'Who was it?' Right-wing dark money group gets $850 million from 2 anonymous donors

[turbinetree]

By Jake Johnson, Common Dreams
Published November 18, 2022

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The right-wing dark money organization DonorsTrust was the beneficiary of two anonymous contributions of around $425 million each last year, according to a tax filing obtained by Politico, which described the gifts as "among the largest ever donations to a politically-connected group."
Politico reported Wednesday that DonorsTrust, a longtime funder of right-wing causes that describes itself as a defender of "free-market ideals," disclosed just three financial gifts in 2021.

"One contribution was listed for $427 million, and another for about $77 million," the outlet found. "The third donation was worth roughly $426 million—but not in cash. DonorsTrust noted that on December 30, 2021, it received hundreds of millions in 'closely held common stock in a C-corporation.' It did not provide greater details on the identity of that investment."

https://www.rawstory.com/leonard-leo/

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse new book Scheme is my next read......to further make me upset on this Federalist Society meme who would be a nobody if it wasn't for money and political corruption of John Roberts fucking worthless federalist society court and his rulings and shadow docket bullshit, can't wait to see how they rule on that legislative theory bullshit coming out of North Carolina will further turn this country into a fascist state by the courts .... and people wonder why we have gerrymandered districts and counties and why we have no voting rights act, and that money is fucking free speech.....yeah right....

[CurtEastPoint]

1. this is so fucking wrong. And needs to be fixed.

[noahx]

2. Elon or Putin

My guesses.

[DFW]

3. It is perverse that such a thing is even legally possible

I don't care if someone has a hundred billion dollars. If he or she earned it legally, then so be it. Congratulations. Let him/her go buy a fleet of yachts, or a ranch on the moon, or an underwater aquarium off of St. Croix, or South Dakota, or whatever, but NOT the political direction of our country. THAT should remain off limits to individuals, and the sole domain of the voting masses (which should include everyone who is a citizen of the United States, PERIOD) It's bad enough that the Republican leadership is for sale. Their whole congressional caucus should not be.

Let us normal mortals determine what happens to US, and go play with your yachts and your DaVinci portraits in peace. It's none of MY business if you want to buy a DaVinci painting for $450 million. It's none of YOUR business if one of my daughters decides to marry another woman or have an abortion. I wouldn't think of spending a cent to prevent you from doing what you want. Why would you spend enough to buy a medium sized city in Idaho to prevent me from doing what I want?

[sop]

5. Why would they spend so much? ROI (return on investment).

It's an investment that will pay off handsomely in lower tax rates, fewer regulations, privatization and corporate-friendly courts.

[DFW]

7. If they have THAT much money to begin with, what do they plan to spend the rest on, anyway?

I don't think I would live long enough to spend the money they have, already. Lower tax rates? If I already HAD megamoney like that, what would I care what anything additional would be taxed at? I'd never get around to spending it anyway. I think it's all about the one thing left to do with money when you have already bought everything you could possibly acquire in the physical realm: power and control. It takes a perverse mindset to think that the power to make people to do your bidding, and suffer at your whim, is something to aspire to. "Spragg" was a figment of Stan Lee's imagination, not a contributor to the Republican Party, or one of their candidates for national office.................or so I thought, anyway.

[sop]

10. I agree, it is perverse, but for many corporate special interests enough is never enough.

The concept of Shareholder Primacy is a perverse incentive, but it's how most corporations are required to operate under their corporate charters. Corporate charters typically define a company's primary purpose as maximizing profit to benefit shareholders.

Dodge v. Ford Motor Company was a case in which "the Michigan Supreme Court held that Henry Ford had to operate the Ford Motor Company in the interests of its shareholders, rather than in a charitable manner for the benefit of his employees or customers." This case is "often taught as affirming the principle of shareholder primacy in corporate America."

Corporate law describes directors as fiduciaries who owe duties not only to shareholders but also to the corporate entity itself. Corporate directors are required to use their powers in "the best interests of the company," and that usually means they have to do everything legally possible to increase shareholder value. Making huge political contributions to get something of greater value in return, like lower taxes and fewer regulations, are effective ways of achieving this.

[sop]

4. My money's on the Saudis.

[bluestarone]

6. Fucking dark money just changes hands. BACK and FORTH. (fucking nobody does)

NOTHING!! Some days, i feel America is so under attack from our own people!

[Iwasthere]

8. If it wasn't for citizens United and dark money the Blue waves would be so much bigger

And we wouldn't be in the mess we're in. We really wouldn't

[lostnfound]

9. Pay a dog walker more than $600 a year? Report it to IRS on a 1099.

The IRS is entitled to know the identity of the neighbor kid to whom you pay $20 for walking Rover twice around the block two days a week. That’s $1000. The harm done to the US government in failing to report it might add be $100 of taxes, or likely less.

But the US citizens have no business knowing the identity of billionaires throwing $425 Million into dark money groups where the harm done is a complete distortion of our political system and government.

Being a U.S. citizen should have more power. The absence of civics education and the emphasis on immigration as a wedge issue has turned the whole notion inside out. We are consumers now; the word citizen means we won’t be victimized by ICE, and once in a while we may be allowed to vote if our signatures match and Louis Dejoy hasn’t had our ballots mailed to the bottom of a ditch and our registration isn’t stashed in Brian Kemp’s office and our name isn't a fuzzy match with the GOP’s voter caging list and we didn’t arrive at a polling place with long lines that didn’t count votes of people who voted after 7 pm even if they were standing in line….

[Warpy]

11. Peter Thiel is most likely one of them

but there are a lot of candidates for Arasehole #2.

[SouthernDem4ever]

12. Thanks a lot Aholes on the supreme court

for citizens divided.