight <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/climate-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>climate change<\/a>. Science Moms is spending $2.5 million on a new advertising <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sgmim0BOkYs&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosgenerate&amp;stream=top\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>campaign<\/a> about &ldquo;unnatural disasters&rdquo; in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, and other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/swing-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>swing states<\/a> until Sept. 30 in the lead-up to the November elections.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you knew this was your last, best chance to protect all the places you love, what would you do?&rdquo; says a narrator in the ad, which is called &ldquo;Climate change is taking the places we love.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>But while Science Moms appears to position itself as apolitical and grassroots, it actually shares a connection to Arabella Advisors, a consulting firm that doubles as the largest Democratic-aligned <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dark-money\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>dark money<\/a> network in the United States. Science Moms is not a stand-alone entity. Rather, it&rsquo;s an initiative of the Potential Energy Coalition, a former project of an Arabella-managed dark money group called the Windward Fund, tax records show. The Windward Fund, which finances the Potential Energy Coalition, is bankrolled by the likes of George Soros, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-gates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Bill Gates<\/a>, Mark Zuckerberg, and other billionaires.<\/p>\n<p>The relationship between the Windward Fund in Washington, D.C., and Science Moms illustrates how complex tax laws serve to obscure where nonprofit organizations often derive their assets. Arabella has long argued that it merely provides administrative, human resources, and accounting services to independently run groups, though its billion-dollar network is, in many ways, unique due to its scope and sprawling usage of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.councilofnonprofits.org\/running-nonprofit\/administration-and-financial-management\/fiscal-sponsorship-nonprofits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>fiscal sponsorship<\/a>. This legal arrangement allows Arabella-linked projects to shield their backers from the IRS, which does not require sponsored projects to submit separate financial disclosures.<\/p>\n<p>Arabella-managed entities, including the Windward Fund, were recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2012388\/democratic-arabella-dark-money-network-faces-irs-complaint-over-lining-ex-clinton-aides-pockets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>accused<\/a> by the Right of illegally enriching the consultancy&rsquo;s founder, Eric Kessler. The Washington, D.C., attorney general&rsquo;s office<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2957376\/dc-attorney-general-closes-investigation-left-wing-dark-money-network\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> closed an investigation<\/a> into Arabella this year &mdash; to the ire of conservatives who say its network violated federal rules in appearing to, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1289784\/left-wing-dark-money-giant-may-have-illegally-boosted-democratic-aligned-causes-experts-say\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>in some cases<\/a>, exert control over other groups.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"sgmim0BOkYs\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Climate change is taking the places we love\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sgmim0BOkYs?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The Potential Energy Coalition spun off from the Windward Fund in October 2020, according to documents on file with the IRS.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, the Windward Fund <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/organizations\/473522162\/202323149349302457\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>granted<\/a> over $13 million to the PEC, which received a $4.5 million grant from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/left-wing-dark-money-groups-unite-to-undo-trumps-judicial-legacy\/\" title=\"Left-Wing Dark Money Groups Unite to Undo Trump\u2019s Judicial Legacy\">left-wing dark money group<\/a> in the preceding tax year. But earmarked grants aren&rsquo;t the only connection between the Windward Fund and the PEC, which is based in New York City and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/potential-energy-coalition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>calls<\/a> itself &ldquo;an innovative, fast-growing startup that brings the very best marketing talent in the world to bear on the climate challenge.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>The Windward Fund has disclosed on its tax forms that it paid $950,000 to the PEC in 2021 as an &ldquo;independent contractor,&rdquo; and a million dollars in 2020 under this same category. And the PEC, on its own financial disclosures, said in 2020 that its board chairman and secretary were &ldquo;employed by the Windward Fund,&rdquo; adding, &ldquo;their salaries are paid by and reported&rdquo; by the Windward Fund on its separate tax forms.<\/p>\n<p>The Windward Fund declined to respond to sets of questions about these grants and payments, insisting it does not have an active relationship with the PEC or its Science Moms project. The Capital Research Center found in an April <a href=\"https:\/\/capitalresearch.org\/article\/donors-to-the-arabella-advisors-network\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>report<\/a> that some of the largest donors to the Windward Fund from 2019 to 2022 were the William &amp; Flora Hewlett Foundation, which funds abortion-rights causes, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tides-foundation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Tides Foundation<\/a>, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.<\/p>\n<p>Soros&rsquo;s Foundation to Promote Open Society <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensocietyfoundations.org\/grants\/past?filter_keyword=windward+fund&amp;grant_id=OR2022-85761\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>gave<\/a> a million dollars to the Windward Fund in 2022 for its Amplify Rural Voices project. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave $6 million to the Windward Fund in 2023 for &ldquo;public awareness and analysis&rdquo; as well as &ldquo;agricultural development,&rdquo; grant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gatesfoundation.org\/about\/committed-grants?q=windward\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>records<\/a> show. Another grantee, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, <a href=\"https:\/\/chanzuckerberg.com\/grants-ventures\/grants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>steered<\/a> $7 million in 2022 and 2023 to Windward Fund projects.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Windward Fund is a fiscal sponsor to a number of organizations, not a funder, which means we provide administrative support including payroll and HR to new nonprofit projects, many of which later become fully independent organizations,&rdquo; a spokesperson for the Windward Fund told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>To Hayden Ludwig, a researcher often credited with unearthing key information about Arabella Advisors and its offshoots, the consultancy is adept at &ldquo;keeping the public in the dark&rdquo; about its influence. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;People need to understand this kind of ugly deception campaign is the norm on the professional Left,&rdquo; said Ludwig, research director for Restoration of America, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-gov-pushes-legislation-to-curb-big-tech-content-moderation\/\" title=\"Texas Gov Pushes Legislation to Curb Big Tech Content Moderation\">conservative advocacy group<\/a>. &ldquo;This is how the Swamp works.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Alec Sears, a Republican political strategist who works in the digital ad space, agreed. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Any group with ties to Arabella Advisors is no grassroots organization,&rdquo; Sears said. &ldquo;Dark money ad buys in swing states are a strategy designed purely to drive the political agenda of the billionaires behind Arabella and its funds.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1722130\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1722130\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democratic dark money supports &#8216;nonpartisan&#8217; climate organization behind ads in key states. Science Moms presents itself as a &#8220;nonpartisan group of scientists&#8221; dedicated to combating climate change. The organization is investing $2.5 million in a new advertising campaign focused on &#8220;unnatural disasters&#8221; across swing states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Arizona until September 30, ahead of the November elections. The ad features a narrator asking, \u201cIf you knew this was your last, best chance to protect all the places you love, what would you do?\u201d However, despite its claims of being apolitical and grassroots-oriented, Science Moms is linked to Arabella Advisors\u2014a consulting firm that serves as the largest Democratic-aligned dark money network in the U.S. Science Moms operates as part of the Potential Energy Coalition (PEC), which originated from an Arabella-managed dark money group known as the Windward Fund.<\/p>\n<p>The Windward Fund finances PEC and receives backing from prominent billionaires such as George Soros, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. This connection highlights how intricate tax laws can obscure where nonprofit organizations obtain their funding. Arabella maintains that it only provides administrative support to independently run groups; however, its extensive network raises questions about transparency due to fiscal sponsorship arrangements that allow projects associated with it to avoid separate financial disclosures.<\/p>\n<p>Recently accused by conservatives of improperly benefiting its founder Eric Kessler financially through these arrangements, Arabella faced scrutiny when an investigation by Washington D.C.&#8217;s attorney general concluded without charges\u2014much to the frustration of critics who allege violations of federal regulations regarding control over other organizations.<\/p>\n<p>Documents filed with the IRS indicate that PEC separated from Windward Fund in October 2020; however, they remain financially intertwined\u2014Windward granted over $13 million to PEC in 2022 alone and has made substantial payments for services rendered by PEC staff members employed by Windward.<\/p>\n<p>The Capital Research Center reported significant donations received by Windward from various foundations supporting progressive causes between 2019 and 2022. A spokesperson for Windward clarified their role as a fiscal sponsor providing administrative support rather than direct funding.<\/p>\n<p>Hayden Ludwig\u2014a researcher noted for uncovering details about Arabella Advisors\u2014asserted that this consultancy excels at keeping its influence hidden from public view while emphasizing deceptive tactics prevalent among left-leaning organizations. Republican strategist Alec Sears echoed this sentiment stating any group connected with Arabella cannot be considered grassroots since their ad campaigns are primarily driven by wealthy backers\u2019 political agendas<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":381,"featured_media":2319218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/printing-money-spending.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[37173,37174,33642,37175,32076],"class_list":["post-2319217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-democratic-dark-money","tag-nonpartisan-climate-group","tag-political-funding","tag-swing-state-ads","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/printing-money-spending.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2319217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/381"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2319217"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2319217\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2319218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2319217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2319217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2319217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}