Anna Massoglia

Revealed: Elon Musk’s $1 Million Gift to Trump Inauguration Elon Musk’s X Corp. gave $1 million to Trump’s inauguration but the inaugural committee didn’t disclose it until six months later… and Musk has continued pouring money into politics.

Scoop: Elon Musk’s X Corp. made a $1 million gift to Trump’s inauguration.

The inaugural committee failed to disclose the contribution for six months.

New filings show just how deep Musk’s money runs in American politics.

www.influencebrief.com/p/revealed-e...

Revealed: Elon Musk’s $1 Million Gift to Trump Inauguration Elon Musk’s X Corp. gave $1 million to Trump’s inauguration but the inaugural committee didn’t disclose it until six months later… and Musk has continued pouring money into politics.

Trump's inaugural committee initially failed to disclose a $1M in-kind donation from Elon Musk's X, @annalecta.bsky.social notes.

The Mothership Vortex: An Investigation Into the Firm at the Heart of the Democratic Spam Machine How a single consulting firm extracted $282 million from a network of spam PACs while delivering just $11 million to actual campaigns.

The annoying spam texts destroying the Democratic brand:

$678M raised through those spam tactics

$282M to one consulting firm: Mothership Strategies.

$11M to actual campaigns (1.6%)

The party isn’t just treating donors like marks—it’s being fleeced itself yet continues to back Mothership.

huge thank you to @ryanbeckwith.bsky.social for the opportunity to write about this!

Update: Trump’s meme coin site now lists a Tron contract address— making it easier to buy on a blockchain tied to more illicit crypto activity than any other, per a report, and deepening the U.S. president’s business links to Chinese billionaire Justin Sun.

NEWS

Senator Josh Hawley’s bill to ban stock trading for members of Congress, the President, and Vice President has passed out of committee.

The vote was 8–7, with Hawley being the only GOP to join Dems.

White House had lobbied against the bill since it includes the President and Vice President.

Opinion | Trump's Scotland trip was a brazen mixing of power and profit He has reported more income from business in Scotland than any other foreign country.

Trump cut the ribbon at a new Scottish golf course this week.

The White House called it a “working visit," costing taxpayers ~$10M.

Since becoming president, Trump’s reported more income from Scotland than any other foreign country.

My full piece for @msnbc:
🔗 www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | Trump's Scotland trip was a brazen mixing of power and profit He has reported more income from business in Scotland than any other foreign country.

"In Donald Trump’s second term, the presidency isn’t just entangled with private interests. Evidently, it’s now being used to advance them." — @annalecta.bsky.social www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Democracy and Destiny EP 6 with CREW's Robert Maguire WBAI version This episode of Democracy & Destiny focuses on money in politics including an interview with CREW's Robert Maguire, an expert on following the money in campaign finance. This includes discussion of Ci

In his interview with me for "Democracy & Destiny," @robertmaguire.bsky.social gave a shout out to @annalecta.bsky.social for her study of the 2024 election which found $1.9 billion in dark money. soundcloud.com/profciara/de... #darkmoney #BC #CREW #moneyinpolitics

Big Donors Already Making Mark on New Jersey and Virginia’s 2025 Governors’ Elections The two states with gubernatorial races this year are on track for historically high spending driven by six- and seven-figure donations.

Big money from special interests, out of state groups, and secret donors is fueling expensive elections in New Jersey and Virginia... www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...

Targeting Obama, Trump’s Retribution Campaign Takes Another Turn

As anyone who's read my most recent book knows, Paul Manafort was caught dead-to-rights—by a Republican-led committee!—secretly funneling campaign documents to, and having secret conversations with, a known Russian intelligence agent.

www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/u...

Karoline Leavitt’s 2022 campaign committee still owes $323,000 - OpenSecrets News President Donald Trump’s White House press secretary has a money problem that won’t go away. As spring turned to summer,…

Karoline Leavitt has a money problem that won't go away.

New from me in @opensecrets.org: www.opensecrets.org/news/2025/07...

Democracy and Destiny EP 6 with CREW's Robert Maguire WBAI version This episode of Democracy & Destiny focuses on money in politics including an interview with CREW's Robert Maguire, an expert on following the money in campaign finance. This includes discussion of Ci

Good morning!

Please check out the latest episode of "Democracy & Destiny." In it @robertmaguire.bsky.social and I discuss why we still don't know who the biggest political spender in the 2024 election was because of the $1.9 billion in dark money. soundcloud.com/profciara/de... #darkmoney

Million-Dollar Donors Flooded Trump’s Second Inauguration The  inauguration raised more money from donors contributing at least $1 million than any prior inauguration fundraised altogether.

Trump’s inauguration fundraising was record-smashing. More money, more from donors of $1 million+, huge amounts from tech & crypto, less-than-transparent sources, and a record amount of refunds. Analysis from
@annalecta.bsky.social & @brennancenter.org www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
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Million-Dollar Donors Flooded Trump’s Second Inauguration The  inauguration raised more money from donors contributing at least $1 million than any prior inauguration fundraised altogether.

Trump’s inauguration fundraising was like nothing seen before. More money, more from donors of $1 million+, huge $ from tech industry, less-than-transparent sources, and a record amount of refunds. New from @annalecta.bsky.social & @brennancenter.org ‬ www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Million-Dollar Donors Flooded Trump’s Second Inauguration The  inauguration raised more money from donors contributing at least $1 million than any prior inauguration fundraised altogether.

Individuals and corporations, many of which stand to benefit from the new administration, contributed an unprecedented number of seven-figure checks to the inauguration. Our latest resource follows the money:
bit.ly/4kkgxv0

Million-Dollar Donors Flooded Trump’s Second Inauguration The  inauguration raised more money from donors contributing at least $1 million than any prior inauguration fundraised altogether.

“Individuals and corporations, many of which stand to benefit from the actions of the new administration, contributed an unprecedented number of seven-figure checks. The inaugural committee received more than $245 million in contributions…” What’s a conflict? www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Million-Dollar Donors Flooded Trump’s Second Inauguration The  inauguration raised more money from donors contributing at least $1 million than any prior inauguration fundraised altogether.

Trump’s inauguration raised more money from donors contributing at least $1 million than any prior inauguration. Learn more:
bit.ly/4kkgxv0

Million-Dollar Donors Flooded Trump’s Second Inauguration The  inauguration raised more money from donors contributing at least $1 million than any prior inauguration fundraised altogether.

Trump’s 2025 inauguration raised more from $1M+ donors than any previous inauguration raised in total—and set a new record for refunds.

My new analysis with the @brennancenter.org breaks it down and follows the money trails.

🔗 www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Million-Dollar Donors Flooded Trump’s Second Inauguration The  inauguration raised more money from donors contributing at least $1 million than any prior inauguration fundraised altogether.

Tech interests — including cryptocurrency companies — were some of the largest contributors to Trump’s 2025 inauguration. Our latest analysis breaks down the funding.

Still at #IRE25? Then check out our last session on “Everything you want to know about tracking political influence & money in politics” with Sunlight's @annalecta.bsky.social, Soo Rin Kim (ABC News), & @robertmaguire.bsky.social @citizensforethics.org

⏰ 10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Galerie 4 (2nd floor)

Picture of the panel speaking at #IRE25

Fantastic panel by
@zakimfridge.bsky.social @jasonleopold.bsky.social @annalecta.bsky.social and Jay Hunter.

Bookmark this if you want tips on disappearing data. #IRE25

bit.ly/ire25

Dark Money Hit a Record High of $1.9 Billion in 2024 Federal Races Spending by groups that do not disclose their donors has increased and become harder to trace.

www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Dark Money Hit a Record High of $1.9 Billion in 2024 Federal Races Spending by groups that do not disclose their donors has increased and become harder to trace.

Dark money in the 2024 elections reached a record high of $1.9 billion, almost double the prior record in 2020. New analysis from @brennancenter and @annalecta.bsky.social www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Auction to Dine With Trump Creates Foreign Influence Opportunity (Gift Article) When the bidding stops Monday, the top buyers of a Trump family crypto coin will win a tour of the White House.

TODAY the NYT publishes an investigation into the Trump memecoin $TRUMP and how it has turned into a extraordinary venue for foreign influence campaigns. What we are seeing is potentially corrupt attempts to change US policy by paying the Trump family money. This is no "Russian Hoax" nyti.ms/4kkv7D7

Dark Money Hit a Record High of $1.9 Billion in 2024 Federal Races Spending by groups that do not disclose their donors has increased and become harder to trace.

Since Citizens United, dark money groups have spent at least $4.3 billion on federal elections. Our latest analysis from
@annalecta.bsky.social tracks dark money spending in the 2024 election cycle.

Dark Money Hit a Record High of $1.9 Billion in 2024 Federal Races Spending by groups that do not disclose their donors has increased and become harder to trace.

The 2024 federal election was the most secretive since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in 2010. Dark money groups — nonprofits and shell companies that hide their donors — spent more than $1.9 billion on last year’s elections, nearly doubling the 2020 record of $1 billion.

Top Trump Crypto Buyers Vying for Dinner Seats Are Likely Foreign, Data Shows The majority of top holders of Donald Trump’s memecoin have used foreign exchanges that say they ban US users, suggesting many purchasers are based abroad

Must-read new Bloomberg analysis: Most of the top holders of Trump’s memecoin - who are vying for an “intimate dinner” with POTUS and a White House tour - are likely foreign. www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

Dark Money Hit a Record High of $1.9 Billion in 2024 Federal Races Spending by groups that do not disclose their donors has increased and become harder to trace.

“The 2024 federal election cycle was the most secretive since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in 2010.”- @annalecta.bsky.social www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
Dark money groups, nonprofits, & shell companies spent $1.9 billion — almost double the record $1 billion spent in 2020.

Chart showing increase in dark money in U.S. federal elections.

Since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, dark money groups have poured at least $4.3 BILLION into federal elections.

Proud to have collaborated with the @brennancenter.bsky.social team on this important research: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...