Media Matters Democrat megadonors revealed in leaked tax filings: documents

Media Matters tax filings in New Mexico last year show which Democrat donors gifted the nonprofit organization millions, revealing who helps keep the controversial anti-conservative company afloat.

The tax filings of Media Matters revealed five top contributions, amounting to $12.3 million in total, on a page labeled "Do Not File" and "Not Open to Public Inspection," according to the Washington Free Beacon.

Deborah Simon, a philanthropist who has provided substantial contributions to Democratic legislators and bundled the 2020 presidential campaign of then-candidate Joe Biden, contributed $4 million to Media Matters in 2022. Bundlers assist in the collection of funds for candidates running for office.

According to documents, Media Matters also received $1.75 million in 2022 from Bain Capital investment firm co-chairman Joshua Bekenstein and his wife, Anita Bekenstein. Both individuals make substantial contributions to Democratic super PACs, including American Bridge 21st Century, an organization founded by Media Matters founder David Brock in 2010 that has maintained strong connections with Media Matters.

Media Matters also received $1.9 million from a private foundation affiliated with Democratic megadonor and businessman Stephen Silberstein, who has long supported American Bridge 21st Century and the Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation, according to the 2022 tax return.

Tax returns indicate that the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation contributed $1.75 million to Media Matters in 2022. It was established by investor Warren Buffet and subsequently changed its name in remembrance of his late wife, Susan Buffett, who passed away from cancer in 2004.

Media Matters was referred to as "an arm" of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign by the right-leaning RealClearInvestigations and as "David Brock's political operation" by the conservative National Review in 2007, according to the Washington Examiner.

"The tactics of Media Matters are generally acknowledged as politically aggressive in a way many see at odds with the organization’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax status, which stipulates nonpartisanship," said investigative journalist Mark Hemingway in RealClearInvestigations in 2020, the outlet reports.

Over the past few months, Media Matters has been the target of multiple lawsuits and investigations. Elon Musk's X Corp launched a "thermonuclear" defamation lawsuit in November against the leftist group after the organization targeted X Corps advertisers in an attempt "to undermine freedom of speech."

Media Matters's decision to target Musk's X Corp resulted in significant backlash and investigations into the company.

In addition to X Corp filing a lawsuit, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced in November that he had officially launched an investigation into Media Matters for "potential fraudulent activity." Republican Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey also launched an investigation into Media Matters over allegations of criminal and civil violations.