Megan Basham

And that's when data analysts found millions of taxpayer dollars from various federal agencies flowing into legacy outlets like Politico and AP. Now Politico has been the main focus because they received 8.2 million from the federal government in just the last fiscal year.

And that's when data analysts found millions of taxpayer dollars from various federal agencies flowing into legacy outlets like Politico and AP. Now Politico has been the main focus because they received 8.2 million from the federal government in just the last fiscal year.

Some initial reports falsely claimed that all of that money was coming from USAID, but in reality, only 24,000 came from that group. But what that did was the discovery got a lot more people looking into these payments and millions more was discovered coming from other government agencies. So now we're seeing a similar debate around the AP, the New York Times, and Reuters.

Some initial reports falsely claimed that all of that money was coming from USAID, but in reality, only 24,000 came from that group. But what that did was the discovery got a lot more people looking into these payments and millions more was discovered coming from other government agencies. So now we're seeing a similar debate around the AP, the New York Times, and Reuters.

AP has received $620,000, primarily coming from the State Department. The Times was paid $378,000 last fiscal year for its various subscriptions. And Reuters received $13.6 million, with the majority coming from the Department of Defense for a premium data analysis product called Thomas Reuters Special Services. And how are these outlets explaining those payments?

AP has received $620,000, primarily coming from the State Department. The Times was paid $378,000 last fiscal year for its various subscriptions. And Reuters received $13.6 million, with the majority coming from the Department of Defense for a premium data analysis product called Thomas Reuters Special Services. And how are these outlets explaining those payments?

Well, they argue that these are legitimate business transactions, not subsidies. Politico's argument is that these agencies were buying subscriptions to its premium news service, Politico Pro, and some annual subscriptions could cost over $10,000.

Well, they argue that these are legitimate business transactions, not subsidies. Politico's argument is that these agencies were buying subscriptions to its premium news service, Politico Pro, and some annual subscriptions could cost over $10,000.

So Politico CEO and editor-in-chief issued a statement on Wednesday saying that the company has, quoting here, never received any government funding, no subsidies, no grants, not one dime in 18 years. And they also underscored that Politico Pro is a different product than their general news program. And they say that most of their subscribers are in the private sector.

So Politico CEO and editor-in-chief issued a statement on Wednesday saying that the company has, quoting here, never received any government funding, no subsidies, no grants, not one dime in 18 years. And they also underscored that Politico Pro is a different product than their general news program. And they say that most of their subscribers are in the private sector.

Now, AP also doesn't deny that they've received millions in payments, but they made a point of noting that both Republican and Democratic administrations have been their customers.

Now, AP also doesn't deny that they've received millions in payments, but they made a point of noting that both Republican and Democratic administrations have been their customers.

But a lot of critics, particularly those on the right, counter that these premium subscriptions, like Politico Pro, are pretty exorbitantly priced, over 10K a year, and that this is effectively a racket that relies on government agencies greenlighting these high expenditures. And they also worry about how these large sums of money might influence news coverage.

But a lot of critics, particularly those on the right, counter that these premium subscriptions, like Politico Pro, are pretty exorbitantly priced, over 10K a year, and that this is effectively a racket that relies on government agencies greenlighting these high expenditures. And they also worry about how these large sums of money might influence news coverage.

Molly Hemingway at The Federalist shared a post that called it payola, quoting, like when a labor union buys 250K copies of a hack politician's book no one wants to read. Sure, they technically paid for a book, but the union was purchasing something else. And then political talk show host Eric Erickson argued that if any Republican were using federal tax dollars to pay for subscriptions,

Molly Hemingway at The Federalist shared a post that called it payola, quoting, like when a labor union buys 250K copies of a hack politician's book no one wants to read. Sure, they technically paid for a book, but the union was purchasing something else. And then political talk show host Eric Erickson argued that if any Republican were using federal tax dollars to pay for subscriptions,

to a conservative news service that costs ten thousand dollars the very press outlets defending this would assail that now is there evidence that this cash flow has skewed their coverage well we can see that these pricey politico accounts did ramp up during the biden years they went from 6.5 million during the trump administration to 26 million between 2021 and 2024 under president biden

to a conservative news service that costs ten thousand dollars the very press outlets defending this would assail that now is there evidence that this cash flow has skewed their coverage well we can see that these pricey politico accounts did ramp up during the biden years they went from 6.5 million during the trump administration to 26 million between 2021 and 2024 under president biden

And that does present some problematic optics, if nothing else. And then a former Politico reporter, Mark Caputo, has acknowledged that the outlet's editors tended to quash those stories that were unfavorable to Biden. He said they wouldn't run coverage on Joe Biden's cognitive decline. or on the Hunter Biden laptop story.

And that does present some problematic optics, if nothing else. And then a former Politico reporter, Mark Caputo, has acknowledged that the outlet's editors tended to quash those stories that were unfavorable to Biden. He said they wouldn't run coverage on Joe Biden's cognitive decline. or on the Hunter Biden laptop story.