In exploring the influence wielded by the Federalist Society, the Heritage Foundation, and figures like Leonard Leo, we uncover a vast, parasitic network of what can be called seditious saboteurs—actors who have embedded themselves into the core of American government. Inspired by the Powell Memo and sustained by unprecedented financial backing, this network quietly redirects the machinery of democracy from the inside.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, in his Senate talks known as "The Scheme", details how shell corporations like the Judicial Crisis Network and Honest Elections Project obscure the sources of massive funding. These entities are just part of a much larger operation. Behind them lies an extraordinary influx of money—$1.6 billion from a donor tied to Tripolite, followed by a similar contribution—bringing total assets to nearly $3 billion. These funds are deployed to reshape public institutions, stacking the courts and influencing legislation from behind the scenes.
Koch-funded think tanks and an intellectual army of conservative legal scholars further amplify this machinery, writing the policy blueprints and judicial arguments that guide the movement’s long-term goals.
In a revealing Rolling Stone article, Russell Vought, architect of Project 2025, is caught on camera explaining how his organization plans to infiltrate and dismantle key parts of government. This confirms that the effort is not simply ideological—but surgical, strategic, and deeply embedded within the system.
Moreover, crossover with quasi-religious organizations like the First Liberty Institute illustrates the blending of judicial activism with fundamentalist ideological aims. These groups support court cases and policy agendas that expand the political reach of religious conservatism under the banner of "religious freedom."
This immense power is not merely a political movement but a deliberate effort to function as seditious saboteurs, transforming public institutions into tools for a select few while subverting the broader public interest. The end result is a government increasingly unmoored from democratic norms, retooled to serve the ideological vision of a wealthy and well-organized minority.
This immense power is not merely a political movement but a deliberate effort to function as seditious saboteurs, transforming public institutions into tools for a select few while subverting the broader public interest. The end result is a government increasingly unmoored from democratic norms, retooled to serve the ideological vision of a wealthy and well‑organized minority.
For those looking to channel civic concern into structured action, groups like Indivisible, and Defiance.org, offer tools, local chapters, and strategic frameworks to push back against entrenched influence and mobilise on behalf of democracy.