​​Governor Gavin Newsom quietly funneled $18 million to a dark money operation that bankrolls radical leftist movements while California faces a massive budget crisis.

At a Glance

• California under Governor Newsom has directed approximately $18 million to the Tides Center, a nonprofit that obscures funding of leftist projects
• The Tides network uses “fiscal sponsorships” to hide which specific projects receive funding, potentially skirting disclosure laws
• Tides has connections to George Soros and funds controversial organizations including Palestine Legal and groups targeting Elon Musk
• Some California departments have incomplete data, suggesting total payments to Tides may exceed the reported $18 million
• Newsom, possibly positioning for a 2028 presidential run, appears to be using state funds to curry favor with progressive organizations

Newsom’s $18 Million Dark Money Pipeline

While California drowns in debt and Gavin Newsom begs the federal government for billions to keep Medi-Cal afloat, he’s somehow found $18 million of taxpayer money to funnel to one of the most notorious left-wing dark money operations in America.

According to reporting from the Daily Signal, California under Newsom’s leadership has directed these millions to the Tides Center, a shadowy nonprofit that serves as a financial clearinghouse for radical progressive causes. This isn’t just questionable prioritizing – it’s a deliberate scheme to fund far-left activism while hiding the money trail from public scrutiny.

The Tides operation is particularly insidious because of how it’s structured. Through “fiscal sponsorships,” the organization can distribute money to various projects without clearly disclosing which specific initiatives receive funding. In essence, it’s a laundering operation for progressive dollars – taking perfectly identifiable money and washing away its origins before distributing it to causes that might raise eyebrows if funded directly.

Even more concerning, some California departments have incomplete financial records, suggesting that the actual amount flowing from California taxpayers to Tides could be substantially higher than the $18 million already identified.

Following the Money: Where Your Tax Dollars Actually Go

When you follow the money trail from Tides, you quickly arrive at some of the most extreme progressive organizations in America. The Tides network is known to fund groups like the Center for American Progress, Natural Resources Defense Fund, Sierra Club, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Southern Poverty Law Center, and the ACLU. While some of these organizations have legitimate functions, others have increasingly embraced radical positions far outside mainstream American values. Perhaps most disturbing, the Tides Center launched Palestine Legal, an organization that has been busy defending anti-Israel activists across the country since October 7, 2023.

The tentacles of this operation extend even further. Tides Foundation and Tides Advocacy have channeled over $3 million to the Indivisible Project, which has made targeting Elon Musk and Tesla one of its priorities. If you’re wondering why our tax dollars are being used to attack one of the country’s most innovative companies and employers, you’re asking exactly the right question. And of course, no discussion of progressive dark money would be complete without mentioning George Soros, who has contributed substantial sums to Tides over the years to support various leftist causes.

The Hypocrisy of Campaign Finance Reform Advocates

What makes this entire scenario especially rich is that Newsom and his allies routinely rail against “dark money” when it benefits their political opponents. When a group called Prov. 3:9 LLC donated $500,000 to the campaign to recall Newsom, his supporters were quick to file complaints alleging campaign finance violations. Ann Ravel, former chair of the Federal Election Commission, argued vigorously against such contributions, stating that “dark money schemes are antithetical to a functioning democracy.” Apparently, that principle only applies when the dark money isn’t flowing to progressive causes favored by Newsom and his allies.

A Presidential Audition at Taxpayer Expense

All of this dark money maneuvering makes perfect sense when viewed through the lens of Newsom’s rumored presidential ambitions. Despite his protestations to the contrary, Newsom is widely believed to be positioning himself for a 2028 presidential run (or sooner if Biden falters). By directing state funds to progressive organizations, he’s effectively building a national network of allies who will be indebted to him when he needs their support. He’s using California’s treasury as his personal campaign slush fund, preparing the ground for his national ambitions while the state’s fiscal situation deteriorates by the day.

“California under Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom has funneled around $18 million to the Tides Center, a dark money nonprofit that directs donor cash to various leftist projects” The Washington Free Beacon reported.

The fact that this $18 million diversion to progressive pet causes comes as California faces crushing debt, rampant homelessness, failing infrastructure, and a mass exodus of residents and businesses tells you everything you need to know about Newsom’s priorities.

He’s not governing to improve Californians’ lives; he’s using the Golden State as a stepping stone to Washington D.C. while taxpayers foot the bill for his political networking. The Tides Center cash pipeline isn’t just questionable governance – it’s a shameless abuse of public funds that deserves far more scrutiny than it’s received.