The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funneled money to media outlets in a clandestine attempt to seek "partisan regime change" abroad, according to investigative journalist Michael Shellenberger.
Shellenberger, who on Wednesday said the USAID and CIA "were behind the 2019 impeachment" of President Donald Trump, again took to social media to claim the agencies tried to use media to enact regime changes abroad.
"The media said they were a nonpartisan check on power. They weren't. The U.S. govt. is the largest source of funding for 'independent media' worldwide. Many sought partisan regime change. They got away with it by hiding the money & threatening to sue journalists who exposed them," Shellenberger posted Thursday on X with a video of him explaining the situation further.
The journalist said USAID funded and used decision-making power with supposedly independent investigative news organization the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
Despite legal threats made by OCCRP against his Substack "Public," Shellenberger supported his claims by referring to reporting by Drop Site News and a 2024 documentary by German TV network NDR.
"USAID's Shannon McGuire emphasizes in the NDR documentary that USAID controls OCCRP through what is known as a substantial involvement clause," said Shellenberger, whose video then cuts to McGuire's appearance in the documentary.
"Specifically for this cooperative agreement with OCCRP, it's things like reviewing and approving an annual work plan. There's key personnel …" McGuire says.
Shellenberger then said Drew Sullivan, OCCRP founder and editor, confirmed McGuire's comments.
"Under cooperative agreements, which we don't like to take, um, you know, that they have, you know, a say on who the people are. But they can veto somebody …" Sullivan is seen saying in the documentary.
USAID's Mike Henning also confirmed to NDR that his agency's involvement with OCCRP was not just for logistical or administrative functions as agency officials have said.
"It has some strings attached. A cooperative agreement has more strings attached, let's say, than a grant," Henning said.
Shellenberger said Samantha Power, a former administrator of USAID, called OCCRP "a major partner of the U.S. government" in November 2021.
The journalist added that USAID, under its strengthen transparency and accountability through investigative reporting (STAIR) program, allocated $20 million to OCCRP to support investigative reporting in Europe and Eurasia.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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