Dark Money

December 18, 2019 6:39 AM - by Jane Mayer

Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right (2016) is a non-fiction book written by investigative journalist Jane Mayer, about a network of extremely wealthy conservative Republicans, foremost among them Charles and David Koch, who have together funded an array of organizations that work in tandem to influence academic institutions, think tanks, the courts, statehouses, Congress, and the American presidency for their own benefit. Mayer particularly discusses the Koch family and their political activities, along with Richard Mellon Scaife and John M. Olin and the DeVos and Coors families.
posted by growabrain (1 comment total)

I just finished listening to this, and found it in equal parts fascinating and horrifying. The whole "vast right-wing conspiracy" experiment clearly spiraled out of control and yet seems to be delivering on its premises. Mayer brings to light democracy captured by ideologues with lots of money, and no seeming way out. Curiously, the book ends on the eve of Trump's election, which arguably shifts the whole game again, and not in a good way.
posted by chavenet at 1:55 AM on December 23, 2019 [2 favorites]