This article is updated from content originally shared here.
Independent journalist Chrissy Clark shared a video in late January where she “suggested the US government was [directly] interfering [with] alleged ‘journalism’ at Politico, which other journalists now believe may be true.
Clark’s story revolves around a report by former Politico journalists who recently alleged that the outlet “took their sweet time” to cover certain stories and published “a bunch of lies disguised as headlines.” One example involved coverage of Hunter Biden’s laptop and the 51 intelligence agents who signed a letter claiming it wasn’t real.
8 days ago I reviewed an interview between two ex-Politico reporters on my YouTube channel and suggested the US government was DIRECTLY interfering w/ alleged “journalism” at Politico.
If you like being ahead of the curve, follow me on YT: https://t.co/tqbeqTNGbZ https://t.co/UEeJpUVmX9 pic.twitter.com/pdx8mfe2ZU
— Chrissy Clark (@chrissyclark_) February 5, 2025
“And so I just have to wonder whether the Biden administration went to their preferred … media outlets that they knew would push their narrative?” Clark said in the video. Her post came in response to another claim by podcaster and journalist Benny Johnson, who said Politico “missed a pay period” on February 4, after which it was revealed that U.S. government agencies “dropped a staggering $34 million in contracts with Virginia-based news outlet Politico, mostly on subscriptions, according to data from USASpending.gov.,” wrote the Daily Caller.
The missed pay period at Politico was apparently due to a “technical error.”
Where Did All That Money Go?
The money was broken down and shared out across almost every government agency. Examples include $862,025 between 2021 and 2025 in subscriptions for the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service to Politico’s Energy and Environment (E&E) News service.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services made a purchase order of $445,140 to Politico. The Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services and the Treasury Department all spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on either E&E or Politico Pro. Subscriptions to Politico Pro costs roughly $10,000, according to Daily Caller. (FAITH NEWS: ‘Separation Of Church And State Is So Stupid’: National Radio Host Joe Pags Goes Off)
Other outlets found to be “raking in taxpayer cash” include The New York Times, Wall Street Journal parent company Dow Jones & Co Inc., The Associated Press, and others, according to data shared by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
What Is Next For Govt. Waste?
White House Press Secretary Karolina Leavitt didn’t leave much to the imagination when explaining the future of those payments to Politico:
Press Secretary Leavitt calls out Politico to their face.
“I was made aware of funding from USAID to Media Outlets…including Politico…who I know has a seat in this room. The $8M you receive ends today. The DOGE Team is cancelling those payments now…” pic.twitter.com/s3xiy2h87F
— Liz Churchill (@liz_churchill10) February 5, 2025
Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley told Fox News that people “are losing their minds” over the Trump administration’s exposure of taxpayer dollars being wasted. “They’re panicking big time, Laura, because their power base is being threatened. That’s what’s really going on here. I mean, look at what they’re doing over USAID. This is because they’ve used that as their personal plaything. That includes billions and billions of taxpayer dollars that have gone, yeah, to fund outrageous stuff overseas like trans-affirming projects in Zimbabwe or whatever,” Hawley explained to host Laura Ingraham.
“But also let’s not forget to fund their preferred media outlets like Politico and who knows what other left-wing rags have been getting money, federal government money from this agency, and there’s been no accountability,” Hawley added. “So yes, what’s happening is Trump is exposing all of this. He is cutting off the liberal supply chains, as it were, and the liberals are just losing their minds. They’re totally losing their minds. […] We need more of it. You mentioned the IRS. I love it. I love Trump’s idea to get rid of the Internal Revenue Service. Let’s make it the External Revenue Service. Let’s start making these agencies work for the American people.”
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