Happy New Year!

As we look to the year ahead — a critical election year — we know that the Right will only escalate its disinformation campaigns and attacks on democracy in order to undermine urgent, necessary action on the climate crisis, workers’ rights, and our reproductive freedoms.

MAGA extremists and Trump loyalists will do everything in their power to corrupt, undermine, and imperil our democracy in order to line their own pockets and permanently move us to an authoritarian regime.

Our work is more important than ever, so thanks for reading and staying informed.

 

Here’s the Latest From CMD

A Manufactured Crisis in Iowa

Billionaire Charles Koch’s political network won a major legislative victory last year when Iowa passed a bill that limits damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. Now, a new court filing claims that an insurance company deliberately lost a major medical malpractice case instead of agreeing to a settlement, with the explicit goal of spurring the Iowa Legislature to take action on the issue.

You can read the full story here.

Florida Town Reels After Koch Industries Shutters Plant

Less than three weeks after being devastated by Hurricane Idalia, the Florida town of Perry was hit by another disaster: its largest employer, Georgia-Pacific, announced that it would shutter its cellulose factory, known as the Foley mill.

You can read the full story here.

GOP Financial Officers Group Cashes-In on Anti-Woke Scare

The membership group of 37 Republican state treasurers, auditors, and financial executives, the State Financial Officers Foundation, more than doubled its revenue in 2022 to over $2 million, cashing-in on the fight against “woke” capitalism.

You can read the full story here.

Koch’s Donor Conduits Doles Out $176 Million

In 2022, Koch's Stand Together Trust and Stand Together Chamber of Commerce contributed over $176 million to groups in Charles Koch’s “Stand Together” constellation of nonprofits as well as to higher education and right-wing policy, advocacy, litigation and media groups.

You can read the full story here.

 

CMD in the News

Our research has recently been cited by or featured in the following publications:

  • Urban Milwaukee: “State Group Funds National Attack on DEI”
  • The Lever: “How Fossil Fuels Found Their Influencers”
  • Energy News Network: “How A Koch-Linked Group Stalled a Bipartisan Ohio Energy Efficiency Bill at the Last Minute”
  • Sun Sentinel: “The Legislature’s Con-Con Con Job”
  • The New Republic: “Stephen Miller Spent 2023 Preparing for His Infernal Comeback”
  • The New Republic: “Mike Johnson Is the Christian Nationalist We Should Have Seen Coming”
  • Chalkbeat Tennessee: “A-F grades come out this week for Tennessee schools. Here’s what to know.”
  • Pepperspectives: “Hiding Their Tracks on January 6…”

That’s all for this week. Thank you for following our investigations and for your continued support! We wish you the best start to this new year

Team CMD

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CMD is a 501(c)(3) national watchdog and media group that conducts in-depth investigations into corruption and the undue influence of corporations on media and democracy. Our work is regularly cited by news outlets, policymakers, and grassroots activists working to build a more sustainable future and just society. CMD is reader-supported. Please make your tax-deductible donation today. Thank you!

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