Podcast Summary: The Find Out Podcast

Episode: "The left goes to war with itself over influencers and 'dark money'"

Date: September 2, 2025
Host(s): Luke, Zach, Gabby, Tim

Overview

This episode dives into the uproar sparked by Taylor Lorenz’s Wired exposé about Chorus—a left-leaning influencer collective allegedly funded by "dark money." The hosts, some of whom are Chorus members themselves, dissect the factual inaccuracies of the article, break down common misconceptions about nonprofit funding, and address the left's chronic infighting that threatens its effectiveness, especially in the Trump 2.0 era. The conversation blends humor, personal anecdotes, and sharp critique of left-wing "purity" politics and the circular firing squad problem.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Taylor Lorenz, Wired, and Chorus: Setting the Story Straight

• Context (00:00–02:56):

  • Taylor Lorenz (Wired) wrote a story suggesting Chorus, run by Brian Tyler Cohen, contracts leftist influencers, tells them what to say, and is funded by mysterious "dark money" from the 1630 Fund.
  • Luke: "I'm in chorus and none of that stuff is true. It was frankly a lot of things that were not true. A lot of half truths and a lot of using words like dark money to suggest nefarious, nefarious actions." (00:23)
  • Gabby: Social media discourse was relentless on this story over Labor Day weekend.

• Chorus Explained (02:00–03:20):

  • Chorus is a 501(c)4 nonprofit (not tax deductible, can't endorse candidates), offering training and up to $8,000/month stipends for independent content creators. The aim: counter the right's influencer infrastructure by investing steadily in progressive media talent.
  • Luke: "No one has ever told me what I could say or what I could not say. No one has ever said I couldn't talk about chorus." (03:20)

2. Understanding "Dark Money" and Nonprofit Structures

• 501(c)4s & "Dark Money" (03:43–06:04):
  • Hosts clarify that "dark money" is a loaded, often misunderstood label for anonymous donations to nonprofits, a structure also used by Oxfam, Planned Parenthood, and Everytown for Gun Safety.
  • Luke: "The goal is to fight MAGA, then it's good money. The end." (04:20)

3. Conspiracy Thinking and Online Misinformation

• False Accusations & Gaza Discourse (06:04–09:01):

  • Some claim Chorus muzzles Gaza discussion. Hosts refute this—members have spoken candidly about Gaza, and there's no DNC directive.
  • Zach: "It's crazy how many comments I got [for defending Chorus]." (04:29)

• Tim: “There’s this conspiracy, I don’t know, gene... that cuts across the spectrum. It’s worse on the right, but the left isn’t immune.” (06:05)

4. Left-Wing Infighting & the Purity Spiral

• Circular Firing Squad (09:01–14:17):

  • Hosts lament respected creators spreading the Wired story, exaggerating internal threats.
  • Gabby: "Circular firing squad converts and the left looks for traitors." (09:30)
  • Zach: “This is the biggest problem the left has... They are a bigger threat to us than anything MAGA’s doing.” (09:36)

• Reframing Funding Narratives (10:05–11:29):

  • The 1630 Fund backs progressive causes like paid leave, climate, equity—hardly nefarious.

• Media Double Standards and Purity Testing (11:29–19:08):

  • Acknowledgment that journalists (including Lorenz) are often also funded by similar philanthropic dollars—but the format ("journalism" vs. "influencer program") is arbitrarily demonized.

5. Creators’ Economic Realities

• Influencer Precarity (12:48–14:55):
  • Many creators are risking their jobs or livelihoods to speak out. Reliable stipends make consistent progressive communication possible.
  • Gabby: "You're mad because, oh, somebody's making it so they can do this full time and they can do it safely." (12:48)

6. Moving Forward: Strategize, Don’t Cannibalize

• Lesson from the Blowup (19:08–22:02):
  • The backlash led to more creators applying to Chorus and to progressives supporting each other publicly.
  • Luke: “All the creators basically got together and said, fuck this, we are not going to let people talk badly about us. We are going to fight back. Which is something the left has been asking all of us to do forever.” (20:35)

7. The “Purity Test” Problem & Strategic Unity

• Hot Take—Purity is the Enemy of Progress (22:19–32:23):

  • Zach (Hot Take): "There’s a lot of like, very just like moral purist leftists... those people are more dangerous to the Democratic Party and this country than MAGA." (22:27)
  • The left’s inability to coordinate and focus on winning, instead of infighting and enforcing purity, jeopardizes all progress.

• Tim: "The idea of gatekeepers has become more of a thing... Maybe we need to protect diversity of opinion rather than trying to make everybody the same." (45:04)

8. Big Picture: What’s at Stake in the Trump Era

• Pragmatism vs. Idealism (34:43–36:05):
  • Hosts stress that refusing to back the eventual Dem nominee due to single-issue litmus tests risks catastrophic setbacks for everyday Americans.

9. Satirical and Memorable Moments

• "Dark Money" Running Joke (e.g., 10:45, 49:56):
  • Hosts joke about labeling their own podcast merch as “dark money” if bought in black.
• RFK Jr. and Anti-vax Satire (37:17–44:39):
  • Extended riff on RFK’s pseudoscience and the problems with anti-vax conspiracies on both sides.
  • Luke: "Fifteen years of shooting heroin has not treated him very well." (37:17)

10. Call for Strategic, Inclusive Organizing

• Don’t Alienate Potential Allies (46:52–47:20):
  • Tim: “If you tell a person there is a correct or incorrect way of being a Democrat... that person can always go vote for the other person.”

11. Final Words and Merch Plug

• Hosts joke about their ‘dark money’ funded T-shirts and close on a note of unity and gratitude.
• Luke: "We're making this a job, guys. And you know, we would prefer..." (End – 50:18)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Luke (setting the record straight): "I'm in chorus and none of that stuff is true... using words like dark money to suggest nefarious actions." (00:23)
• Zach (on left infighting): “This is the biggest problem the left has... Those people are a bigger threat to us than anything MAGA’s doing.” (09:36)
• Gabby: "You're mad because somebody's making it so they can do this full time and they can do it safely and, like, consistently." (12:48)
• Tim: "Money is not inherently evil. It can be used for evil, it can be used for good." (08:02)
• Zach (hot take): "Those people are more dangerous to the Democratic Party and this country than MAGA." (22:27)
• Luke: "The world is big and complex. People are complex... It's impossible for this group of us to agree on every issue... this purity stuff... the country will..." (31:03)
• Marc Maron reference: "We annoyed people into supporting fascism..." (47:02)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–03:20: The Wired/Chorus controversy summarized and debunked.
• 03:43–06:04: Nonprofit / "dark money" definitions and misconceptions.
• 09:01–14:17: The left's "circular firing squad" and purity politics.
• 19:08–22:02: Silver lining—backlash leads to more progressive creator unity.
• 22:19–32:23: "Hot Take" — purity purists present a greater threat than MAGA.
• 37:17–44:39: Satirical and serious takedown of RFK Jr. and vaccine conspiracies.
• 46:52–47:20: The risk of alienating moderate and center-left allies.

Final Thoughts

This episode exemplifies Find Out Podcast’s typical mix of irreverence, clarity, and sharp critique. The hosts push for strategic unity and realism among progressives, cautioning against self-defeating infighting and moral posturing that divides the left at a time when political stakes could not be higher. The episode is a call to focus on pragmatic coalition-building, win elections, and stop sweating over funder purity or Internet drama—while poking plenty of fun at the absurdities plaguing today’s political discourse.