Dear editor:

As we all know, there is presently a trust crisis in the media.  No one knows what to believe when they see it in print or hear it on the radio or TV, because of obvious bias in reporting.  Your recent front page, top of the fold news story about the “Hands Off” rally did nothing to help your cause, or that of local news, as honest brokers and historically the media people trust the most.

If I must read, once again, in another one of your stories, about how Wyoming Rising is a nonpartisan nonprofit, when it clearly espouses the principles of the Progressive Democrats of America, I may have to cancel my subscription to your newspaper.

It took me less than 12 seconds to find the Progressive Democrats of America webpage to “Join a Hands Off! Mobilization Event Near You. RSVP now!” Here is the link: pdamerica.org/join-a-hands-off-mobilization-event-near-you-rsvp-now/.

There was a handy link to the “Hands Off” Toolkit Google Doc, about how to host your own event, which Ms. Roseberry followed to a T: docs.google.com/document/d/1-Eh5ulVjWt1psjm-HwwLyJ1EAHYJHFdO4MBgq3lp4HY/edit?tab=t.0.

It includes links to posters to print, includes speaker recruitment tips, like getting 1) laid off federal workers, like National Park rangers or veterans, 2) faith leaders, 3) people who rely on Medicaid or other threatened services and 4) current or former elected officials. Ms. Roseberry made sure to have all of the above at her rally. She also followed the instructions about sending out press releases and promoting on social media. So much easier to organize a rally when you have the left-wing toolkit to work from!

Most importantly, it directs organizers, if they need more help, to reach out to indivisible.org, moveon.org and the ACLU websites. Indivisible.org and moveon.org both receive funding from George Soros and Reid Hoffman. Indivisible.org and moveon.org both use ActBlue, the Democratic fundraising platform, to process donations. These are NOT nonpartisan organizations.

While it is true that Wyoming Rising files the short-form 990 tax return, showing less than $50,000 in annual revenue a year, and is not required to report detail on its funding sources, it begs the question of whether any of this national, left-wing funding to “battle Trump and his agenda” has trickled down to Wyoming Rising, as well.  Maybe that doesn’t matter. 

Maybe it is more relevant that the donation platform on the Wyoming Rising website is FastAction, which is owned by NGP VAN Inc. a privately owned voter database and webhosting company used by the Democratic Party, Democratic campaigns and other nonprofit organizations AUTHORIZED by the Democratic Party. I guess Wyoming Rising was authorized by the Democratic Party to use this funding platform.  That is not nonpartisan.

So please, if it took me less than five minutes to find this information on line, in the name of full disclosure and fair reporting. have your reporters accurately and more fully report that Wyoming Rising is a left wing, progressive organization. Call it what it is, rather than cribbing word for word how they mischaracterize themselves on their website.

Lisa Price

Cody

(Editor’s note: In the April 8 story about the Wyoming Rising-led protest in Cody’s City Park, the Tribune referred to Wyoming Rising as a nonprofit.)