{"id":2373048,"date":"2024-11-25T06:26:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T11:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/david-brock-world-scores-dark-money-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-11-25T06:29:54","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T11:29:54","slug":"david-brock-world-scores-dark-money-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/david-brock-world-scores-dark-money-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"David Brock world scores dark money &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/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%2Fdavid-brock-world-scores-dark-money-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=2373048&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 article \u2064discusses the \u2064financial\u2064 practices of two progressive organizations, Media Matters \u2064for America and the American Independent Foundation, both founded by former conservative journalist David Brock. Although these groups criticize &#8220;dark money&#8221; in \u200cpolitics,\u200b they themselves have benefited from substantial anonymous\u2064 donations, particularly from the Hopewell Fund, which is part of a larger Democratic-aligned dark money \u200dnetwork through Arabella Advisors. Disclosures indicate that these\u200d organizations have\u200d received significant funds, exploiting relaxed federal disclosure laws that allow them to operate without revealing their financial backers.<\/p>\n<p>Brock&#8217;s American\u200d Bridge PAC has also amassed\u200b millions from its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/out-with-a-whimper-house-democrat-plot-to-kill-debt-ceiling-measure-flops\/\" title=\"House Democrats&#039; attempt to kill the debt ceiling measure fails.\">dark money arm<\/a>, which is\u200c legally\u2064 allowed to \u200craise funds without disclosing donor information. Critics point out the hypocrisy, noting that while Brock and\u2064 Democrats advocate for reforms in political\u200c spending, they are among the\u200c largest beneficiaries of such funding. \u200bThe article highlights the paradox of progressive groups leveraging\u2063 dark money while publicly condemning it, showcasing a broader issue of funding in political operations.  <\/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\">David Brock world scores fresh checks from dark money donors<\/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_1888972\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>To Media Matters for America and the American Independent Foundation, two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/progressives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">progressive<\/a> groups formed by the conservative journalist-turned-Democratic operative <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/david-brock\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">David Brock<\/a>, the scourge of so-called right-wing &ldquo;dark money&rdquo; is a stain on democracy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Media Matters once declared, in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediamatters.org\/washington-post\/media-largely-ignore-gops-dark-money-problem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">blog<\/a> post on its website that Brock <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/davidbrockdc\/status\/588031545388052480\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">promoted<\/a>, that the press ignores &ldquo;the GOP&rsquo;s dark money problem.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>However, the Brock-linked groups have also long relied on anonymous donations from shadowy organizations to keep their lights on, tax records show.<\/p>\n<p>Newly filed disclosures with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/irs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">IRS<\/a> covering 2023 show Media Matters and the American Independent Foundation scooped up hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Hopewell Fund. The charity is part of a massive Democratic-aligned dark money network called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2804931\/news-washington-examiners-gabe-kaminsky-explains-investigating-dark-money\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Arabella Advisors<\/a>, overseeing groups that, in turn, do not release details on their finances thanks to lax federal disclosure laws.<\/p>\n<p>During the 2024 election cycle, the Brock-founded American Bridge PAC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00492140&amp;contributor_name=Ab+Foundation&amp;two_year_transaction_period=2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">filled<\/a> its war chest with tens of millions of dollars from its affiliated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3203722\/kamala-harris-dark-money-support-donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">dark money arm<\/a> registered under 501(c)(4), a section of the IRS code for &ldquo;social welfare&rdquo; groups that may act political and are not required to disclose their donors. American Bridge PAC, according to Federal Election Commission filings, spent around $58 million on ads opposing President-elect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a> against Vice President Kamala Harris.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;David Brock and Democrats regularly lecture Americans about the need to rein in political spending, but they are benefiting the most from it,&rdquo; said Jeff Clements, the CEO of a money-in-politics watchdog group called American Promise. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">David Brock speaks at the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas., Tuesday, March 25, 2014. (AP Photo\/Danny Johnston)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Brock, 62, founded Media Matters in 2004 and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/davidbrockdc\/status\/1593044465001693184\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">left<\/a> the organization in 2022. Media Matters, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediamatters.org\/about-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">calls<\/a> itself a &ldquo;progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediamatters.org\/local-news\/ohioans-decide-issue-1-local-outlets-have-been-raising-alarm-about-dark-money-group\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">often<\/a> posts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediamatters.org\/local-news\/local-news-outlets-subscribing-center-squares-wire-service-are-pushing-right-wing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">articles<\/a> on its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediamatters.org\/judicial-crisis-network\/discredited-dark-money-group-behind-baseless-claim-bidens-scotus-nominee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">website<\/a> aiming to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediamatters.org\/hillary-clinton\/will-media-stay-silent-jeb-bushs-dark-money-donations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">highlight<\/a> right<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\">-wing dark money groups<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Since rebranding, the company has operated as a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">dark money-fueled conservative news wire service writing<\/a> and distributing right-wing slanted news stories,&rdquo; Media Matters <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediamatters.org\/local-news\/local-news-outlets-subscribing-center-squares-wire-service-are-pushing-right-wing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">said<\/a> of the <em>Center Square<\/em>, a right-leaning website, in June of last year in one article. <\/p>\n<p>Still, Media Matters has its own reliable dark money allies. <\/p>\n<p>It has long received funding from the Hopewell Fund and the New Venture Fund, which are both in the Arabella Advisors network. Media Matters also <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/full_text_search?q=%22470928008%22&amp;sort=-year&amp;submit=Apply\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">accepts<\/a> large checks through a handful of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3234126\/conservative-dark-money-atm-donorstrust-record-351-million\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">donor-advised funds<\/a>, which transparency advocates have long held are dark money vehicles for the ultra-wealthy to influence the political landscape anonymously.<\/p>\n<p>Anonymous-funded efforts to influence politics are a staple at the American Independent Foundation &mdash; the charity arm of a network of progressive websites <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-independent.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">shaped<\/a> by Brock and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/news\/2020\/05\/dark-money-networks-fake-news-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">panned<\/a> for publishing &ldquo;fake news&rdquo; articles attacking Republicans. <\/p>\n<p>The American Independent is behind <a href=\"https:\/\/tainews.com\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">websites<\/a> peddling Democratic talking points in Michigan, Montana, Pennsylvania, and other states. This election cycle, the purported local news sites published <a href=\"https:\/\/pennsylvaniaindependent.com\/?search=dark%20money\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">various<\/a> pieces on right-wing dark money, <a href=\"https:\/\/michiganindependent.com\/politics\/republican-party-house-representatives-2024-election-fossil-fuels-mike-johnson-campaign-finance-ads-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">aiming<\/a> to zero in on GOP billionaires influencing elections.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Fossil fuel-backed dark money group dishonestly blames Casey for higher consumer prices,&rdquo; read one <a href=\"https:\/\/pennsylvaniaindependent.com\/politics\/2024-senate-election-casey-mccormick-one-nation-dark-money-campaign-ads\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">headline<\/a> in the American Independent&rsquo;s Pennsylvania offshoot in July about Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA). <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Right-wing think tank tied to dark money jumps into Wisconsin Supreme Court race,&rdquo; another <a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinindependent.com\/uncategorized\/right-wing-think-tank-tied-to-dark-money-jumps-into-wisconsin-supreme-court-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">headline<\/a> declared in March of last year in the <em>Wisconsin Independent<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>Based in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/washington-dc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Washington, D.C.<\/a>, the American Independent Foundation has taken millions of dollars over the years from the likes of Media Matters, American Bridge, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2568235\/hamas-friendly-protest-groups-bankrolled-by-democratic-dark-money-juggernaut-tides\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Tides Foundation<\/a>, an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/swiss-billionaire-backed-dark-money-group-poured-millions-into-biden-allied-groups\/\" title=\"Swiss billionaire-backed dark money group poured millions into Biden-allied groups\">influential left-wing dark money group<\/a> in California. <\/p>\n<p>In 2022, the Hopewell Fund routed $1.3 million to the American Independent, which was once <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/organizations\/275278038\/201411539349301021\/IRS990ScheduleR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">listed<\/a> on American Bridge&rsquo;s tax forms as a &ldquo;related tax-exempt organization.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Anonymous donations have also flooded into the American Independent Foundation through the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program, the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, the Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund, and other donor-advised funds, tax forms show. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Brock&rsquo;s donors are undoubtedly making their billions off federal contracts and in industries, like oil and gas, that benefit from the policies they oppose,&rdquo; said Tom Jones, president of the conservative American Accountability Foundation watchdog group.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s likely why they&rsquo;re hiding behind various donation shields,&rdquo; Jones added.<\/p>\n<p>Media Matters and the American Independent did not respond to requests for comment. <\/p>\n<\/div>\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_1888972\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1888972\"}});<\/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>David Brock&#8217;s groups receive new funding from dark money sources<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":381,"featured_media":2373049,"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\/11\/David-Brock-dark-money-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[27910,45644,5894,32076],"class_list":["post-2373048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-dark-money","tag-david-brock","tag-politics","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/David-Brock-dark-money-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2373048","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=2373048"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2373048\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2373052,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2373048\/revisions\/2373052"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2373049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2373048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2373048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2373048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}