WASHINGTON—House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is investigating reports of new activities by the Sixteen Thirty Fund—a powerful liberal dark money group—that reportedly sought to circumvent campaign finance disclosure laws enforced by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), as well as undermine media ethics standards that distinguish legitimate journalism from paid political operations. In letters to Sixteen Thirty Fund President Amy Kurtz and Sunflower Services CEO Allan Williams, Chairman Comer noted that the Chorus Creator Incubator Program appears to pay participants to promote Democratic messaging online under secretive contracts that restrict payment disclosures and control political content. The Committee is now requesting documents and information regarding the Chorus program. 

“The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform works to uphold fundamental American civil liberties and protect the integrity of American elections. To this end, we are investigating reports of new activities, by Sixteen Thirty Fund— an entity with books that have long been in the care of Arabella Advisors. Sixteen Thirty Fund has reportedly attempted to circumvent campaign finance disclosure requirements enforced by the Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice as well as media ethics norms that help distinguish activities of legitimate journalists from campaign operatives whose paid activity requires disclosure. According to Wired, the Chorus Creator Incubator Program was recently launched by Sixteen Thirty Fund, which it describes as a ‘powerful liberal dark money group,’” wrote Chairman Comer.

Participants invited to join Chorus reportedly receive up to $8,000 per month to amplify Democratic messaging online but must sign contracts enforcing strict secrecy and imposing limitations on the types of political content they can produce. In addition, reports indicate contracts required participants to route all media interview bookings with lawmakers through Chorus and prohibit using funds for political content without prior written approval from Chorus. 

“Reporting has also raised concerning information about the motivations and ethics of Chorus. Graham Wilson, who is identified as a lawyer working for Chorus reportedly explained perceived advantages of using a nonprofit entity in a Zoom call for invited Chorus participants stating, ‘[i]t gives us the ability to raise money from donors. It also, with this structure, it avoids a lot of the public disclosure or public disclaimers—you know, ‘Paid for by blah blah blah blah’—that you see on political ads. We don’t need to deal with any of that. Your names aren’t showing up on, like, reports filed with the FEC.’ As part of its investigation, and to inform legislation regarding compliance with and enforcement of campaign finance disclosure requirements, the Committee seeks documents and other information from your organization about Chorus, the requirements as well as inducements for participation, and information about all invited participants,” concluded Chairman Comer. 

Read the letters here: