Left-wing megadonors supporting group that targets conservative Supreme Court justices.

ProPublica: A Nonprofit News Website Exposing Supreme Court Justices

ProPublica, the nonprofit news website, has been making waves with its investigative reporting on Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. But who is behind this organization? It turns out that ProPublica is funded by left-wing megadonors who are passionate about court packing advocacy groups.

Uncovering Alleged Ethics Violations

Since the landmark decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year, ProPublica has been relentless in its allegations of ethics violations against Thomas and Alito. Their publications have shed light on various incidents, such as Thomas’s trips with billionaire real estate developer Harlan Crow, Crow’s financial support for Thomas’s grandnephew’s education, and even the purchase of Thomas’s mother’s home.

For Alito, ProPublica revealed details about a fishing trip he took with conservative hedge fund manager Paul Singer in 2008. The website pointed out that this trip was not disclosed in Alito’s annual financial disclosure and raised questions about his involvement in a case related to Singer’s organization.

Defending Against Accusations

Alito preempted ProPublica’s report with an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, where he vehemently defended himself and accused the website of spreading “false charges.” He argued that ProPublica has been launching partisan attacks on conservative Supreme Court justices for months, fueled by their funding from left-wing groups.

Mike Davis, founder and president of the Article III Project, echoed this sentiment, stating that ProPublica exclusively relies on leftist “ethics experts” to confirm their biases against constitutionalist justices. He emphasized that the website’s funding from dark-money Democrat donors is the driving force behind their agenda.

The Sandler Foundation: A Key Player

ProPublica was founded in 2007 by the Sandler Foundation, which has provided nearly $40 million in funding to the organization since 2010. However, the Sandler Foundation’s influence extends beyond ProPublica. It has also funneled money into left-wing organizations that actively call for investigations into Thomas and advocate court packing.

Notably, the Sandlers have been linked to the 2008 housing market crash and were even included in Time magazine’s list of “25 People to Blame for the Financial Crisis.” Their foundation’s support extends to Demand Justice, a dark money court packing group that has spearheaded smear campaigns against Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett.

A Network of Dark Money Nonprofits

Demand Justice received a $500,000 grant in 2019 from the Sandler Foundation, which was earmarked for a group called New Venture Fund. This fund is part of a web of left-wing dark money nonprofit groups managed by consulting firm Arabella Advisors. In 2020 alone, this network spent nearly $1.2 billion.

ProPublica also quoted the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and the American Constitution Society (ACS) in its reports. The Sandler Foundation has given $7.5 million to CLC since 2015, and it has provided $6 million to ACS since 2010. Both organizations have been vocal in their calls for investigations into the Supreme Court’s alleged violations of federal law and ethics lapses.

A Pop-Up Pressure Campaign

Parker Thayer, an investigative researcher at Capital Research Center, described ProPublica’s tactics as a “pop-up pressure campaign.” He explained that a few donors pay multiple organizations to get involved in a specific policy debate. Then, all at once, these groups start making noise about an issue that previously received little attention.

Backing from George Soros

In addition to the Sandler Foundation, left-wing megadonor George Soros has also supported ProPublica through his Foundation To Promote Open Society. Soros’s foundation has given over $3 million to ProPublica and $2.7 million to CLC. This has led critics to argue that ProPublica is merely a dark money mouthpiece for progressive backers.

ProPublica’s Response

ProPublica responded to inquiries by stating that it receives philanthropic support from donors of all political affiliations. They emphasized that their newsroom operates with fierce independence, and no donor or board member is aware of the subjects of their stories before publication. They also highlighted their track record of exposing abuses of power, regardless of which party is in charge.

ProPublica’s investigative reporting has shed light on wrongdoing across various sectors for over 15 years. Their work has covered both Republican and Democratic officials, exposing corruption, environmental harm, gerrymandering, and manipulation of the tax code.

It is clear that ProPublica’s funding sources and their focus on conservative Supreme Court justices have raised concerns among critics. The influence of left-wing megadonors and the network of dark money nonprofits supporting ProPublica’s agenda have sparked a debate about the organization’s independence and impartiality.

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