Center for Media and Democracy

Dark Money Donor Conduit Funneled $195 Million to Right-Wing Groups in 2024 - EXPOSEDbyCMD Last year DonorsTrust, the preferred donor advised fund of the Koch political network, distributed $195.3 million in grants to the more than 300 right-wing influence groups, litigation centers, media ...

NEW: Last year DonorsTrust distributed $195.3 mil in grants to the more than 300 right-wing influence groups, litigation centers, media outlets, climate deniers, pro-gun groups, and other tax-exempt organizations that underpin America’s far-right infrastructure.
www.exposedbycmd.org/2025/11/21/d...

Dispatches From the COP30 Climate Talks in Brazil - EXPOSEDbyCMD Since 2014, I have attended every COP, always yearning for something — for anything — that provides real, concrete actions to effectively deal with this terrible triple threat. Lo and behold, my first...

NEW: Dispatches from #COP30, an interview with Professor Georges Kouadio, PhD.

GOP Resurrects Congressional Pushback on ESG Investing - EXPOSEDbyCMD On October 30, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R–LA), a doctor who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and fellow committee member Senator Jim Banks (R–IN) reintroduced l...

NEW: On Oct 30, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R–LA) and fellow committee member Senator Jim Banks (R–IN) reintroduced legislation designed to prevent retirement plan managers from considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors when choosing investments.

ALEC Pushes Power Grid “Stability” Bills to Favor Fossil Fuels Over Renewables - EXPOSEDbyCMD This past legislative session, at least 15 “grid reliability” and “grid stability” bills based on ALEC model policies were introduced in statehouses across the country.

PUBLISHED: ALEC Pushes Power Grid “Stability” Bills to Favor Fossil Fuels Over Renewables
#ALECExposed

“Without Precedent”: Lisa Graves on the Supreme Court, Tariffs, Voting Rights & Legacy of John Roberts The Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week in a case challenging President Donald Trump’s tariffs, with plaintiffs arguing that his unilateral levies on imported goods violate the Constitution, ...

“There is no genuine emergency. There is no war that is the precipitating basis for invoking IEEPA. And even if it were, it would not allow the imposition of tariffs,” says legal expert Lisa Graves, founder of True North Research and co-host of the podcast Legal AF.

As food aid expired, Trump cheered his marble bathroom and held a ‘Gatsby’ party As millions of families confronted soaring health care costs and the loss of food assistance, their president made his indifference clear.

The juxtaposition is jaw-dropping.
www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

‘A Pretty Ugly History’: How Exxon Exported Climate Denial to the Global South With Brazil about to host COP30, DeSmog has obtained copies of checks Exxon mailed to the right-wing Atlas Network in the 1990s to turn Latin America against climate treaties.

We obtained hundreds of documents revealing how Exxon funded the rightwing Atlas Network to spread climate denial in Latin America and all across the Global South.

Read @geoffdembicki.bsky.social's exclusive story.

www.desmog.com/2025/11/03/a...

Exxon funded thinktanks to spread climate denial in Latin America, documents reveal Texas-based fossil fuel company financed Atlas Network in attempt to derail UN-led climate treaty process

"Exxon funded rightwing thinktanks to spread climate change denial across Latin America, according to hundreds of previously unpublished documents that reveal a coordinated campaign to make the global south “less inclined” to support the UN-led climate treaty process."

John Roberts betrayed America for Donald Trump Legal scholar Lisa Graves on why this Supreme Court chief justice is the worst in history

"The Constitution provides zero immunity for presidents from criminal prosecution. But John Roberts chose to be the kingmaker, giving Trump king-like powers last year..."

After Years of Scandal and Drama in Oklahoma, Ryan Walters Sets His Sights on “Destroying” Teachers Unions - EXPOSEDbyCMD The former Oklahoma State Superintendent's tenure was marked by significant controversy and manufactured culture-war grievances.

ICYMI: After Years of Scandal and Drama in Oklahoma, Ryan Walters Sets His Sights on “Destroying” Teachers Unions

Thanks to Rick Morris from @publiccitizen.bsky.social and Ethan Nuss from @ran.org for talking with me.

Top AIG Exec Has Major Fossil Fuel Ties - EXPOSEDbyCMD As insurance industry underwrites fossil fuels, conflicts of interest emerge at the top.

As we reported at @exposedbycmd.bsky.social, the similarities between AIG's role in the 2008 housing crash and the current climate crisis--which is itself causing a housing crisis--couldn't be more stark. www.exposedbycmd.org/2025/10/29/t...

There's an enormous conflict of interest at the heart of its decision to insure entities like the Rio Grande LNG terminal. John G. Rice, AIG's lead independent director--the second most-powerful position in the company--is also the lead independent director at Baker Hughes, a major fossil fuel firm.

AIG--the same company that triggered the 2008 financial crisis--is one of the world's largest insurers of fossil fuels--despite the fact that it suffers enormous losses from catastrophic climate events like the LA wildfires.

Top AIG Exec Has Major Fossil Fuel Ties - EXPOSEDbyCMD As insurance industry underwrites fossil fuels, conflicts of interest emerge at the top.

NEW: Top AIG Exec Has Major Fossil Fuel Ties

Top AIG Exec Has Major Fossil Fuel Ties - The American Prospect A Center for Media and Democracy investigation shows that John G. Rice, AIG’s lead independent director, holds the same position at Baker Hughes, a global fossil fuel technology company that has recei...

AIG insures fossil fuel infrastructure deals.
But AIG’s lead independent director, John G. Rice, holds the exact same position at Baker Hughes, which gets contracts to build fossil fuel infrastructure.
Big conflict found by our partners at @exposedbycmd.bsky.social.
prospect.org/2025/10/29/t...

YouTube video by The Center for Media and Democracy Rights Under Attack: DHS Violence Against Journalists, Observers, and Protestors Journalist Webinar

ICYMI: CMD's webinar co-hosted with @acslaw.bsky.social
& @commoncause.org on the latest developments in the disturbing escalation of violence by federal agents against journalists, observers, & peaceful protesters — & what that means for a free press & our democracy has been published.

YouTube video by The Center for Media and Democracy Rights Under Attack: DHS Violence Against Journalists, Observers, and Protestors Journalist Webinar

NEW: CMD's webinar co-hosted with @acslaw.bsky.social, & @commoncause.org on the latest developments in the disturbing escalation of violence by federal agents against journalists, observers, & peaceful protesters — & what that means for a free press & our democracy has been published.

An ADSBx map of South Asia showing the flight path of Omni aircraft N819AX. It flew east, landed in New Delhi, then flew south and is approacing Colombo, Sir Lanka.

This ICE removal operated by Omni Air International is now making its second stop, in Sri Lanka. So far, migrants onboard have spent 34 hours in handcuffs, leg irons and a waist chain. There may be more stops.

Omni and its parent company were purchased in April by private equity firm Stonepeak.

SENIORS ATTN!! AARP is non partisan

YouTube video by American Constitution Society Rights Under Attack: DHS Violence Against Journalists, Observers, and Protestors

What are journalists dealing with on the front lines covering DHS and ICE?

@attorneynora.bsky.social @writeralejandra.bsky.social @plasticjesusart.bsky.social @mvtopic.bsky.social and I had a lot of ground to cover in this 1-hour panel hosted by
@exposedbycmd.bsky.social and @acslaw.bsky.social!

YouTube video by The Center for Media and Democracy Rights Under Attack: DHS Violence Against Journalists, Observers, and Protestors Journalist Webinar

NEW: CMD's webinar co-hosted with @acslaw.bsky.social, & @commoncause.org on the latest developments in the disturbing escalation of violence by federal agents against journalists, observers, & peaceful protesters — & what that means for a free press & our democracy has been published.

Right-Wing Astroturf Group for Older Americans Pushes for Election Rule That Could Disenfranchise More Than 12 Million Seniors - EXPOSEDbyCMD An organization for seniors touting itself as the “conservative alternative to the AARP” is fomenting distrust in elections and advocating for a federal rules change that could disenfranchise more tha...

ICYMI: Under the guise of “election integrity,” an organization for seniors touting itself as the “conservative alternative to the AARP” is fomenting distrust in elections and advocating for a federal rules change that could disenfranchise more than 12 million voters aged 65 or older.

Right-Wing Astroturf Group for Older Americans Pushes for Election Rule That Could Disenfranchise More Than 12 Million Seniors - EXPOSEDbyCMD An organization for seniors touting itself as the “conservative alternative to the AARP” is fomenting distrust in elections and advocating for a federal rules change that could disenfranchise more tha...

NEW: Under the guise of “election integrity,” an organization for seniors touting itself as the “conservative alternative to the AARP” is fomenting distrust in elections and advocating for a federal rules change that could disenfranchise more than 12 million voters aged 65 or older.

News Brief: Media Helps Sell ICE Raids with Zero Dark Thirty Ride-Along Schlock In this News Brief, we are joined by Matthew Cunningham-Cook to discuss his recent media analysis of "embedded reports" of ICE raids that prime the public for brutal crackdowns on undocumented immigra

In this News Brief, "Media Helps Sell ICE Raids with Zero Dark Thirty Ride-Along Schlock," we discuss NYT, NBC, Fox, CBS and ABC's "embedded reports" of ICE raids that prime the public for ICE’s abductions and harassment of immigrants.

With guest @matthewccook5.bsky.social

Rights Under Attack: Webinar on DHS Violence Against Journalists and Observers - EXPOSEDbyCMD The Center for Media and Democracy, the American Constitution Society, and Common Cause will co-host an important webinar at 3:00 ET on Wednesday, October 22 on the latest developments in the disturbi...

🚨WEBINAR TODAY!🚨The Center for Media & Democracy will co-host an important webinar at 3pm ET on the latest developments in the disturbing escalation of violence by federal agents against journalists, observers, & peaceful protesters — & what that means for a free press & our democracy.

Rights Under Attack: DHS Violence Against Journalists, Observers, and Protestors | ACS

🔔Tomorrow: Join FPF's @adamrose.bsky.social for an online conversation with @acslaw.bsky.social and @exposedbycmd.bsky.social about the impact of federal law enforcement violence on your First Amendment rights.

🗓️ 3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT

Free signup:

As Kaiser Workers Strike, ‘Not-for-Profit’ Is Sitting on $67 Billion - The American Prospect Forty-five thousand workers at Kaiser Permanente—ranging from nurses to therapists to pharmacists—are on strike in the country’s largest labor action of 2025.

Workers at Kaiser Permanente are on strike, demanding the health care giant address major staffing shortages and wages that have not kept up with inflation. Workers complain Kaiser has turned to a more profit driven model. From @matthewccook5.bsky.social:

trib.al/jlnwpfX

As Kaiser Workers Strike, “Not-For-Profit” Is Sitting on $67 Billion - EXPOSEDbyCMD Kaiser has doubled down on hedge funds, outside staffing firms, and high executive compensation as workers lag behind.

ICYMI: As Kaiser Workers Strike, “Not-For-Profit” Is Sitting on $67 Billion