The Scheme 18: Leonard Leo’s $1.6 Billion Payday

September 13 | Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, delivers the eighteenth in a series of speeches titled “The Scheme,” exposing the machinations by right-wing donor interests to capture the U.S. Supreme Court and achieve through the Court what they cannot through the elected branches of government.
Whitehouse sheds light on the $1.6 billion donation from reclusive far-right billionaire Barre Seid to Leonard Leo’s dark-money network. Leo’s operation is at the center of the dark-money takeover of the Supreme Court. Whitehouse exposes Seid and Leo as key cogs in the right-wing dark-money ecosystem that now has at least $1.6 billion at hand to corrupt democracy.

[@michellebobier-groves7821]

We need legislation to make all donations transparent. 501 (c)(3) non-profits should be transparent and 501(c)(4) should not have any place in politics.

[@glenngoveia689]

Thank you for staying on top of this to expose this dark money. Hopefully, one day justice will come for them

[@anthonysmith8800]

You need many more Senators like Mr. Whitehouse. This is no longer 'prophecy', it's reality, here and now. Legislators act for the benefit of their donors, NOT for the voting public

[@felang9257]

This scheme took decades and cost trillions to achieve; now that it has come to pass, do you think those that created it and benefit from it are going to let it be destroyed by a bunch of elected officials acting on the behalf of the little people? They will set the population against itself and after a few million die and multiple cities are left in ruin an authoritarian God will rise from the ashes to bring order to it all, they thought they had achieved it under that orange Ape but he turned out to be too dumb to keep his mouth shut and just follow the plan. So now it is crisis time, guys like Senator Whitehouse calling out their bullshit and a population of woman signing up to vote is endangering the plan, swift aggressive action must be taken within the next 2 years to assure the chaos they seek can be unleashed. Remember I told you …

[@evhwolfgang2003]

In the span of this series, he has had to adjust how he talks about what could be and what is, because it is all coming to pass.

[@ennisdodd1888]

Citizens United brought to us by the bought off SCOTUS to protect the very people who bought them off.

[@Yungki1966]

Sorry, you not going to find Whitehouses in america!!!

[@GrayPJalow]

Senator Whitehouse is the only one informing us. Senator: please continue.

[@kristinemurphy1112]

Take a listen All; no matter what your political persuasion is Mr. Whitehouse is doing us a great service with his research. Dark money is bad for democracy. Plain and simple.

[@kimberlycrichton2932]

Democracy dies in darkness. On Washington Post’s letterhead

[@evhwolfgang2003]

The irony is that if you ask the most entrenched Trump supporters, they will straight up tell you that "America was never meant to be a democracy" because we're a republic, so voters don't really matter, and freedom only applies to money. So sayeth the infallible and Holy Founding Fathers, in Jesus name, amen.

[@artmusic2]

Dark money AND Dark Mango (Mussolini) are really bad for Democracy. TY Kristine.

[@meaganlawler7536]

Once again --thank Senator Whitehouse and team--keep the issue in the light as you do--you may be one of the warriors that save democracy.

[@MsBeachgirl10]

You, Senator Whitehouse, are a true patriot. Keep up the good fight!🙏👏🙌👍

[@markfregly4148]

He is no patriot. He wants total democratic rule. He lost out on SCOTUS. He's a child that didn't get his cookie cause he dropped it. Waaaahhhhh

[@wernerstapela4616]

@markfregly1448 you say he wants "total democracy" as though that were a bad thing. What would your alternative preference be?

[@mtJane]

Racketeering? Wire fraud? Corruption and criminality? Is this scheme a crime and can charges be brought against the agents and fraudulent companies engineering this scheme? Thank you for enlightening us Senator Whitehouse and for working so diligently to put a stop to it. I wish there were more of you in Congress.

[@rohankurian5641]

💪🇺🇸💪🇺🇸💪🇺🇸

[@kathleenwhite241]

This needs to be shared far and wide

[@2011Mamamia]

Ken Starr is gone today, new evildoers cropping up everyday Senator, please keep doing what you are doing .

[@B_Bodziak]

Starr ruined so many innocent people's lives.

[@Groove.2]

This is quite possibly the smartest man in Washington DC.

[@marmalade5941]

He’s doing the work of a true servant to the People. Our current President JOE Biden (wasn’t my first choice) IS the leader that *could* handle being handed a basket of grenades with the pins pulled. After the midterms we should revisit the *most effective* individual to promote as commander-in-chief. I’m trying to weigh who that may be…

[@artmusic2]

@@marmalade5941 not a "who", marmalade --- it is a what: 💛💙Democracy or fascism . Choose!

[@withmygoodeyeclosed]

Yeah, why isn't this guy president?

[@dorothydiamond8668]

How can we citizens help to fight in order to get the Disclosed Act passed? This is a huge problem in our politics.

[@carolhill1102]

@DecencyandDemocracy THAT would be " one Giant step " (both for man and mankind) toward saving our democracy. A blue wave this fall MIGHT make it possible.

[@B_Bodziak]

@DecencyandDemocracy It would take a court expansion at this point.

[@jmb3608]

As a foreigner, I always wonder how come so few Americans listen to Whitehouse... He should be on the news every other day. His work is vital to understand how your country has ended up where it is now.

[@im-gi2pg]

Today is the first I’ve ever heard of him and I’m a liberal in California. Susan Lynn psychic medium was my source today! She’s been extremely accurate in the years I’ve been watching her videos on yt.

[@catherinekasmer9905]

Chief Justice Roberts needs to watch so that he may understand exactly why we are declaring SCOTUS fully illegitimate.

[@cottonrock4116]

Yep if he thinks Barrett and Kavanaugh should be trusted?

[@hilpei3675]

Roberts knows full well.

[@Christopher-js9wn]

The actions of the conservative majority on the Supreme Court especially with the overturning of Roe V Wade is one of the reasons why the high court is now considered illegitimate.

[@michaeledwardson2934]

Chief Justice Roberts has been in on the scheme since the beginning.

[@barbarah5742]

Roberts is at the origins of the problem. Citizen's United, his baby, is at the core of all this. One of the worst decisions in recent decades.

[@LeslieLarsen]

Thank you Senator Whitehouse - you are a wise, courageous, truth telling man!

[@jodywho6696]

Thank You. For being a stand - up man. A rarity in government. Please don't give up on us. 💙💛💜💚❤

[@shanonkallhoff2431]

This guy needs more support and a bigger platform.

[@louisemccoy9410]

Now I think I get it! The GOP is for left-overs and "usable" losers. They are to cloud the real goings on in the Government with stupid issues. !!!

[@madmackets]

Waiting for this! This is where the swamp is!

[@artmusic2]

and not to mention the POOL - "Drain the POOL! - not the swamp!!" (shouts Dark Mango Mussolini)

[@kmlund42]

God bless this man. Thank goodness we have someone calling this out and exposing this. We are in big trouble and the light of day needs to be shown to the American people. I hope you get more views. Applause.

[@jc1ness1]

Bravo Senator Whitehouse👏👏👏 I stand with you! Thank you for your tenacity to expose the dark money buying our government!!!!

[@julieproctor6039]

Buying our environment and planet

[@C.M.30337]

Senator Whitehouse is a National and worldwide treasure - God Bless You!!!

[@vote4democracyvotedemocrat154]

Keep up the fight! Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

[@imacmill]

He's not fighting anything. He's working for Leonard Leo, helping to put the scare in The Left, making them all too aware that there's NOTHING they can do about any of this. It's a simple technique to completely demoralize his viewers (who are NOT right-wingers). Note that its been months since this speech, obstensibly given to none other than Biden, and who knows who else was in the room, because we're never shown that, nor do we hear anyone, except, perhaps the camera crew, and THINGS HAVE GOTTEN WORSE! Bipartisan psyop.

[@janislj1]

Impressive - all the more reason for all of us to pay attention when we vote. I want to thank Sen. Whitehouse for his work, his courage and his willingness to share his findings. We can't let him down by figuring he is going to take care of the problem. He needs a lot of backup.

[@annekrohn4252]

Thank you Senator Whitehouse! I wish more people would watch this video. This is a serious situation for our democracy.

[@nancyallin525]

Senator Whitehouse, you are a true patriot and a hero. Keep up the excellent work!!

[@chelsealeonardbaum23]

Crazy that any of this is allowed. Thank you.

[@tylerf6925]

Alas my champion of law. It is nice to see you doing real statistical and relevant research towards ripping the mask off this system. Keep pushing Senator Whitehouse. We who are really keen on the plays being made are with you. JUSTICE MATTERS!

[@starshine8892]

So appreciative of your service to our nation. Many Blessings on you Sir!

[@butterfly06830]

Keep it up Senator.... How can we bring down these fools.... ?

[@B_Bodziak]

Expand the court and overturn citizens united

[@rhondah1587]

Can we get this on prime-time TV and streaming on Nexflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc? People need to see and hear this!!

[@louisemccoy9410]

ALL of his speeches re: The mess we are in and why !!!🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷💙🇱🇷!

[@thrisbt1]

We The People DESERVE TO KNOW ! ! !

[@christelhaga2333]

Thank you Senator Whitehouse, you are the best. Keep up the fight.

[@LADYKAT...]

Love this Senator! He's such a good man!!! Thank you for your service.

[@kathleenmoran1079]

Thank You Senator Whitehouse.

[@TheSalMaris]

Thank you for this Senator.

[@JTSA1234]

I literally felt physical pain in watching this. How can we spread the word? I have started to share this with people on FB.

[@michellewilcock6827]

Me too!! Keep it up 100 percent!!!

[@freedomfinder5196]

Thank you, Senator Whitehouse. Thank you for speaking truth and getting that truth on the record. Please continue this necessary service you are providing to Americas. 🇺🇸

[@AGDinCA]

Thank you, as always Senator Whitehouse. Why isn't anything being done about this? And why isn't there any mainstream media coverage?

[@lindaj5492]

Good question about mainstream media: I’ve only seen MSNBC cover it once.

[@carolhill1102]

@@lindaj5492 me too. But I thought it was 1.7 billion.

[@pt68picaso]

McCain - Feingold campaign reform got overturned by Citizens United; so, they need a fresh approach.

[@louisemccoy9410]

Is everyone in hiding,? There is alot to SCREAM about ! Other voices, anywhere ? 🐓🐓🐓

[@withmygoodeyeclosed]

They've been bought... America you better vote.

[@debatthebeach433]

Thank you so much, Senator Whitehouse. I know this takes great courage and determination. 💖🇺🇸

[@darlenedillehay4826]

Seeing these crooks get exposed is so satisfying. Thank you, we have to stop this corruption.

[@barbarahorch7426]

Thank you Senator! Can he please run for President?

[@mrsmucha]

Senator Whitehouse never sleeps.

[@lynnstarr8573]

I am so grateful for your continued work!

[@Sarah-said]

Thank you Senator!

[@shelleysteward3041]

Thank you for bringing this to light.

[@tarajoyce3598]

Bravely said. Keep talking. Keep digging. Thank you for fighting for democracy. You honor your oath of office!

[@lgar2554]

keep going Senator!!!!

[@janedoe1913]

Thank you Sheldon!

[@jovenusdivine503]

Imagine what could have been done with all of that money in a good way and an honest way! It’s all about the money and the ego, certainly God will have his way with us, the truth will be known I do love Senator Whitehouse for exposing this

[@lindadekam8667]

Dear Senator Whitehouse, you and your team are brilliant .. As i live in Europe..you are right ..Trust me ..I know! Continue speaking the TRUTH ..please.. Thank you Sending you lv & light over your findings..

[@sassylady54]

HOW CAN THIS BE STOPPED SENATOR WHITEHOUSE?

[@SmilingHeart88]

Go get 'em!!!! Thank you!

[@stephensuddick2557]

If there is a slimy supervillain lair in America, Senator Whitehouse just showed us where it is.

[@msmith53]

Brilliant man and presentation!

[@suzanneharris8339]

Billionaire is synonymous with psychopath. One by one we can name them, & we owe Senator Whitehouse much gratitude for revealing some especially insidious ones. It's grand to see him at 25,000 subscribers 🙌, but he's a rare truth teller & needs hundreds of thousands more. It's up to 🇺🇸us. LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE

[@sassylady54]

But how does one stop the billionaires? Who gets this money?

[@lucreciaguaba7639]

​@@sassylady54 That's the real issue here, MONEY. And like Senator Whitehouse said, "MONEY TALKS AND DARK MONEY WHISPERS." And also said, "SOME CASES CAN NOT BE PROSECUTED. IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS." Now ask yourselves, WHO OWNS A PRINTING PRESS TO BUY ALL THEY WANT ??? IT'S A CONTROLLED OPPOSITION paid for by the MALIGNANT NARCISSIST ORGANIZED CRIMINAL BANKING CARTEL.

[@susanwade4796]

👍🇺🇸... Thank You Sheldon for your Very Courageous efforts to expose the Truth of what's REALLY happening in the Political Arena. 🤗 HUGS to Ya!

[@zoer7338]

🤯🤯🤯 These speeches always blow me away. 😱

[@williamw7462]

A man of character. Brave in the face of the horrible opposition that no doubt rages on. God speed.

[@billmcginley]

The senator from RI is a powerful argument against term limits.

[@johngage5391]

Why aren't these Scheme talks on the evening news every time Senator Whitehouse delivers one. Could it be a complicit media and a distracted public?

[@annhobson1975]

When is everyone going to pay attention to what Senator Whitehouse has been saying for sometime????

[@debstewart9149]

Love,love senator Whitehouse !

[@ophirdog]

A great American Senator. Thank you for the work you do.

[@ramonng6381]

Haha, even the judges are trying to stiff the IRS......if Trump could, why not the Federalist Society....lol

[@louisemccoy9410]

They are a Creep Society !! No ethics !!

[@ismith275]

Thank you Senator Whitehouse! I sure hope you’re not wasting your saliva! Rules have to be put in place!

[@terirea7743]

I am so grateful to Sheldon Whitehouse to see that a playlist is made for "The Scheme". Please click on his profile and go to his playlists. It's riveting and horrifying!!

[@dianebannister4591]

Thank you Senator Whitehouse for the excellent and revealing presentation regarding dark money influencing politics. The Senator had to do much research to gather all that information. I certainly appreciate his efforts. And yes, those dark money contributors need to be revealed publicly. I was stunned by the information of their extreme influence. And it's horrifying! Keep it up Senator Whitehouse.

[@julieproctor6039]

Dark money pushes fossil fuel consumption and denying climate change

[@elfari100]

Thank you Senator Whitehouse for so expressing this corruption so eloquently. Please continue the good fight. It's time to make this country "for the people" again. Vote it everyone.

[@joanneadahk124]

Thank you 😊!

[@annettegrantham7938]

Thank you Senator Whitehouse. The key to any successful effort is PERSISTENCE.

[@felichia808]

Senator Whitehouse's work on "The Scheme" is finally getting much wider recognition. Thank you, Senator Whitehouse, for Blasting Corruption, please keep it up.

[@robertwalker1079]

Presumably the billionaire has direct interests in some market or other. Also, presumably on a reasonably large scale. If so, could he not be pressurised by boycott of some kind?

[@artfulalias3984]

Thank you Senator. I wish the senators of my state were as focused on fundamental justice.

[@CC-whs1986]

It seems that the country was purchased and there is nothing “we the people “ can do about it.

[@nickpacitti3247]

Vote, protest… share this video to start 👍🤙✌️

[@nancylee6649]

Vote like your life depends on it because it does ! Vote BLUE 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 Please .

[@maryannmattia3560]

God Bless Senator Whitehouse and stay safe and becareful we the people need you to keep doing your job and may one day you become a president thank you

[@maryannmattia3560]

well and you@@thomsonsmith9320

[@maryannmattia3560]

@@thomsonsmith9320why

[@louisecardinal]

@@maryannmattia3560 ignore him he's only joined Sept 2022. It's a troll or bot

[@markendicott6874]

Somebody needs to keep shining a light on this shady crap, thank you for consistently doing so.

[@elfsgarden8043]

I love you!... Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Please keep fighting!

[@jjamnason2066]

Saw a show about Leonard Leo a few weeks ago and the 1.6B, and it was eye opening! Stop Dark Money!

[@annabrown1077]

PREACH... SENATOR ⚖️🙏❤️‍🔥

[@jayh1391]

Thank you, senator Sheldon Whitehouse. You certainly open my eyes and view on guileful Right-Wing's scheme

[@louisemccoy9410]

Think of all that money. .should be going to healthcare, teachers, and the general needs of our citizens... TAX THEM for Gods' sake. This is horrible !!

[@bheath4222]

Leonard Leo. Antichrist.

[@melaniepervier9672]

Thank you Mr. White House what would we do without you bless you what can we do please let us now I appreciate your time and energy and commitment to helping our country you are a true Patriot God bless you.

[@pattybeck5101]

I watched “The Family” on Netflix and was impressed that perhaps it may be connected to dark money. It was an eye-opener

[@PatrickHildreth101]

Are we paying attention?!? Not enough of us

[@taradeleeuw2344]

Lists are important for these people

[@brianflynn5547]

Thank you Mr. Whitehouse for what you do!! Keep up the good work we appreciate you!!

[@UTubeISphere]

Dark Money (by Jane Mayer) or Kochland (by Christopher Leonard) would be complementary sources. Also on YT.

[@davidpowellseattle]

I would like to see Jane, Christopher and Sheldon discuss the situation on a panel.

[@eftsoulpath333]

Senator White House, huge kudos to you for all of your Detective work in this hugely important dark money Epidemic❤

[@Elizabeth-mp6tr]

Finally! Great steps!

[@danrupp4694]

Thanks Senator Whitehouse, keep exposing them, by the way love the picture of the fish in your office.

[@nickpacitti3247]

This should be viral, please share 👍🤙✌️

[@katherinecrossman8521]

Mr. Whitehouse , I so very much appreciate every minute of research and time , you and your staff put in to every one of your programs . You inform and educate those of us who listen and watch them . I wish the Republican senators, and congressmen, and women , would watch you and listen , and care , believe , understand . I think they would understand . But THEY DONT WANT TO . THEY ARE MAKING SO MUCH MONEY TO NOT KNOW , UNDERSTAND OR CARE .

[@djbrettell]

I don't understand such low views. These videos should have millions of American views. It seems there are some truly evil billionaires out there.

[@Myrddnn]

The saddest part of this is the lack of an audience in the room. None of his fellow Senators could be bothered to listen to a word of this. Pathetic. Every one of them should be fined for a day's worth of their salary for every time they avoid listening to their colleagues. How can a "deliberative" body work if half of it's members aren't paying any attention to the other half?

[@louisemccoy9410]

Half, or more, of them don't even attend sessions !

[@carriesee8547]

Is there a solution to this? What can we do?

[@glomontero6011]

Thank you Senator Whitehorse we need to know and hopefully stop the evil trying to take our democracy!

[@wendysuemacdonald]

Keep going Senator. End this crime ridden GOP.

[@LambertBrady]

'Crowdfund' contributions for buying our representatives to do what we elected them to do. We have to buy back our government, and we have to buy what it takes to correct and ensure the safety of our Democracy.

[@Sarah-said]

I've thought about that too. I was just saying that I bet most Democrats would donate to (bribe) Manchin to get him to vote like a real democrat.

[@louisemccoy9410]

The purchase must be made with devotion to our Country, not just money !!

[@spir5102]

CONGRESS, PASS THE DISCLOSE ACT! This is why we must vote every single Republican out so that we can start doing things that actually benefit Americans, not just the corrupt billionaires!

[@eddrey8411]

Thank you, Senator Whitehouse 👏

[@Yungki1966]

I’m proud to have voted for you since day one!!!