John,
News just broke that Trump’s Federal Trade Commission is opening an investigation into the progressive watchdog group Media Matters. According to reports, the FTC is demanding access to its budgets, communications, and internal documents.
Darkly, the investigation comes just months after Elon Musk—Trump’s biggest campaign donor—sued Media Matters for exposing that ads were appearing alongside antisemitic content on Musk’s “X.”
Founded in 2004, Media Matters was created to expose far-right outlets like Fox News for peddling lies and propaganda to the American public. For decades, their work has been critical in holding far-right liars accountable—from Rush Limbaugh to Joe Rogan to Elon Musk.
Now, Media Matters joins ActBlue, Indivisible, and law firms that represent Democrats, as the latest progressive institutions facing existential threats from Trump’s administration.
Trump has already:
- Signed executive orders to punish law firms that represent Democrats
- Directed the DOJ to investigate ActBlue
- And is now using the FTC to target watchdogs like Media Matters—egged on by Musk who has a personal vendetta against the organization.
John, this is a coordinated effort to discredit, defund, and dismantle the institutions that speak up.
At COURIER, we’re not staying quiet.
We’re standing up now—defending those on the front lines, and using our platform to reach millions and expose these attacks for what they are: authoritarianism in action.
Thanks for standing with us,
The COURIER Team