Dear John,

As I write this, Donald Trump and the billionaire oligarchs who back him are busy rolling out cabinet appointments and game plans to punish his political enemies and make the far-right authoritarian vision laid out in Project 2025 a reality. 

It is by far the most radical assault on American democracy in our lifetimes.

Before the election, Trump disavowed the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 blueprint for expanding presidential powers, running roughshod over the Constitution, pillaging our public lands, and taking away our rights. But that was then, this is now. The morning after Election Day, right-wing podcast host Matt Walsh tweeted, “Now that the election is over I think we can finally say that yeah actually Project 2025 is the agenda. Lol.” Former Trump advisor and ex-con Steve Bannon amplified that message, and Heritage President Kevin Roberts pronounced that he is “ecstatic” about Trump’s cabinet picks.

Their message is clear. The core tenets of our democracy — including the rule of law, constitutional checks and balances, and a free press — are all at risk.

In this new era where pro-Trump propaganda is pumped out by billionaire-controlled media empires like FoxNews and social media platforms like X, truly independent sources of news and brave investigative journalists are more important than ever.

That’s why I’m asking you to support the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD).

CMD’s intrepid researchers and reporters dig deep to uncover threats to democracy, hidden corporate influence, climate deniers, and insurrectionists — and CMD takes action when it finds violations of law. 

This year:

• CMD revealed more than 200 election deniers holding key political, election administration, and party positions in swing states. And for the past two years its Insurrection Exposed website has provided hundreds of profiles of the politicians, groups, funders, lawyers, and other Trump sycophants who orchestrated the January 6 insurrection and have been laying the groundwork to subvert future elections.

• CMD blew the whistle on the Right’s “anti-ESG” campaign backed by Big Oil to block climate progress and manufacture a crisis around responsible investing under the guise of attacking “woke capitalism.”

• CMD kept the heat on the Koch political machine and ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) for their efforts to promote the policy wish lists of Big Oil, Leonard Leo, union busters, and far-right culture warriors gunning for reproductive freedom, racial diversity, and LGBTQ rights.

• CMD sounded the alarm over the dangerous campaign to trigger a constitutional convention, championed by ALEC and Heritage, that would give delegates handpicked by GOP politicians supermajority control over proposing radical changes to the Constitution aimed at rolling back a century of progress on economic, racial, social, and environmental justice.

CMD’s team publishes scores of original investigations each year, sources exclusives for mainstream media, and collaborates with proud independent outlets like The Guardian, Mother Jones, The American Prospect, The Progressive, Drilled, Truthout, and Common Dreams.

I have always said that the first step to saving our democracy is identifying who has taken it hostage. Autocracy and fascism feed on darkness and disinformation. That’s why we need CMD’s award-winning watchdog journalism now more than ever.

When Trump lionizes dictator Victor Orban, who muzzled the press and stacked the judiciary in Hungary, and calls elected officials and the media the “enemy within,” we’re clearly in trouble. But I know CMD will stay strong and keep holding to account Trump, his crony capitalists, and the right-wing networks intent upon hijacking government to serve their interests. That’s because for more than 30 years CMD has sounded the alarm on undue influence and threats to our freedoms, all the while punching way above its weight. 

In these extremely perilous times, CMD needs the continued support of people like you. So I’m asking you to please make a generous tax-deductible donation today!

In the coming year, history will call upon us all to stand strong for America’s democracy in whatever ways we can. One important way you can do that is by supporting independent and hard-hitting journalism like CMD’s.

With deepest gratitude for your generous and ongoing support,

Robert Reich
Former U.S. Secretary of Labor &
Co-Founder of Inequality Media

CMD could not have succeeded in exposing corruption and disinformation for more than three decades without the loyal support of people like you.

Thank you!

Please help CMD reach their year-end goal of $150,000.

Your gift makes all the difference.

Donate Here!

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