This Week at CMD

In response to the ongoing threat to American democracy, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) launched a new Insurrection Exposed website this week.

The website is designed to provide journalists, researchers, and citizen activists an easily accessible resource for identifying hundreds of the politicians, organizations, key players, and funders who have spread the myth of widespread voter fraud, embraced Trump’s lies, engaged in efforts to overturn the 2020 elections results, fanned the flames of insurrection, undermined the public’s confidence in free and fair elections during the midterms, and are still laying the groundwork to subvert future elections.

Insurrection Exposed will help readers, researchers, and writers keep track of who’s behind these assaults on democracy and, importantly, how they are related.

CMD will continue to add information and profiles to the site as events unfold. Plus, relationship mapping and state pages coming soon!

Here’s the latest on other recent CMD investigations you may have missed:

ALEC Has Half the Legislative Members It Claims

The American Legislative Exchange Council grossly overstates the number of state lawmakers who are members of the organization, internal documents obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy show.

ALEC Lawmakers and Corporate Lobbyists Meet in D.C. to Debate Rewriting the Constitution, Punishing Socially Responsible Businesses, and Protecting Misinformation

The American Legislative Exchange Council met last week in Washington, D.C., for its annual States and Nation Policy Summit at the four-star Grand Hyatt Washington, where rewriting the U.S. Constitution, "woke" capitalism, and protecting hate speech and misinformation were at the top of the agenda.

Charles Koch Distributes $82 Million to 140 Colleges and Universities

Billionaire Charles Koch's personal foundation disclosed $81.7 million in grants to 140 colleges and universities in its 2021 IRS filing.

“Dark Money ATM” Injected Right-Wing Groups with $123 Million in 2021

DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund, the favorite donor conduits of the Koch political network, distributed $123 million in grants in 2021 to right-wing advocacy groups, litigation centers, media outlets, climate deniers, extremists, pro-gun groups, and other tax-exempt organizations that make up America’s right-wing infrastructure, the latest tax filings from both groups detail.

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ALEC Eyes Sweeping Government Blacklists

The American Legislative Exchange Council has quietly uploaded a sweeping model bill to its website that would require states to blacklist companies that consider anything other than maximizing profits when making business decisions.

Koch Group Fails to Stop Medicaid Expansion Amendment in South Dakota

Americans for Prosperity, the right-wing astroturf operation backed by billionaire Charles Koch, suffered a defeat in South Dakota on Tuesday when 56% of voters approved a constitutional amendment to expand the state’s Medicaid program.

Dispatches From the COP27 Climate Talks in Egypt

CMD guest contributor Alex Carlin reports on his observations at the United Nations climate conference.

New Documents Show ALEC Targeting School Board and Other Local Races

Recent documents acquired by the Center for Media and Democracy reveal a new initiative targeting local politicians–especially school board candidates–with right-wing messaging, policies, and financial resources.

Republican State Financial Officers Bring ESG Fight to Washington

Republican treasurers, auditors, and staff from 23 states arrived in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 13 to meet with corporate lobbyists and an array of right-wing groups during the Fall National Meeting of the State Financial Officers Foundation. Over the course of three days, they discussed “the rising threat from China,” inflation, “true diversity,” and anti-ESG investing efforts.

CMD Around the Web

CMD's research was recently cited by the following publications:

Bloomberg: Onetime Trump Appointee Helps Spark Sweeping ESG Backlash
Responsible Investor: Financial institutions on delegate list for US anti-ESG group's event
Climate Action Against Disinformation: Journalist Field Guide
Triple Pundit: It’s Official: Anti-ESG Office Holders Join Forces with Religious Extremism
Triple Pundit: New Rule Supports Corporate Responsibility, but Anti-ESG Fever is Still Rising
Distilled: The Fossil Fuel Industry’s Deceptive Campaign to Kill Offshore Wind
Talking Points Memo: The Right-Wing Plan To Bring Down The Regulators Reaches The Supreme Court
Forbes: Big Brother Is Watching You: ALEC’s Doublethink Attack On America’s Free Markets
Sludge: Leonard Leo-Tied Group Pushing Radical Election Theory Got $66 Million Recently From ‘Dark Money’ Hub
Red, Green, and Blue: The GOP war on EVs: Koch vassal John Stossel promotes Koch Network disinformation
Salon: “Who was it, and what did they buy?” Right-wing dark money group gets $850M from 2 anonymous donors
CNBC: Amazon quietly gave $400,000 to conservative nonprofit that opposed new antitrust legislation
Idaho Mountain Express: Rough Ride Coming Up?
ABC6: Ohio GOP lawmakers pushing photo ID mandate to vote, hurdles for troops' ballots
CounterPunch: California Doctors Sue Over Covid ‘Gag Bill’
The Philadelphia Enquirer: With Republican election deniers on the ballot in Pennsylvania, activists search for votes in deep-red regions
Religion Dispatches: The Quiet Part is Very Much Out Loud: Conservative Publication Calls For Embrace of Totalitarianism
CounterPunch: Our Inane Election-Time Double Standard on Campaign Contributions
Wisconsin Watch: Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric roils Wisconsin, providing political fuel for the right

Thank you for supporting the Center for Media and Democracy and following our investigations at Exposed by CMD!

Arn H. Pearson

Executive Director

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!