This is my last try this month

 

I’m sending this note again, because, as you know, this is a perilous moment. Donald Trump and his allies are trying to control what Americans are allowed to say and what news you’re allowed to see. Look at the latest move from Trump’s “Department of War”: Journalists could be labelled security threats and barred from the Pentagon—unless they pledge to report only what the military approves for release. That’s not journalism. That’s state propaganda. At Mother Jones, we’re not here to be stenographers for an autocratic and corrupt regime or to play it safe. We dig deep, report the crucial stories others in the media miss or purposefully avoid, and deliver hard-charging, independent journalism. You know the stakes have never been higher. That’s why I’m asking you to join me and my team in fighting for the truth in the face of censorship and authoritarianism. And please do it before our month-end deadline. Thanks for reading—and for standing with us. —David

Trump is trying to bring the media to heel through government coercion and multibillion-dollar lawsuits. But Mother Jones won’t be intimidated. Right now, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar to help power fierce reporting that defends the truth. Double your impact before Sept. 30.

INVESTIGATIVE FUND   Match My Gift Now

Mother Jones illustration; Daniel Torok/White House/ZUMA; Unsplash

Corporate media are caving when they should be standing up for free speech and democracy.

Match My Gift Now Dear Mother Jones Reader,  Following the horrific murder of MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump has blamed what he calls the “radical left” for political violence in the United States and has vowed to demolish it. But who is this “radical left”? He uses the term in such a loose manner, it affords him the leeway to pursue anyone he considers an opponent or detractor. Even, possibly, you. Obviously, the goal with such rhetoric is to cast as wide a net as possible to vilify any critic. Trump and his allies don’t just disagree with their political opposition—they demonize and delegitimize them. White House aide Stephen Miller recently snarled on Fox that the Democratic Party “is not a political party. It is a domestic extremist organization.” That is dangerous talk, and I know that you understand that this is a perilous time for our country. Authoritarianism is on the march. Truth-telling independent journalism has never been more essential. Unfortunately, too many in corporate media are caving when they should be standing up for free speech and democracy. I’ll get into more detail below, but you can guess why I’ve reached out. So let me make a sales pitch: We’re counting on you to join our team and help produce the kickass journalism that’s so needed at this decisive moment. And, yes, we have a gimmick: Any donation you make to Mother Jones will be doubled by a matching gift. Okay, back to the matter at hand. What does it mean when the media get intimidated into playing it safe? It means fear wins. It means autocracy can prevail. For without fierce news organizations scrutinizing Trump and his gang and holding them fully accountable, the Trump crew will have a much easier time amassing power and undermining American democracy. Look at Jimmy Kimmel getting pulled off the air by a media conglomerate under pressure from the thuggish Trump administration. At first, ABC and Disney were more concerned with being targeted by Trump’s FCC than with protecting the basic freedoms that ensure a vibrant media. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Trump’s FCC chair, Brendan Carr, said to pressure ABC into punishing Kimmel, as if Carr were the lieutenant for a mob boss. The network feared that saying no to Carr would lead to the FCC blocking a big corporate merger its affliliates want. After much public protest, ABC and Disney brought Kimmel back. But does anyone believe that Trump, Carr, Miller, and Trump’s other bullies will now leave the media alone? Trump the other day said it was “really illegal” for media outlets to criticize him so much, and he threatened to pull the broadcasting licenses of network news outfits that did so. Here’s a tip for the establishment media honchos: Appeasement doesn’t work with authoritarians. With Trump’s war on democracy, hard-hitting and truth-telling media is at risk. Yielding to Trump—rather than confronting his assault on press freedoms—will not protect mainstream news organizations. He sued CBS News and ABC News, and after they each cowardly settled, he proceeded to file absurd lawsuits against the New York Times (for $15 billion) and the Wall Street Journal (for $10 billion). It’s not going to stop there.

Stand up for truth. Make your matched gift before September 30! Match My Gift Now

Nor will it stop with the media. Trump grouses that he’s the victim of witch hunts. Yet in the wake of the Kirk shooting, he’s launching his own witch hunt, aimed at his detractors and political foes that he lumps into a “radical left”—a term he has used to excoriate Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Hillary Clinton and most of the Democratic Party.  When anyone he considers a political threat can be called the “radical left,” anyone can become a target of the assault to come. As I noted above, that could be you. Here’s some good news: Mother Jones has nearly 50 years of experience standing up to bullies. Government intimidation, nuisance lawsuits, threats to our nonprofit status—we’ve seen it all. It’s only because we’re backed by a community of readers and supporters like you that we’re still here and still fighting—that is, reporting—like hell. But the hard truth is that fundraising is always tough. I get it. There are plenty of good causes, and budgets are tight. Our fundraising people tell me our September goal is more ambitious than usual. After all, you see what’s going on and all we have to cover—and uncover. It’s essential we hit these numbers. That’s why this match is so important and why I’m pestering you. Our deadline is now only a few days away, and we’re still a long way from the goal. Can you help us get there? Whatever amount you can send before September 30—$10, $100, or $1,000—it becomes twice as much. And every single dollar you give will help us dig up and spread the information the nation needs to preserve our democracy. This is how we can fight back together. As always, thanks for reading this, and thanks for having our back,

David Corn Washington DC, Bureau Chief Mother Jones

Match My Gift Now P.S. Here’s one more suggestion for how we can stick together: If you’re not already subscribing to Our Land, my twice-weekly personal newsletter, please give it a try now with a 30-day free trial. I’m hoping that you’ll find it both enlightening and entertaining and that you sign up and join a vibrant community of people who give a damn about this fight to save our republic.

Donate Subscribe For advertising opportunities see our online media kit. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today. www.MotherJones.com PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755