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WASHINGTON, DC – New tax filings obtained and published by government watchdog Accountable.US revealed how far-right organizations spent hundreds of millions in 2022 to boost extreme causes and further their radical agenda — from efforts to strengthen the anti-abortion movement, shape conservative judicial nominations, craft anti-LGBTQ lawsuits, and more. 

More on the network of far-right groups spending millions to force a radical, unpopular agenda on everyday Americans:

NBC News: Donations have surged to groups linked to conservative Project 2025

  • “The foundation distributed over $1.67 million in grants in 2022 — including a total of $965,000 to organizations on the advisory board of Project 2025, tax records show. These donations accounted for 58% of Heritage’s total grant-making in 2022.”
  • “Caroline Ciccone, president of Accountable.US, warned that Project 2025 threatens to empower an executive branch set on weaponizing its powers against its political enemies, while dismantling core government accountability functions, with the Heritage Foundation and DonorsTrust enabling its efforts. ‘Project 2025 is a five-alarm fire for our democracy — and groups like the Heritage Foundation and Leonard Leo-backed DonorsTrust are making it all possible by dumping millions into the dangerous project,” Ciccone said. “From dismantling critical checks and balances to weaponizing the executive branch, Project 2025 takes extremism to a whole new level.’
  • “Project 2025’s board of more than 80 conservative organizations includes nearly 40 that have received funding from dark-money groups linked to Leonard Leo, a major right-wing donor who influenced the shaping of the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority under Trump.”

Bloomberg: Group Tied to Supreme Court Patron Leo Pours $103 Million Into Conservative Causes

  • “A key group linked to GOP fundraiser Leonard Leo poured $103 million into conservative causes last year, providing a significant boost to organizations that oppose diversity programs and medical care for transgender people, among other issues. Distributions from the group, the 85 Fund, increased roughly 33% since 2021, according to tax filings shared with Bloomberg News by progressive advocacy group Accountable.US.”
  • “The 85 Fund, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that is helmed by Leo ally Carrie Severino, gave $92 million to another group with ties to Leo called DonorsTrust Inc. in 2022, according to the tax filings. That’s a nearly 30% increase over the $71 million given to DonorsTrust in 2021.”
  • “The 85 Fund also gave $2.3 million to the Federalist Society in 2022, more than more than $1 million to the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank that describes its mission as “applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition” to public policy, and $250,000 to the Center for Equal Opportunity, the group behind the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn racial affirmative action in higher education.”
  • “The 85 Fund paid CRC Advisors $21 million in 2022, according to the tax filings, roughly the same amount it paid to the consulting firm in 2021.”

Politico: Leo-Linked Anti-ESG Group Rakes in $10M

  • “Consumers’ Research, the Leonard Leo-linked nonprofit group that’s been leading conservatives’ crusade against ESG investment strategies, brought in more than $10 million in revenue last year — a $2.4 million increase from the year before — thanks to a massive gift from the conservative donor fund DonorsTrust, according to the group’s tax filings.”
  • “The filings, which were shared exclusively with PI by the liberal watchdog group Accountable.US, show Consumers’ Research continues to haul in money to fund the group’s anti-ESG campaign, one of Leo’s latest culture war fights. The nonprofit, which is run by an ally of Leo’s and is not required to disclose its donors, has seen a surge of resources in the past few years, with revenues soaring from around $800,000 in 2020 to $8 million in 2021.”
  • “Consumers’ Research also reported spending more than $2.3 million on media services from conservative consultancy Mentzer Media, and nearly $600,000 on legal services from CRC Advisors, Leo’s for-profit consulting firm.”

Bloomberg: Trump Adviser Stephen Miller’s Legal Group Rakes in $44 Million

  • “A conservative legal group led by longtime Donald Trump adviser Stephen Miller reported a nearly 600% jump in its revenue, raising $44 million in 2022 compared with $6 million in 2021, according to a new tax filing.”
  • “The increase came as the group, America First Legal, expanded its work filing lawsuits and complaints against corporations, school districts, major law firms and other institutions that it calls “woke” and “radical.” America First Legal specializes in litigation over controversial culture war issues such as diversity in hiring programs, transgender rights, immigration and former President Trump’s legal battles.”
  • “The bulk of the group’s revenue — $27 million — came from a single donor, according to the group’s latest tax filing, which was shared with Bloomberg News by progressive group Accountable.US.”
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