Today, ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court’s hearing on the landmark case, Moore v. Harper, Accountable.US released a new report exposing that conservative dark money groups have given $89,705,670 to organizations actively supporting the plaintiffs in this landmark case. 

The report details the significant donations made to influential right-wing groups that filed amicus briefs in the upcoming Supreme Court case, Moore v. Harper, voicing support for the implementation of the fringe Independent State Legislature Theory, which would give sole authority over federal elections to state legislatures and disrupt American democracy. Many of these same groups engage in advocacy work to place burdensome restrictions on ballot access, bolster gerrymandering, and recently aided in the failed effort to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. 

For the better part of a decade, wealthy conservative mega-donors secretly gave nearly $90 million through their shadowy networks to the organizations that are actively pressuring the Supreme Court to adopt a fringe legal doctrine that, if enacted, would eliminate checks and balances in our federal elections and empower state legislatures to manipulate and undermine our elections. We can not allow extremist groups hiding in the shadows to break down our constitutional rights and derail our democracy.”

Kayla Hancock, Director of Power and Influence

Report Highlights:

  • DonorsTrust: Gave $70,481,480 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.

  • The Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation: Gave $6,127,000 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.

  • Bradley Impact Fund, which gave $​​478,353 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.

  • America First Works: Gave $4,795,000 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.

  • Sarah Scaife Foundation: Gave $3,625,000 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.

  • Searle Freedom Trust: Gave $2,090,000 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.
  • Thomas W. Smith Foundation: Gave $825,000 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.

  • Donors Capital Fund: Gave $683,837 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.

  • 85 Fund, which gave $400,000 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory.

  • Ed Uihlein Family Foundation, which gave $200,000 to groups that filed amicus briefs in support of the independent state legislature theory. 
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