Latest news with #Soros-backed
New York Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Left-wing dark-money megadonors, including George Soros, fund group organizing protests against Trump's DC crime crackdown
Several lefty, dark money organizations, including George Soros', contributed more than $20 million to groups funding protests against President Trump's crime crackdown in Washington, DC. Free DC, a 'fiscally sponsored special project' of progressive nonprofits Community Change and Community Change Action, brought 150 demonstrators near the White House Monday to protest Trump's plan to deploy National Guard troops in the district and federalize the city's police department. 'Do not obey in advance' and 'Take up space' are among Free DC's 'guiding principles,' and the group urges supporters to 'go outside at 8:00 PM and bang pots and pans, sing, chant, or make noise for five minutes' every night 'of this occupation.' Advertisement Free DC has scheduled multiple events since Monday's anti-Trump protest, including a 'Cop Watch Training,' suggesting further protests are planned amid Trump's effort to make DC the 'safest, cleanest and most beautiful cities anywhere in the world' – by ramping up law enforcement efforts and removing homeless encampments from public places. 3 Free DC has called for protests every night 'of this occupation.' REUTERS Community Change and Community Change Action, the groups bankrolling Free DC's activism campaign, have been the beneficiaries of millions of dollars in donations from hedge-fund tycoon George Soros' Open Society Foundations and Tides Foundation, and the dark-money Arabella Advisors network, according to an analysis shared with The Post. Advertisement 'It is ironic that a protest to ostensibly 'Free DC' was hosted by Community Change, a group funded by massive amounts of outside dark money to push a pro-crime agenda,' Caitlin Sutherland, the executive director of nonprofit watchdog Americans for Public Trust, said in a statement. 'DC is facing shootings, carjackings, and assaults, and yet progressive groups like The Pritzker Foundation, George Soros, and the Arabella Network all spend millions of dollars to manufacture protests that weaken our communities,' Sutherland added. In 2023 alone, Community Change and Community Change Action received $4 million from Soros' Open Society Foundations, $680,000 from the Arabella network, and $145,000 from the Tides Foundation, Americans for Public Trust found in publicly available financial disclosures. Arabella Advisors, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm, manages several funds that finance left-wing groups, including the Sixteen Thirty Fund, Windward Fund, New Venture Fund, which have all given money to Community Change and Community Change Action since 2020. Advertisement Similarly, Soros' Open Society Foundations and Tides Foundation and Tides Advocacy (part of the billionaires' Tides Network) are far-left grantmaking organizations. 3 Free DC is project of two Soros-backed progressive groups. AFP/Getty Images 3 Free DC organized a protest against Trump's order in district on Monday. AP Between 2020-2023, Community Change and Community Change Action received $12.6 million from Open Society Foundation, $5.6 million from the Arabella network, and $1.9 million from the Tides network – under numerous grants labeled for such purposes as 'civil rights, social action, advocacy' and 'social welfare activities.' Advertisement Additionally, Community Change received $1 million across 2021 and 2022 from Future Forward USA Action, a Democratic Party-aligned super PAC affiliated with Future Forward PAC – one of the major political groups that backed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. It's unclear how much of this money has been directly used by Free DC, which says on its website it began organizing in 2023, in response to a congressional effort to block a controversial update to DC's criminal code. Free DC and Community Change did not respond to The Post's requests for comment.
Fox News
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
George Soros, Beto O'Rourke behind funding for Dems fleeing Texas over GOP congressional map
Infamous Democratic donor George Soros and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke are responsible for two major funding groups behind the Texas Democrats fleeing the state to prevent the GOP from voting on a new congressional map. Powered by People (PBP), founded by O'Rourke, has played a major role in supporting the roughly 50 Democrats who departed for New York and Illinois, paying for airfare, lodging, and helping with the $500-per-day fines the lawmakers face for skipping legislative session, the Texas Tribune reported. Meanwhile, the Soros-backed Texas Majority PAC has reportedly been working with national fundraising groups to secure additional funds for the last-ditch delaying tactic. PBP is actively soliciting donations on its website to support the Democratic effort, promising potential donors that "100% of your donation will go to supporting Texas Democrats in their fight against Trump's power grab." The organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Texas Majority PAC also did not immediately respond. Some Texas Republicans have argued that Democrats may be committing a crime if they use political funds to pay the $500 daily fines. The 2023 legislation imposing the fine stipulates that payment may not be made "from funds accepted as political contributions." Nevertheless, Democrats across the board say they are following the law. Those clued into the fundraising efforts told the Tribune that they are confident they have found a way to legally distribute fundraising to lawmakers. "Every dime of expense for this effort is being paid for lawfully," the Texas House Democratic Caucus told the outlet. Gov. Greg Abbott has already begun a legal process seeking to remove the "ringleader" of the derelict Democrats from office. The lawsuit targets State Rep. Gene Wu, chairman of the Texas House Democratic caucus, arguing his effort is violating the state's constitution. "Representative Wu and the other Texas House Democrats have shown a willful refusal to return, and their absence for an indefinite period of time deprives the House of the quorum needed to meet and conduct business on behalf of Texans," Abbott said in a statement. "Texas House Democrats abandoned their duty to Texans, and there must be consequences." The Texas Supreme Court ordered Wu to respond to the lawsuit by Friday. Wu has yet to submit a court filing, but reacted to the press in a statement Tuesday night. "Let me be unequivocal about my actions and my duty. When a governor conspires with a disgraced president to ram through a racist gerrymandered map, my constitutional duty is to not be a willing participant," Wu said. The Texas sergeant-at-arms was instructed to compel the return of the lawmakers earlier this week, "under warrant of arrest, if necessary." President Donald Trump has even suggested that the FBI or other federal law enforcement may have to get involved. "A lot of people have demanded they come back. You can't just sit it out. You have to go back. You have to fight it out. That's what elections are all about," he said.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FIRST ON FOX: High ranking DOJ official resigns post to run for attorney general in red state
FIRST ON FOX: Aaron Reitz, a top official in President Donald Trump's Department of Justice, has resigned his post in the administration to run for attorney general of Texas, entering what he is calling a "fight for the soul of Texas." Reitz, a former Marine and chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, served in the Trump administration under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as the assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy. Following speculation of a possible run for Texas attorney general, one of the most powerful positions in the state, Reitz resigned his position with the DOJ on Wednesday and officially launched his campaign the day after. "If we lose Texas, we lose the Republic," Reitz said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. 205 Arrested In Fbi Child Sex Operation, Patel And Bondi Announce "This is no time for half-measures or untested cowards," he said, adding, "We are in a fight for the soul of Texas, our nation, and Western civilization itself." Read On The Fox News App "As Attorney General, I'll use every ounce of legal firepower to defend President Trump, crush the radical Left, advance the America and Texas First agenda, and look out for everyday Texans," he said. This comes as current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running in hopes of replacing incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in one of the most hotly contested primary races of the year. Reitz pledged to partner with the Trump administration to "clean up the border catastrophe with mass deportations and enhanced border security, take down the Soros-backed district attorneys, obliterate woke indoctrination, expose and root out election fraud, and defend our Constitutional rights without apology." John Cornyn Scores Tim Scott Endorsement, But John Rich Calls Cornyn 'The Lindsey Graham Of Texas' Reitz touted his conservative bona fides, saying, "I've spent my entire career in the trenches with the toughest conservatives in America." He is likely to garner endorsements from some of the country's leading Republicans, with DOJ officials, including Bondi, giving him a string of fond farewells after he announced his departure. In an X post Bondi said: "I'm proud to have worked with @aaron_reitz at @TheJusticeDept. Aaron played a central role in our work to Make America Safe Again — his next chapter will surely contribute to @POTUS's mission, and I look forward to seeing what Aaron does next in his home state of Texas!" FBI Director Kash Patel also chimed in, saying "Aaron is a personal friend, great American, and a relentless advocate for law and order. Thanks for serving our country, now it's time to deliver on his next mission. Good luck." Bondi Announces One Of Largest Fentanyl Seizures In Us History Before serving in the Trump administration and on Cruz's staff, Reitz previously held the position of Texas Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy under Paxton. In December, Paxton spoke very highly of Reitz, saying, "he's a proven and effective fighter for our Constitution and American Values" who was "our 'offensive coordinator' leading my very aggressive Texas-v-Biden docket." Paxton said that while working in his office Reitz "spearheaded some of our agency's most consequential actions on border security, immigration, Big Tech, Covid, energy, the environment, and election integrity." Texas Republican state Senator Mayes Middleton, another pro-Trump conservative, is also running for attorney article source: FIRST ON FOX: High ranking DOJ official resigns post to run for attorney general in red state
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
California looters now face 'hard-charging' consequences after blue state abandoned soft-on-crime approach
Amid the continuing unrest and flash mob-style looting incidents in Los Angeles, California is making a significant pivot toward tougher criminal enforcement. Criminal defense attorney David Wohl told Fox News Digital that the legal consequences are no longer a slap on the wrist for looters following the reversal of Proposition 47, which notably did not criminalize theft under $950. "Now we have a very conservative, hard-charging DA in Los Angeles," Wohl said. "He's adding up what is stolen by each individual co-defendant, and if that's over $950, everybody's getting charged with felonies." In a city once known for turning a blind eye to petty theft and soft prosecution, looters who are taking advantage of protests over federal immigration operations now face stricter penalties. California's Soros-backed Progressive Experiment Collapses After A Decade In 2014, California voters approved Proposition 47, a ballot initiative that reclassified several nonviolent felonies, including shoplifting, theft and drug possession, as misdemeanors if the value involved was $950 or less. Read On The Fox News App Supporters argued the measure would reduce prison overcrowding and redirect state funds to additional programming. Critics argued that it contributed to a noticeable increase in retail theft and emboldened looters. In 2024, voters voiced their concerns and overwhelmingly chose a sharp course correction from the progressive reforms that Proposition 47 implemented and voted in favor of Proposition 36. Prop 36 restored the ability to file felony charges against repeat offenders, regardless of whether their latest crime falls under the $950 limit. It also enhances penalties for group theft and organized looting, which had previously fallen into legal gray zones under Prop 47. The shift stems from a growing rejection of the previous criminal justice model championed by former District Attorney George Gascon, who Wohl described as "more liberal than a lot of public defenders." Under Gascon's leadership, prosecution was often delayed or diminished, with an emphasis on giving offenders "second, third, fourth, fifth chances," Wohl said. Los Angeles Officials Still On 'Progressive Warpath' Despite Overwhelming Voter Rebuke Of Leftist Policies William Jacobson, a law professor at Cornell University and founder of offered a sharp critique of California's criminal justice policies in light of the emergence of looters during the ongoing L.A. protests against immigration enforcement. "Looting and violence have always been illegal, even in California," Jacobson told Fox News Digital. "Unfortunately, California's lax enforcement of the criminal laws, including the former decriminalization of shoplifting, has created a culture of criminality that has played out in numerous riots over the years." "The current riots against immigration enforcement and violence targeting both ICE and the community are part of the California political ecosystem," he said. Several stores across downtown Los Angeles were hit by looters in the early morning hours as anti-ICE riots continued. On Monday night, looters took to the streets and ransacked a series of storefronts, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed with Fox News Digital. Apple and Adidas were among the stores hit by thieves, as well as several mom-and-pop shops. "What have they done to my business? I don't know," one local business owner shared with Fox News affiliate KKTV. "I have to go inside and see what's going on. I don't know what they have done with the business." WATCH: One video, taken by Brendan Gutenschwager, captured looters ransacking an Apple storefront on Monday night. The video captured a slew of individuals dashing up to the technology storefront and grabbing goods before dispersing as police arrived. The footage captured the store's glass windows spray-painted with "F--- ICE." Other photos showed ransackers disappearing into the night with stolen goods after a smash-and-grab in Compton, a city south of Los Angeles. It was unclear if the thieves were participating in the ongoing anti-ICE protests or if they were being opportunistic of the city's unrest. "Let me be clear: ANYONE who vandalized Downtown or looted stores does not care about our immigrant communities," Mayor Karen Bass said in a post to X. "You will be held accountable." On Tuesday and Wednesday, after continued protests, other businesses set out to protect their stores. Fox News Digital saw a T-Mobile store on the corner of 3rd Street and Broadway boarding up ahead of likely another night of protests in the city. While a security guard protected the property, a repairer worked on the CVS store on the corner of 7th and Spring streets in downtown Los Angeles after several nights of rioting. Attorney General Pam Bondi offered a blunt message to would-be robbers and looters in the deep-blue city on "Fox & Friends" Tuesday. "If you loot a business in California during this, we're charging you with robbery under the Hobbs Act. No longer are the days of non-prosecution for looting. It's a criminal act," she said. The administration is also determined to crack down on those who inflict harm on law enforcement. "We've all made over 190 arrests, [and] more [are] coming. If you hit a police officer, you assault a police officer, state or federal, we are coming after you."Original article source: California looters now face 'hard-charging' consequences after blue state abandoned soft-on-crime approach
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Soros-backed Philly DA could face uphill battle for re-election if GOP write-in scheme succeeds
In the six-to-one Democrat stronghold of Philadelphia, winning a seat as a Republican is tough to say the least. There hasn't been a Republican mayor since Bernard Samuel in the 1950s, for example. So it may not be that surprising that the local GOP has a plan it hopes will give a Democrat primary challenger to incumbent District Attorney Lawrence Krasner a crucial second round against the Soros-backed prosecutor should he get knocked out in Tuesday's primary election. Krasner is facing fellow Democrat and former judge Pat Dugan, who also has the support of several Democrat ward committees and Philadelphia political stalwarts like state Sen. Tina Tartaglione, plus a slew of union groups like IAFF and the Teamsters. In his pitch to voters, Dugan drafted a "geographic prosecution plan" to crack down on crime in the city. 2024: The Year Law And Order Was Restored By Voters "This plan is about more than just fighting crime—it's about rebuilding communities. [It] will hold criminals accountable, provide second chances when appropriate, and ensure every neighborhood feels the impact of a fair and just system they can trust and believe in again," Dugan said in a statement on his campaign site. Read On The Fox News App Krasner, seeking a third term, has been lambasted for his progressive criminal justice policies and faced impeachment proceedings from Republicans in the now-Democrat-controlled State House of Representatives. In 2023, a Commonwealth Court judge ruled the GOP-controlled Senate cannot hold a trial because the House's articles of impeachment didn't meet the bench's standards. One top Republican, 2022 gubernatorial nominee Sen. Doug Mastriano, notably opposed Krasner's impeachment, quipping, "Philadelphia: They want Krasner – they like him. That's a huge mandate." While there was a drop in homicides year-over-year in 2023, Philadelphia saw a spike from 351 the year he took office in 2018 to 562 in 2021. Krasner also ceased charges for certain offenses like marijuana possession, eliminated cash bail for some offenders and has sought generally more lenient sentences than conservatives want. In the city where then-Mayor James Kenney did a dance on social media to celebrate its inception as a sanctuary city, Krasner has followed up by refusing to honor ICE detainer requests, saying that letting the feds tell him who to jail is unconstitutional. Philadelphia Da Krasner Slammed By Murder Victim's Sister: We're Fed Up Krasner's backing from about $1.45 million in political action committee support tied to Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros has also led to criticism. Last week, Dugan told PhillyVoice the city is feeling "Krasner fatigue" after eight years. "Many people come up to me and tell stories about how upset they are with some of the policies with the DA's office," he said. Republicans, largely out of power in the city for decades outside of two at-large city council seats that they – or independents – must statutorily be elected to, see Dugan's candidacy as an opportunity to oust Krasner and have a way to give him a second chance should he fail in Tuesday's primary. The city's Republican Party funded a website advising voters to write-in Dugan on the Republican line. By law, if Dugan receives 1,000 write-ins, he will be named the Republican general election nominee unless he declines the opportunity. That would give more city voters a chance to turn out Krasner in the November general election. "This is about making crime in Philadelphia illegal," PhillyGOP chair Vince Fenerty told the South Philly Review. Fox News Digital reached out to both Krasner and Dugan via their campaigns for comment but did not hear back by the publication article source: Soros-backed Philly DA could face uphill battle for re-election if GOP write-in scheme succeeds
