OPINION:
Black Lives Matter — the foundation — raked in more than $90 million in donations in 2020, proving itself to be a major player in the political world then, now and, with Democrats holding all the key positions of D.C. power, likely into the foreseeable future.
Social justice pays. It’s almost as lucrative as environmentalism.
How it spends as well as who contributes to its spending is another matter.
“The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is now building infrastructure to catch up to the speed of its funding, and plans to use its endowment to become known for more than protests,” The Texarkana Gazette wrote.
In other words: BLMGNF wants to exert more influence over policy.
If that’s the case, transparency with financials would be a good place to start.
According to The Associated Press, the nonprofit reported the majority of its 2020 donations came by way of direct fundraising, in increments, on average, of $30.
But: “Members of the organization declined to say if any prominent donors were among those who supported the cause last year,” The Hill wrote.
Why?
More to the point: Is that the smell of George Soros in the air?
Black Lives Matter tries hard to bill itself as a bottom-up, grassroots group with members who have come together out of sheer frustration with police brutality and a nation steeped in systemic racism. As if members are not so much organized as organic. As if the anger of long-suffered offenses were not so much strategized for planned protests but rather instantaneously expressed in unscheduled gatherings.
It goes to the truthfulness of the “America Is Racist” messaging, you see.
“Black Lives Matter is a largely horizontal, grassroots, global organization,” Reuters wrote, in a September 2020 fact check of George Soros.
Grassroots. Grassroots and little guy all the way.
But the Soros-tied Open Society Foundations announced in July 2020 an infusion of $220 million “in emerging organizations and leaders building power in black communities across the country.”
The money was spread far and wide.
“The largest share of this support — $150 million — will be through a set of five-year grants to black-led justice organizations that helped to create and now sustain the momentum toward racial equality,” the release stated.
Whether Soros cash is finding its way into BLM organizations directly or indirectly is not even the issue so much as the BLM organization’s reluctance to release specific information about its financials.
“This marks the first time in the movement’s nearly eight-year history that BLM leaders have revealed a detailed look at their finances,” the AP wrote. “In its report, the BLM foundation said individual donations via its main fundraising platform averaged $30.76. More than 10% of the donations were recurring. The report does not state who gave the money in 2020, and leaders declined to name prominent donors.”
This is disturbing.
Even for Democrats — you know, Democrats, the ones who supposedly love transparency and hate dark money? — even for Democrats, this should disturb.
“Black Lives Matter opens up about its finance,” AP’s headline above its “exclusive” story stated.
Not really.
Not if the donors aren’t known.
Because after all, if money in politics buys influence with politicians, the same can be said for donors to Black Lives Matter. And if BLM plans on using its millions to ramp its influence in U.S. policy, American citizens have the right to know who’s doing the real influencing.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Socialists Don’t Sleep: Christians Must Rise Or America Will Fall,” is available by clicking HERE.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.