Several national media outlets have recently referenced the Capital Research Center and its project, InfluenceWatch, in their reporting on nonprofit organizations and public policy issues, according to a March 25 update from the Capital Research Center.
The citations highlight the growing attention paid to how nonprofit networks operate within political, social, and economic spheres. InfluenceWatch’s research has been used by journalists investigating topics such as foreign funding of U.S. ballot initiatives, transparency of think tank donations, and the financial activities of advocacy groups.
In The Daily Caller, InfluenceWatch provided information about Energy Foundation China’s operations in both San Francisco and Beijing. It also contributed background for stories about organizations like Progress Unity Fund and Campaign for Accountability. In coverage by the Cleveland Plain Dealer regarding allegations about think tank funding sources, descriptions from InfluenceWatch clarified donor backgrounds for institutions including the Cato Institute and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
InfluenceWatch was also cited by Liberty Nation News concerning Nebraska’s lawsuit against several nonprofits over alleged illegal foreign contributions to state ballot initiatives between 2022 and 2024. Their dossier described how The Fairness Project is backed by labor unions to support left-of-center policies through ballot campaigns. Additional news outlets referenced CRC or InfluenceWatch findings on campaign finance trends (Washington Examiner), federal grant spending patterns (PJ Media), major donors’ influence (Kansas Informer), leadership backgrounds at voter outreach groups (The Heartlander), judicial advocacy (Townhall), ethics complaints targeting conservatives (One America News), nonprofit financial data scrutiny (Daily Mail), as well as podcast appearances discussing tax policy (National Taxpayers Union Foundation).
Sarah Lee, spokesperson for Capital Research Center, said: “This isn’t the first time Siebel Newsom’s gender justice-focused nonprofit has made news concerning its financial data.” Parker Thayer of CRC commented on anonymous political giving: “Americans have a right to anonymous political giving… so it’s not surprising that anonymous contributions remain a big part of political money flows.”
These recent references underscore CRC’s role as a source for information about nonprofits’ structures, funding sources, leadership affiliations, advocacy efforts, regulatory compliance issues, and their impact across various sectors.
