{"id":2400436,"date":"2025-02-07T16:41:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T21:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/usaid-funneled-nearly-800-million-to-global-censorship-group\/"},"modified":"2025-02-07T16:44:59","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T21:44:59","slug":"usaid-funneled-nearly-800-million-to-global-censorship-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/usaid-funneled-nearly-800-million-to-global-censorship-group\/","title":{"rendered":"USAID Funneled Nearly $800 Million To Global Censorship Group"},"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%2Fusaid-funneled-nearly-800-million-to-global-censorship-group%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=2400436&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>according to documents reviewed\u2062 by The Federalist, the U.S. \u200dAgency for International Development (USAID) has provided almost $800 million to the Consortium for Elections \u2064and\u2062 Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) from \u200c2015\u2063 to 2021. this funding has\u2064 raised\u2064 concerns \u200cas CEPPS has been accused of promoting censorship and pushing \u200d&#8221;heteronormativity&#8221;\u200d suppression globally. \u2063While claiming to be nonpartisan and focused on democratic development, CEPPS&#8217;s records suggest it has\u200b facilitated censorship and advanced radical gender ideologies.\u2063 <\/p>\n<p>CEPPS \u200dis financed entirely by USAID and\u2064 has \u2062worked in over 140 countries, observing\u2064 elections in 40. The organization&#8217;s recent projects include a &#8220;Countering Disinformation Guide,&#8221; which seeks to empower various stakeholders to combat \u2063data deemed\u2062 harmful \u200dor misleading. However, critics argue that this initiative aims\u200d to stifle speech categorized as &#8220;disinformation.&#8221; \u2064Additionally, CEPPS\u2019s outreach\u2062 emphasizes\u2064 an \u2062inclusive,\u2064 gender-transformative strategy \u200caimed\u2063 at dismantling discriminatory norms globally while actively \u2064challenging heteronormative values.<\/p>\n<p>The funding and activities of CEPPS have drawn scrutiny, notably considering broader \u200baccusations\u200b against USAID \u200dfor allegedly misusing taxpayer \u200dfunds to promote left-wing agendas. Critics,including public figures like Elon\u200c Musk,suggest that such financial maneuvers exemplify a system that launders money through various intermediaries \u2063to support \u200cpolitically biased causes.  <\/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<div>\n<p>America&rsquo;s foreign aid agency, USAID, has given nearly $800 million to a group that has pushed censorship and suppressed &ldquo;heteronormativity&rdquo; across the globe, according to documents reviewed by The Federalist.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_201909_990_2021021717708989.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening<\/a> (CEPPS) <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_202009_990_2021090318814339.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">took in<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_201709_990_2018092815743601.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$799.7 million<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_201809_990_2019101116743019.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">funding<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_201609_990_2017102314874736.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2015<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_202209_990_2023110321860451.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2021<\/a>, per IRS tax <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_202109_990_2022082220288920.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">documents<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/consortium-for-elections-and-political-process-strengthening\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According<\/a> to InfluenceWatch, &ldquo;The organization is solely funded by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/government-agency\/u-s-agency-for-international-development\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As President Donald Trump pushes to &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/trump-confirms-he-is-winding-down-usaid-2025-02-04\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wind down<\/a>&rdquo; USAID &mdash; which has apparently become a massive &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/02\/05\/defunding-usaid-isnt-about-reducing-the-deficit-its-about-shutting-down-left-wing-propaganda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">scam on U.S. taxpayers<\/a>&rdquo; &mdash; government funding disclosures have brought to light the often frivolous, and in this case nefarious, use of public tax dollars.<strong> <\/strong>As The Federalist previously reported, the federal government has been bankrolling America&rsquo;s legacy media outlets for years with tens of millions of dollars in <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/02\/06\/follow-the-money-feds-gave-millions-to-left-wing-media-outlets-including-politico-the-new-york-times\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lucrative contracts<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CEPPS &mdash; whose website is <a href=\"https:\/\/cepps.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">no longer public<\/a> &mdash;&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150838\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/about-us\/our-story\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claims<\/a> to be a &ldquo;nonpartisan&rdquo; group focused on global &ldquo;democratic development,&rdquo; according to an archived webpage. But its website suggests that, while corporate media have been pushing <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/12\/30\/the-top-10-hoaxes-the-propaganda-press-peddled-in-2024\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">propaganda<\/a> domestically, CEPPS has been advancing censorship &mdash; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-trump-eo-hospitals-claim-no-trans-surgeries-for-kids\/\" title=\"After Trump EO, Hospitals Claim No Trans Surgeries For Kids\">radical gender ideology &#038;mdash<\/a>; throughout the rest of the world.<\/p>\n<h2>The Money Trail<\/h2>\n<p>CEPPS was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/consortium-for-elections-and-political-process-strengthening\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">funded<\/a> by USAID&rsquo;s &ldquo;Global Elections and Political Transitions&rdquo; award from 2016 to 2020, according to InfluenceWatch. After that award was <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241204034818\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/beyond-the-ballot-january-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">discontinued<\/a> in 2022, USAID gave the group a &ldquo;Democratic Elections and Political Processes award&rdquo; for another five years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CEPPS&rsquo;s online IRS documents only show the group&rsquo;s funding up until 2021, so The Federalist analyzed the group&rsquo;s funding based on that publicly available information. The group received more than <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_201609_990_2017102314874736.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$94.1 million<\/a> in 2015 &mdash; eventually reaching nearly <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.irs.gov\/pub\/epostcard\/cor\/521943638_202209_990_2023110321860451.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$160.8<\/a> million in 2021, for a total of $799,699,782 in federal funding over seven years. Interestingly, in these documents, the group does not report the salaries of top officials.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure><figcaption>\n<div>\n<p>CEPPS annual funding from 2015 to 2021. IRS 990 tax forms<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>CEPPS divided the federal funding between its three member groups &mdash; the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). The group has worked with &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150838\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/about-us\/our-story\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">partners<\/a>&rdquo; in 140 countries and has observed elections in 40 countries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Pushing to Censor Disapproved Speech<\/h2>\n<p>CEPPS launched a &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20220703061348\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/cepps-countering-disinformation-guide-launch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Countering Disinformation<\/a> Guide&rdquo; in April 2021 &ldquo;with funding from USAID&rdquo; for use by &ldquo;practitioners, donors, political leaders, and civil society organizations around the world, to highlight the work being done to counter disinformation.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Jerry Lavery, then-technical director of CEPPS (and now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jerrylavery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">regional coordinator<\/a> for Southern and East Africa at the USAID Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance), said in an online launch <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20220703061348\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/cepps-countering-disinformation-guide-launch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">event<\/a> that IFES, IRI, and NDI &ldquo;contributed&rdquo; to the speech control project. He said USAID&rsquo;s &ldquo;Global Elections and Political Transitions Award&rdquo; &ldquo;funded this important activity,&rdquo; which would &ldquo;update over time.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;CEPPS developed the guide as a living project designed to empower partners around the world to learn from each other the best ways to counter disinformation, no matter who they are &mdash; governments, donors, implementers, candidates, civil society, media, or elections management bodies,&rdquo; Lavery said. &ldquo;Disinformation challenges to democracy require that we work together as a community to share our experiences, and to hold governments, social media platforms, and political leaders accountable. &hellip;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure><video controls src=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Lavery.mov\"><\/video><figcaption>Jerry Lavery, a CEPPS\/USAID official, opens the group&rsquo;s disinformation tool launch session. CEPPS | Wayback Machine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Lavery introduced David Black, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/david-black-drg\/?originalSubdomain=be\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">senior official<\/a> at USAID, during the video. Black said that &ldquo;the guide will be an important tool for those who are working to counter these negative impacts of disinformation.&rdquo; He said, &ldquo;For a while now,&rdquo; USAID and CEPPS have been working to silence speech deemed &ldquo;disinformation&rdquo; &mdash; using an &ldquo;evidence base&rdquo; of which programs are effective, &ldquo;programming in the field to counter disinformation,&rdquo; and a &ldquo;disinformation primer for USAID staff and others.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure><video controls src=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Black-1.mov\"><\/video><figcaption>USAID official David Black spoke during the launch of CEPPS&rsquo; disinformation platform. CEPPS | Wayback Machine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Black said CEPPS&rsquo;s guide will be &ldquo;very useful to USAID staff,&rdquo; as well as &ldquo;other donors, aid organizations, partner governments, civil society organizations, and others.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure><video controls src=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Black-2.mov\"><\/video><\/figure>\n<p>The &ldquo;countering disinformation&rdquo; platform is <a href=\"https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">no longer public<\/a>, but an <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20250111063010\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">archived<\/a> webpage says the platform featured nine main categories. These included &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241213122300\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/node\/2704\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">legal and regulatory responses<\/a>&rdquo; to &ldquo;inhibit political actors from using disinformation,&rdquo; &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241213122300\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/node\/2722\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">platform specific engagement<\/a>&rdquo; to leverage &ldquo;social media policies and enforcement actions,&rdquo; and the &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241006134215\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/node\/13\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gender dimensions of disinformation<\/a>&rdquo; that provide a framework for silencing &ldquo;gendered disinformation&rdquo; that promotes &ldquo;heteronormativity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The platform listed &ldquo;legal and regulatory responses&rdquo; to disapproved speech. It suggested countries could &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241213122300\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/node\/2704\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">criminalize<\/a> the dissemination of fake news or disinformation,&rdquo; though it cautioned doing so, citing the &ldquo;potential for democratically damaging downstream results.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The &ldquo;countering disinformation&rdquo; platform gave more favorable treatment to approaches that infringed on speech in less direct ways. When &ldquo;party members or supporters share <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241213122300\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/node\/2704\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bad information<\/a>,&rdquo; it said, one response could be to force &ldquo;parties and candidates to issue corrections.&rdquo; It <a href=\"https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/topics\/legal\/5-measures-promote-democratic-information-during-campaigning-and-elections\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">referenced<\/a> South Africa &mdash; a current human rights <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/south-africa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nightmare<\/a> &mdash; as an example of a country where &ldquo;the Election Commission can compel parties and candidates to correct electoral disinformation.&rdquo;  It also <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241213122300\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/node\/2704\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> countries could &ldquo;hold platforms liable for all content and require removal of content,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240919051305\/https:\/\/www.counteringdisinformation.org\/topics\/legal\/2-measures-restrict-online-content-and-behaviors#PlatformsLiable\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pointing<\/a> to online content laws in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>CEPPS&rsquo;s Countering Disinformation Guide <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20220703061348\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/cepps-countering-disinformation-guide-launch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">included<\/a> a &ldquo;global <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241213122300\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/interventions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">database<\/a> of organizations, projects, and donors working on and supporting these efforts&rdquo; to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meet-newsguard-the-government-backed-censorship-tool-billed-as-an-arbiter-of-truth\/\" title=\"Meet NewsGuard: The Government-Backed Censorship Tool Billed As An Arbiter Of Truth\">suppress disapproved speech<\/a>. It featured a <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241213122300\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/interventions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">menu<\/a> with groups explicitly focused on censorship, like <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/15\/meet-newsguard-the-government-backed-censorship-tool-billed-as-an-arbiter-of-truth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NewsGuard<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/02\/28\/meet-the-partisans-who-wove-the-censorship-complexs-vast-and-tangled-web\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Global Disinformation Index<\/a> &mdash; which attempted to defund conservative outlets, including <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/12\/18\/mike-johnsons-omnibus-resuscitates-state-department-group-that-censored-the-federalist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Federalist<\/a>. The Federalist, The Daily Wire, and the state of Texas <a href=\"https:\/\/nclalegal.org\/case\/the-daily-wire-the-federalist-state-of-texas-v-department-of-state-et-al\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued<\/a> the State Department, which was funding the GDI, for First Amendment violations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CEPP&rsquo;s platform included a GDI <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240919035522\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/index.php\/interventions\/global-disinformation-index\">prof<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240919035522\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/index.php\/interventions\/global-disinformation-index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">i<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240919035522\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/index.php\/interventions\/global-disinformation-index\">le<\/a> (last updated in February 2021) that glowingly portrays GDI&rsquo;s &ldquo;aims to disrupt, defund and down-rank disinformation sites.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>&lsquo;Gender Transformative and Intersectional&rsquo; Strategy<\/h2>\n<p>While CEPPS was pushing to silence unapproved speech, it was advancing an &ldquo;inclusive development approach&rdquo; &mdash; one &ldquo;that is <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150948\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/what-we-do\/inclusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gender transformative and intersectional<\/a>,&rdquo; according to an archived webpage.<\/p>\n<p>The group planned to &ldquo;remove systemic inequities and discriminatory norms&rdquo; worldwide. To do so, it would &ldquo;dismantle systems of discrimination&rdquo; and &ldquo;use political organizing and collective action&rdquo; to &ldquo;influence political processes and outcomes.&rdquo; CEPPS <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150948\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/what-we-do\/inclusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aimed<\/a> to &ldquo;challenge heteronormative values and assumptions&rdquo; and &ldquo;create an enabling environment supportive of the full inclusion and participation of LGBTQI+ people.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>CEPPS highlighted its &ldquo;Global Pride&rdquo; work, including &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150956\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/pride-guatemala\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trans Queens Of The Night<\/a>&rdquo; in Guatemala and &ldquo;LGBTI rights&rdquo; groups in <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150944\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/ifes-pride\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Burma<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150942\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/cepps-global-pride-month-partner-spotlight-helem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lebanon<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150942\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/pride-da-se-zna\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Serbia<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150956\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/story\/kouraj\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Haiti<\/a>. The group <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150948\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/what-we-do\/inclusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">celebrated<\/a> &ldquo;Global Pride Month&rdquo; in <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150938\/https:\/\/us19.campaign-archive.com\/?u=7f8d0d61671687ce51e5adb74&amp;id=6a02ed113d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2021<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150942\/https:\/\/us19.campaign-archive.com\/?u=7f8d0d61671687ce51e5adb74&amp;id=8dad0ba4cb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2022<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150940\/https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/cepps\/pride-2023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2023<\/a> in joint statements with USAID &mdash; one of which <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150938\/https:\/\/us19.campaign-archive.com\/?u=7f8d0d61671687ce51e5adb74&amp;id=6a02ed113d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">promoted<\/a> CEPPS&rsquo;s censorship platform.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"CEPPS Global Pride Partner Spotlight - Organizaci&oacute;n Trans Reinas de la Noche\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JxvwaO9TZTo?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><\/p>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>A document by USAID and CEPPS outlined &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150939\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/LGBTQI-Guidance-Note.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Effective Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150939\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/LGBTQI-Guidance-Note.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Queer, and Intersex+ (LGBTQI+) Democracy and Governance Programming<\/a>.&rdquo; It defined gender as the &ldquo;socially constructed characteristics and related roles, rights, responsibilities, entitlements, and obligations associated with men and women.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While defining &ldquo;intersectionality,&rdquo; the groups adopted the <a href=\"https:\/\/modernagejournal.com\/the-weaponization-of-oppression\/238427\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Marxist framework<\/a> that &ldquo;racism, sexism, and homophobia&rdquo; work together to &ldquo;create systems of oppression that reflects the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Part of CEPPS&rsquo;s work includes mitigating what it has deemed &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150815\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/online-violence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online violence<\/a>&rdquo; &mdash; not just to women, but, again, to &ldquo;gender-diverse individuals.&rdquo; It takes issue with &ldquo;gendered commentary&rdquo; and &ldquo;harassment.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Perpetrators of online violence against women and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-kamala-harris-task-force-looks-a-lot-like-the-disinformation-governance-board\/\" title=\"New Kamala Harris Task Force Looks A Lot Like The ... Governance Board\">technology-facilitated gender-based violence<\/a> (GBV) <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">exacerbate existing harmful gender norms<\/a> and inequalities, enforce heteronormativity, increase social intolerance, and deepen existing societal cleavages,&rdquo; the archived webpage <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150815\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/online-violence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reads<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>CEPPS <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150815\/https:\/\/cepps.org\/online-violence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suggested<\/a> guides on &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150829\/https:\/\/counteringdisinformation.org\/node\/13\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the gender dimensions of disinformation<\/a>,&rdquo; &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150829\/https:\/\/www.ndi.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Men%2C%20Power%20and%20Politics%20Program%20Guidance%2011_20_2020%206.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">men, power, and politics<\/a>,&rdquo; and &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20240131150831\/https:\/\/www.ndi.org\/publications\/addressing-online-misogyny-and-gendered-disinformation-how-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">addressing online misogyny and gendered disinformation<\/a>.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Billionaire Elon Musk, heading up Trump&rsquo;s efforts in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1887534216453263617\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">responded<\/a> to an X post that used CEPPS as an example of how USAID shuttles money to different actors.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Exactly,&rdquo; Musk wrote. &ldquo;The money laundering is done through several intermediaries.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Logan Washburn is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawsuit-clark-county-keeps-commercial-addresses-on-voter-rolls\/\" title=\"Lawsuit: Clark County Keeps Commercial Addresses On Voter Rolls\">staff writer covering election integrity<\/a>. He is a spring 2025 fellow of The College Fix. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo&#8217;s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>USAID has allocated nearly $800 million to CEPPS, a group promoting censorship globally<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":2400437,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/CEPPS-1024x640.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6371,6513,50037,16381],"class_list":["post-2400436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-censorship","tag-funding","tag-global-initiatives","tag-usaid"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/CEPPS-1024x640.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400436","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\/507"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2400436"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2400440,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400436\/revisions\/2400440"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2400437"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2400436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2400436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2400436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}