art pope

December 15, 2022 - Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Moore v. Harper, a case in which North Carolina Republican state lawmakers are seeking to give state legislatures sole control over federal elections nationwide. We look at the money backing the controversial lawsuit, which is being called the "single most important case on American democracy."

June 24, 2022 - The former North Carolina congressman and White House chief of staff, under investigation for registering to vote in three states, Meadows promoted lies about the 2020 presidential election that President Trump used to raise hundreds of millions of dollars from supporters. Trump then gave a chunk of the money to the nonprofit Conservative Partnership Institute, where Meadows and other Trump loyalists work to lift up election deniers.

July 23, 2021 - Taking a cue from controversial efforts in other states like Arizona and Georgia, North Carolina's far-right House Freedom Caucus — repeating the Big Lie about "rigged elections" — wants to be allowed to open up the state's voting machines and peer inside, but state elections officials say that presents an unacceptable security risk. We look at who's funding the caucus leaders' campaigns.

July 16, 2021 - Long before journalist Hannah-Jones' tenure fight with the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, the influential conservative policy network built and funded by millionaire businessman and GOP power broker Art Pope had turned its attention to her reporting on racism with attacks and distortions reminiscent of its dishonest treatment of climate science. Pope denied direct involvement in the tenure controversy, but his organizations' messaging carries weight in a UNC system where he's a major donor and serves on the powerful Board of Governors thanks to the Republican legislature he helped elect.

December 4, 2020 - North Carolina pharmaceutical entrepreneur Fred Eshelman gave $2.5 million to the Houston-based group to pursue claims of fraud in the presidential election, which he says they failed to take adequate action to substantiate. It's not the first time Eshelman, a big political spender who gives most of his money to outside groups, has been involved in funding ethically questionable efforts.

August 30, 2019 - Despite record global temperatures and near-unanimity among climate scientists that human activity is to blame, the North Carolina-based John Locke Foundation continues to cast doubt on the science of global warming and to stymie efforts to address the problem through public policy — and mainstream media outlets keep boosting its message and lending it credibility.

October 11, 2018 - The same secret-money group that pushed the U.S Senate to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh is dominating spending in judicial elections in Arkansas and elsewhere in the South. In some states, justices are looking to be re-elected with the help of campaign cash from corporations and law firms that have business before the courts.