Federalist Society Executive Vice President Leonard Leo speaks to media at Trump Tower, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, in New York. Credit: Carolyn Kaster / AP

One of the biggest conservative dark money organizations in the nation was boosted last year by two separate anonymous gifts, each totaling more than $425 million dollars.

The money sent to DonorsTrust, a 501(c)(3) charity that has become one of the most influential conduit of funds in Republican-leaning circles, was a huge chunk of the more than $1 billion the group brought in in 2021, according to a tax filing obtained first by POLITICO. They are among the largest ever donations to a politically-connected group.

DonorsTrust used those funds to support a vast network of prominent conservative causes, including a $17.1 million gift it made to The 85 Fund, a group founded by a major engine of the conservative movement: Leonard Leo. All told, DonorsTrust spent about $192 million last year and entered 2022 with roughly $1.5 billion in assets.

Under law, the individual or individuals behind those $425 million donations were […]

Read the Full Article