A major Republican donor funded a campaign to pass three ballot initiatives in Dallas that would cripple the city’s capacity for self-governance – and, in the process, he may have violated multiple laws, according to an investigation by Steven Monacelli, with support from the Fund. Monacelli reported for the Texas Observer that Monty Bennett, a Republican “megadonor,” hired a company that offers protesters-for-hire to seed an “astroturf” right-wing influence network. He reported that this network of advocacy groups has routinely been amplified in the Dallas Express, a news website funded by Bennett. Monocelli’s story raised questions about whether the effort may have violated federal regulations for nonprofit charities or violated Securities and Exchange Commission regulations. The story was developed over the course of several years, with public records requests, network analysis and the cultivation of sources that have worked for the entities involved and provided internal documents and emails.
Grantee traces legally questionable influence campaign by Republican megadonor in Dallas
