Washington Post Shines Further Light on Far-Right Secret Money Strategy To Enact Radical and Unpopular Policies

“A Vicious and Corrupt Cycle”

CONTACT: William Lutz, media@acslaw.org 

Washington, DC -- The Washington Post today published a deeply revealing story about the secret money that funds much of the far right’s efforts to shape the judiciary and secure the reins of power in order to enact a social and economic agenda unpopular with most Americans. Below is the statement of American Constitution Society President Caroline Fredrickson.

“The Washington Post has shined a much-needed light on the dark money network behind the far right’s ongoing, multi-year effort to reshape the judiciary and accomplish through the courts what they failed to accomplish legislatively. And it has exposed the alarming role that Leonard Leo plays as President Trump’s judge picker and chief orchestrator of the dark money machinations that are turning the judiciary into a powerful tool for corporate interests.

“The right would like to turn back the clock on much of the progress we have made in the last century. They want to roll back key rights and freedoms, stack the deck in favor of the wealthy, and return us to the days when there were no regulations protecting our air, water, and food and no laws protecting American consumers from greedy corporations.

“This strategy is well-financed by a dark network of wealthy donors who exploit tax and election laws to keep their identities hidden from the American public. This network offers financial backing to candidates who not only back their agenda, but who also install judges and public officials sympathetic to the far-right agenda. These judges and government officials in turn implement policies that secure political power for the far right and open the door to even more dark money in politics, allowing these secret financiers to continue to operate without public scrutiny. It’s a vicious and corrupt cycle that puts the needs of wealthy donors and corporate special interests over the rights of Americans.

“Sadly, many Americans remain blissfully unaware of this effort to undermine our democratic institutions. But we need to be able to see who is using their wealth to influence our political system and who is financing the push to enact policies that will hurt us and our families. Americans must demand changes in our tax and election law that expose the secret wealthy supporters trying to roll back the clock on the gains we have made and the freedoms we have won.”

THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION SOCIETY
Founded in 2001, the American Constitution Society (ACS) is a leading progressive legal organization and network of attorneys, law students, scholars, judges, policymakers, and other concerned individuals, dedicated to making the law a force to improve people’s lives. For more information, visit us at acslaw.org or on Twitter at @acslaw. You can also follow Caroline Fredrickson on Twitter @crfredrickson.