Chuck Darwin<p><a href="https://c.im/tags/Leonard" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Leonard</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Leo" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Leo</span></a>, the conservative activist with an estimated<br />💥 $1 billion at his disposal, <br />is threatening to withhold money from the dozens of groups he supports 👉 unless they develop plans to "weaponize" their ideas.</p><p>Why it matters: </p><p>Leo's call for conservative groups to get <a href="https://c.im/tags/more" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>more</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/aggressive" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>aggressive</span></a> will send shockwaves through the right-wing ecosystem he helped create.</p><p>Leo wants less conversation and more action <br />— fewer seminars and more campaigns <br />— as part of a plan to <br />♦️"crush liberal dominance at the choke points of influence and power in our society," <br />he told the groups in a letter obtained by Axios.</p><p>The goal should be to direct "funding🔸 to operationalize or weaponize the conservative vision," Leo wrote.</p><p>Zoom in: </p><p>Leo, 59, is telling organizations backed by his <a href="https://c.im/tags/85Fund" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>85Fund</span></a> that he's undertaking a <br />"comprehensive review" of his grant-making process.</p><p>His letter doesn't mention any specific groups by name, but they know who they are.</p><p>Groups such as Teneo, <br />Honest Elections Project, <br />Consumers's Research and <br />Do No Harm <br />are examples of organizations that have adopted <br />the kind of <a href="https://c.im/tags/aggressive" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>aggressive</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/tactics" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>tactics</span></a> Leo encourages, according to a source close to the 85 Fund.</p><p>Those groups have run campaigns that have achieved measurable results, such as <br />Consumers' Research's work on ESG investing, <br />which has been featured in congressional hearings.</p><p>Decisions about future funding will be shared with the groups by the end of November, Leo's letter said.</p><p>Zoom out: </p><p>Leo helped build the <a href="https://c.im/tags/Federalist" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Federalist</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Society" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Society</span></a>, an organization for conservative law students, <br />into an incubator for lawyers and judges that reshape the federal judiciary and American society.</p><p>He helped former President Trump select three conservative jurists for the Supreme Court<br />— Neil <a href="https://c.im/tags/Gorsuch" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Gorsuch</span></a>, Brett <a href="https://c.im/tags/Kavanaugh" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Kavanaugh</span></a> and Amy Coney <a href="https://c.im/tags/Barrett" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Barrett</span></a>. <br />They've transformed federal law on issues ranging from <a href="https://c.im/tags/abortion" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>abortion</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/rights" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>rights</span></a> (overturning Roe v. Wade) to <a href="https://c.im/tags/federal" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>federal</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/rule" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>rule</span></a>-<a href="https://c.im/tags/making" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>making</span></a>.</p><p>In 2022, the New York Times revealedhow a nonprofit Leo controls, <br />the <a href="https://c.im/tags/Marble" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Marble</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Freedom" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Freedom</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Trust" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Trust</span></a>, received a ⭐️$1.6 billion contribution from a conservative donor, <a href="https://c.im/tags/Barre" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Barre</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Seid" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Seid</span></a>, <br />who gifted the shares of the company he founded before they were sold. </p><p>Leo has an estimated <br />⭐️$1 billion left to spend, <br />according to the Financial Times. </p><p>Leo, who is credited with the initial $1.6 billion windfall to Marble Freedom Trust, has been responsible for raising donations and support for the 85 Fund.</p><p>Between the lines: </p><p>Behind Leo's new push is his admiration for what he views as successes of progressive nonprofit groups <br />such as The <a href="https://c.im/tags/Wyss" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Wyss</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Foundation" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Foundation</span></a> and the <br /><a href="https://c.im/tags/Berger" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Berger</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Action" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Action</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Fund" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Fund</span></a>, <br />supported by <a href="https://c.im/tags/Hansjo%CC%88rg" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Hansjörg</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Wyss" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Wyss</span></a>.</p><p>Leo is also convinced that liberal organizations and ideas have captured most influential institutions in government, <br />media, entertainment and academia.</p><p>"They invested in talent pipelines to populate the power centers inside government, <br />where policy would be implemented," <br />Leo writes. </p><p>"They incubated litigation as a means of leveraging the law to produce change."</p><p>The other side: </p><p>As Leo's prominence and influence have increased, <br />his methods and his conservative network have drawn scrutiny <br />— and provoked outrage <br />— in progressive circles.</p><p><a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/12/leonard-leo-conservative-groups-funding" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">axios.com/2024/09/12/leonard-l</span><span class="invisible">eo-conservative-groups-funding</span></a></p>
Recent searches
Search options
Administered by:
#Hansjorg
0 posts0 participants0 posts today