A far-left media organization, initially funded by billionaire George Soros and known for labeling conservatives as “racists,” laid off several of its staff members.
“We’re confronting a legal assault on multiple fronts and given how rapidly the media landscape is shifting, we need to be extremely intentional about how we allocate resources in order to stay effective,” said Media Matters President Angelo Carusone. Nobody does what Media Matters does. So, we’re taking this action now to ensure that we are sustainable, sturdy and successful for whatever lies ahead.”
One now-former outlet employee, Kat Abughazaleh, took to X to share that she had been fired.
“Bad News: I’ve been laid off from [Media Matters] along with a dozen colleagues,” she said. “There’s a reason far-right billionaires attack Media Matters with armies of lawyers: They know how effective our work is, and it terrifies them (him).”
Abughazaleh was referring to X owner Elon Musk, who slapped Media Matters with a defamation lawsuit last November, accusing the company of manipulating X’s algorithm to make the platform seem racist and drive away advertisers.
Abughazaleh took to Musk’s platform to solicit funds for her and her now-jobless colleagues.
“What started as a few rounds of drinks last night has now turned into a full-out mutual aid fund for Media Matters layoffs,” she said.
According to Abughazaleh, some other laid-off Media Matters staff include researcher Brendan Karet, journalist Bobby Lewis, researcher Alex Paterson, Associate Data Director Carly Evans, researcher Ethan Collier, researcher Eric Kleefeld, and journalist Alex Novell.
Media Matters was founded in 2004 by left-wing activist David Brock.
Though it is a 501(c)(3), the news organization has a clear far-left bias, and its first major contribution, according to InfluenceWatch, came in the form of a $2 million donation from left-wing Soros’ Tides Foundation.
Soros himself made another million-dollar donation to the group in 2010.
In 2022, Media Matters inserted itself into Tennessee politics when it slammed Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) for speaking at Daily Wire host Matt Walsh’s “Rally to End Child Mutilation.”
The organization has attacked many other elected officials in Tennessee, including Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter/X.
