Conflicting takes on Soros and Kavanaugh Protests

While many claimed the President was tweeting conspiracy theories yet again when he claimed the anti-Kavanaugh protesters were "paid by Soros and others," this journalist maps out how Open Society (Soros foundation) grantees did in fact play a large role in the logistics and signage at the protests.

One ironic tidbit in the article: 

"Rethink Media created a “social media strategy sheet” back in August for anti-Kavanaugh protesters. One talking point: “Kavanaugh was hand-picked by dark money groups and their billionaire backers.” Rethink Media is itself a Soros grantee, and Saturday’s protests and unlawful disruptions were part of a well-funded, orchestrated network that books buses, hotel rooms and churches for such agitation."

At the same time, this Washington Post article gives the Soros-funded-protestor claim 3 Pinocchios, pushing the argument that donations do not mean influence.

While the Washington Post is right to claim that Trump and Grassley's comments that the protesters were directly paid to protest are completely false, I think a key takeaway for our class's purpose is the concluding line of the first article:

"Mr. Soros, much like the Koch brothers, funds causes he cares about. There’s nothing wrong with that, but democracy is better served if we follow the money on the right and left and find solutions where they are likeliest to lie: in the middle."