Onward!
What we can learn from Media Matters’ big win
“Our victory shows the importance of holding power to account and the importance of fighting instead of folding.” -Media Matters President, Angelo Carusone
This week, Media Matters secured what the organization called a “complete and total victory” in its case against the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC had opened a politically motivated investigation into Media Matters and the organization hit back hard — filing a lawsuit to halt the investigation. After a few rounds in court, detailed in this press release, the FTC “ultimately agreed to a binding agreement that guarantees it will never reissue the investigative demands to Media Matters and confirms that Media Matters is not a target.”
(Full disclosure: I was a visiting fellow at Media Matters in 2018.)
I believe in celebrating the wins, and this is a big one. As Media Matters’ Counsel points out, the settlement “provide[s] a roadmap for anyone who is similarly targeted. This historic victory shows that the rule of law matters — and that courts can and do hold this government accountable.” In other words, Media Matters didn’t just win for themselves; they also made it harder for the FTC to launch similar politically motivated investigations against other organizations, most of which aren’t as well-resourced or funded.
I also want to acknowledge that this particular win didn’t come easily. Media Matters as an organization had to make real sacrifices along the way, including significant layoffs. Last year, the New York Times reported that donors were getting “skittish” and that there was some discussion of the organization potentially having to close. Elon Musk and MAGA have been targeting Media Matters for several years through various lawsuits and investigations, and that kind of sustained pressure takes both a financial and emotional toll.
What I love about Media Matters is that they don’t cave, and I never once had to worry that they would. It’s built into the organization’s DNA. Media Matters knows better than anyone how dangerous the MAGA Right is because they’ve been researching and reporting on them doggedly from the start. If anyone knew how tough a fight this would be, it was them. They took it on anyway. Because what they understand is that the cost of caving is that you eventually lose everything. The only way to survive is to stand with your community, hold your ground, and fight.
A good lesson for us all. We won’t win every fight that we take on (something SCOTUS and the Virginia Supreme Court reminded us of over the last couple of weeks), but we also won’t win any fights we don’t engage in. We have to be in it to win.
ICYMI
2026 Social Media Safety Index (GLAAD) “The annual GLAAD Social Media Safety Index & Platform Scorecard evaluates six major social media platforms: TikTok, X, YouTube, and Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, providing findings and recommendations for social media companies to improve LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression online.”
14 Theses Concerning Online Political Violence (J.M. Berger) “Allow me to nail to the wall 14 theses on the current state of political violence in the United States and its facilitation by media, social media and generative AI companies.”
The United States is Turning 250 Years Old. For History Teachers, It’s a Complicated Lesson. (The 19th News) “As its 250th anniversary nears, teachers, who in K-12 are overwhelmingly women, face the challenge of bringing the nation’s founding documents and the Revolution alive while presenting an accurate account of what happened — and what it all means today.”
Did you know CARD is now on ActBlue? You can make a one-time or recurring donation. We have some big changes coming (including exiting Substack), and your support will enable me to keep the newsletter going and keep it free for everyone to read.
If you’ve saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
Or donate another amount.
Coda
Blatant Self-Promotion: CARD is in a museum now! No, really, I’m honored to be included in Imagine Your Impact at the Obama Presidential Center, a collection of real stories from changemakers working to make their communities better. As I wrote earlier this week, my story is also your story, and I’m so grateful that you continue to support the newsletter. Thank you.
Learn more about the Obama Presidential Center and get your tickets here.
That’s all for now. Talk to you again next week!
Don't usually count not losing as a "win" but I'll take anything these days.