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PULSE POINTS
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A secretive dark money group linked to the Democratic Party is reportedly paying influencers up to $8,000 per month to spread left-leaning talking points through the “Chorus Creator Incubator Program.”
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Influencers such as Olivia Julianna, Loren Piretra, Barrett Adair, David Pakman, and Leigh McGowan, among others, are tied to the program, which is reportedly funded by the Sixteen Thirty Fund—a project of Arabella Advisors.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The program is ongoing, with activities spanning various social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
💬KEY QUOTE: “It avoids a lot of the public disclosure… that you see on political ads.” – Graham Wilson, Chorus attorney, during a Zoom call with influencers.
🎯IMPACT: Critics argue the program lacks transparency and could undermine democratic accountability, while also serving as a legally dubious conduit for foreign-sourced campaign money.
IN FULL
A number of prominent Democratic Party social media influencers have been outed as recipients of political dark money funneled through the Chorus Creator Incubator, a campaign program run by the 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization Chorus. A series of leaked text messages and video calls has revealed that Chorus and its pro-Democratic Party influencer operation are backed by the Sixteen Thirty Fund, itself a project of the shadowy progressive political consulting firm Arabella Advisors.
According to the leaks, the Chorus Creator Incubator pays influencers up to $8,000 a month to promote left-leaning narratives. The program involves over 90 influencers, including prominent names like Olivia Julianna, Loren Piretra, Barrett Adair, and David Pakman.
The program is cloaked in secrecy, with contracts barring participants from disclosing their involvement or the identity of the funders. Breaches could lead to expulsion and loss of income. Graham Wilson, a lawyer for Chorus, explained to influencers in a Zoom video call that the arrangement avoids public disclosure requirements typically associated with political ads.
“It avoids a lot of the public disclosure… that you see on political ads,” Wilson said, adding: “Your names aren’t showing up on reports filed with the FEC.”
Critics, including ethics experts, have raised concerns over the lack of transparency. Elizabeth Dubois, a professor whose research focuses on the evolution of digital politics, stated, “For democracy to thrive, we need transparency around who is paying for political messages.” Don Heider from Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics added, “If the contract says you can’t disclose it, then it’s pretty simple—you can’t take the money.”
Despite these concerns, some creators defended the program. Loren Piretra stated, “The fund supports content creation sustainability while maintaining zero ownership, editorial control, or messaging input.” However, others, like TikTok star V Spehar, criticized Chorus for using their image in fundraising decks without permission.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund is a major player in Democratic funding, having poured hundreds of millions into left-wing political causes in recent election cycles.
The National Pulse reported in May that Hansjorg Wyss—an 89-year-old Swiss billionaire who has contributed an estimated $162 million to Arabella’s key left-wing dark money operations, Sixteen Thirty Fund and New Venture Fund—is the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a 30-year-old employee at one of his California wineries. Notably, Wyss’s political contributions to far-left advocacy groups and Democratic Party-aligned nonprofits have been the subject of controversy as he lacks both U.S. citizenship and permanent residency.
Image by SamSchmir.
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