A tax return reviewed by CNBC revealed that Accuracy in Media, a far-right activist group, is funded by top Republican political donors and wealthy business leaders. The tax-exempt nonprofit received nearly $1.9 million in contributions between May 2022 and April of the following year. Donors listed on the tax return included billionaire Republican megadonor Jeff Yass, who gave $1 million, as well as the Uihlein and Coors families’ charitable foundations, and the Milstein Family Foundation. These donors have regularly contributed to Republican campaigns over the past decade, with Yass being the single highest political donor of the 2024 election, contributing $70 million so far.
Accuracy in Media was informed by CNBC that its 2022 federal tax return included a list of major donors and their contribution amounts, which is typically only meant for the IRS. While Accuracy in Media did not dispute the authenticity of the tax return or the accuracy of most donations listed, they claimed that Jeff Yass had been misidentified as a donor and did not contribute to the organization. However, Yass’s name and business address appeared on the tax return, listing a $1 million donation from him. The accounting firm responsible for filing the return stated that the information was provided by Accuracy in Media and contained an “incorrect donor,” but did not specify who that was.
Nonprofit groups are not required to publicly disclose their donors’ names, but they are required to report to the IRS donors who give $5,000 or more. Typically, tax-exempt groups redact major donors’ names in public versions of their tax returns, but Accuracy in Media did not do so in this case. Their 2022 tax return, with major donor names attached, was submitted to the IRS and later posted online on Candid’s nonprofit database and ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer. This is an unusual move for a tax-exempt organization, as donor names are usually kept confidential.
Accuracy in Media, led by President Adam Guillette, has been engaged in an aggressive doxxing campaign against college students and faculty involved in pro-Palestinian protests. The tactics used by AIM are similar to those employed by Project Veritas, where Guillette previously worked. The group has targeted individuals it deems too supportive of Palestinians or not supportive enough of Israel, particularly following attacks on Gaza. AIM’s tactics include driving mobile billboards around campuses with names and photos of students labeled as “antisemites,” launching websites targeting individuals and universities, as well as driving trucks to homes of university presidents with accusations of antisemitism.
The group’s actions have led to resignations of university presidents, such as Harvard’s Claudine Gay and University of Pennsylvania’s Liz Magill, who faced backlash over their responses to campus protests. AIM’s aggressive tactics have raised concerns about free speech and the targeting of individuals based on their political beliefs. The revelation of major donors, including well-known Republican supporters, funding the organization has also sparked debate about the influence of wealthy donors on political activism and advocacy groups. Despite claims of misidentification by one donor, the authenticity of most contributions listed on the tax return has been independently confirmed, shedding light on the financial backers of this controversial group.
