Despite consistently reporting on the Black Lives Matter movement, major publications failed to cover apparent in-fighting between the global group and local chapters.
A number of local BLM groups have questioned the finances of the global BLM organization, called BLM Global Network (BLMGN). The Daily Caller News Foundation reported in June that BLMGN spent millions on traveling, compensation and consultant costs for staffers from July 2017 through June 2019.
During that same time period, BLMGN gave only $328,000 to outside groups – and now, ten local chapters are speaking out and accusing the organization of not supporting them. (RELATED: BLM’s National Arm Gave Little To Local Chapters While Reaping Millions, Local BLM Chapters Allege In Statement)
But the media seems to be ignoring the local groups’ concerns.
Major publications including CNN, The New York Times, NBC News, The Washington Post and ABC News are among the national news companies that don’t appear to have covered the story. The local chapters accused BLMGN of giving “little to no financial support … since the launch in 2013,” a statement issued on Nov. 30 indicated.
None of the publications listed responded to requests for comment from the Daily Caller.
The local chapters speaking out include those in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, San Diego and Chicago. BLM protests have been ongoing throughout 2020 in these four cities since the death of George Floyd in May, among many other areas in the U.S.
People hold a Black Lives Matter flag as they celebrate in Washington Square Park after Joe Biden was declared the next President on November 7, 2020 in New York. (BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)
“For years there has been inquiry regarding the financial operations of BLMGN and no acceptable process of either public or internal transparency about the unknown millions of dollars donated to BLMGN, which has certainly increased during this time of pandemic and rebellion,” the chapters said in a press release at the end of November.
The local chapters’ issues with BLMGN go further than a lack of monetary help, with accusations expanding to a $6.5 million fund allegedly launched in June to support local chapters. BLMGN started this fund following an increase in donations after Floyd’s death, but according to the local chapters, most have not seen money from it.
“To the best of our knowledge, most chapters have received little to no financial support from BLMGN since the launch in 2013,” the local chapters wrote. “It was only in the last few months that selected chapters appear to have been invited to apply for a $500,000 grant created with resources generated because of the organizing labor of chapters. This is not the equity and financial accountability we deserve.”
Outlets have ignored the global organization despite numerous red flags. Co-founder Alicia Garza, for example, launched a new organization this year called “Black Futures Lab.”
The organization is “a fiscally sponsored project of the Chinese Progressive Association,” according to a donation page linked by the website. The Chinese Progressive Association sponsored an event that saw the Chinese flag raised over Boston’s City Hall last year to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Chinese Communist Party’s creation of the People’s Republic of China.
Garza has been featured on CNN, NBC News, The New York Times and more in recent years. The NYT, for one, declared that Garza did not “partner with a pro-Communist Chinese group” and accused an article from Heritage Foundation’s “Daily Signal” of conflating “two nonprofits with the same name.”