Wired reports that a discreet nonprofit organization with affiliations to an influential leftist dark money group is quietly sponsoring a network of prominent Democratic influencers, offering them up to $8,000 a month to participate in an astroturf initiative promoting leftist narratives online.
Recent revelations from Wired highlight a covert influencer initiative designed to enhance Democrats’ online presence, involving a nonprofit named Chorus and its ties to The Sixteen Thirty Fund, a well-known leftist dark money entity. This effort, dubbed the Chorus Creator Incubator Program, enlists prominent left-leaning influencers, providing them with monthly payments up to $8,000 in return for broadcasting the party’s messages to their sizable audiences.
Documents reviewed by Wired indicate that the program obligates participant influencers to adhere to strict confidentiality regarding their involvement and source of funds. These contracts forbid creators from revealing their association with Chorus or The Sixteen Thirty Fund and require them to channel all bookings with lawmakers and political figures through Chorus. Furthermore, influencers are prohibited from using program funds for content endorsing or opposing any political candidate or campaign without prior written consent from Chorus.
The initiative features a diverse array of leftist figures on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, including Olivia Julianna, previously enlisted by Democrats to connect with young male voters.
Wired reports:
In their group chat, influencers debated the details.
“Should we send a joint email (with all of our email addresses) … or, are we just going to send things separately and hope they change everything for everyone?” asked Laurenzo, a nonbinary creator from Columbus, Ohio, boasting over 884,000 TikTok followers. Some humorously suggested forming a union. “Any Newsies fans here?” inquired Eliza Orlins, a public defender and reality TV personality renowned for her roles on Survivor. “‘We’re a union just by sayin’ so!’”
The individuals in the chat collectively possessed a minimum of 13 million followers across various social platforms. They represented some of the most recognized voices supporting Democrats online and are essential to the future direction of the party. Nevertheless, the group didn’t achieve significant advancements.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund has emerged as a significant player in Democratic circles in recent years. The organization has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support various left-leaning causes and groups, with a particular focus on unseating former President Donald Trump and securing a Democratic majority in the Senate during the 2020 election cycle.
Chorus, described as a “project of” The Sixteen Thirty Fund, launched in November 2024 with ties to Good Influence, a for-profit influencer marketing agency aimed at connecting content creators with social-good campaigns. The organization claims that its initial creator cohort has a collective audience of more than 40 million followers, with over 100 million weekly viewers.
While some influencers have eagerly embraced the opportunity to work with Chorus, others have expressed concerns about the program’s restrictive nature and the organization’s attempts to establish itself as a gatekeeper to Democratic political leaders. Critics argue that the Democrats should invest directly in independent media rather than relying on intermediaries like Chorus.
Read more at Wired here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for – News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
