A dark money group is offering influencers $1,500 for one negative social media post about progressive Illinois House of Representatives candidate Kat Abughazaleh.
MS Now reported that Democracy Unmuted, a secretive, unofficial organization that registered its website two weeks ago, offered TikTok and Instagram influencer Amanda Informed $1,500 to push anti-Abughazaleh rhetoric on social media. She declined, and made the offer known to the media. The group is made up of “individuals from the [Illinois] area who have served in the highest offices and been at top of their game in the media,” according to MS Now’s Brandy Zadrozny said on X.
“The money didn’t feel right coming from someone who’s not disclosing where the money is coming from,” she told MS NOW. “That’s not something that I want to be involved in. I want to make sure that it’s coming from a source that is not doing nefarious things like interfering with elections.”
Matt Anthes, founder of political advocacy firm Advocators, was the one who sent Amanda the offer. But even he remains secretive about the group’s members and funding, stating that “We don’t comment on or disclose the identity of our clients. What we can tell you is that all of our dealings and practices are fully compliant with FEC rules and regulations, including those at our creative agency partner, Upstart Factory.”
According to the memo Amanda received, Democracy Unmuted is asking political influencers on TikTok and Instagram them to “encourage voters to look past viral personalities and ask real questions about who is running and why.”
The group alleged that Abughazaleh is a political newcomer, grew up wealthy, and didn’t know her district well enough. “Kat’s campaign appears designed for attention rather than impact,” it stated.
Some influencers certainly may have just taken the money. Missouri-based political influencer Justin Kralemann—who goes by “The Woke Ginger” on social media—essentially read Democracy Unmuted’s anti-Abughazaleh talking points word for word in a recent Instagram and TikTok post, while wearing a hat reading “WOKE” and mispronouncing Abughazaleh’s name.
“It’s important to look past viral personalities and ask who is running, and why?” the woke ginger said, a near exact quote from the brief. Even still, he has stated that he was not paid for the video.
A literal secret group paying random influencers across the United States to smear one of the more progressive congressional candidates of 2026 should be a massive scandal, but the U.S.’s laissez-faire campaign finance laws have made it possible, and completely legal.
“Dark money groups have grown to exercise tremendous influence.... With a lot of these competitive races, these groups can spring up overnight,” said Abigail Bellows, senior policy director of anti-corruption at Common Cause. “These dark money groups use these shadowy vehicles for political participation that really undercuts voters.... It just breeds distrust.”
Abughazaleh’s campaign responded, calling the claims defamatory and asserting that they were funded by foreign interests.
“We have become aware of a coordinated influencer campaign attacking Kat Abughazaleh that appears to be funded through opaque entities exploiting loopholes in federal election law. The materials being circulated are filled with false and defamatory claims about Kat’s background and campaign,” their statement read. “At a minimum, this raises serious questions about transparency and whether voters in Illinois’ 9th District are being targeted by undisclosed money and potentially foreign-linked actors across social media platforms.”
On a new website, Democracy Unmuted claimed that they were “called out” by MS Now. “Here’s what they didn’t tell you: Reporter Brandy Zadronzny has [sic] long-running relationship and a joint podcast with Ben Collins, partner of candidate Kat Abughazaleh.” But while that may be interesting, it has little to do with the topic of Zadrozny’s article—that a secret organization is offering influencers $1,500 to read from their script.
Abughazaleh is running against a massive primary pool of 15 other Democrats for the chance to replace retiring Representative Jan Schakowsky in Illinois’s 9th xongressional district.
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