Subpoenaed pro-China outlet defends itself on Democracy Now!, which paid Singham-founded company millions
A U.S.-based pro-China media outlet subpoenaed in a Congressional probe of communist tech tycoon Neville Roy Singham’s funding network mounted its public defense on Democracy Now!, a progressive news outlet that once paid millions of dollars to a software company Singham founded. BreakThrough News, one of three organizations subpoenaed by the powerful House Ways and Means Committee last month, used Democracy Now! to portray the investigation as an attack on journalism rather than what the committee said is a probe into its funding and alleged foreign influence. During an interview with Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman, BreakThrough News presenter Rania Khalek slammed the subpoenas as a McCarthy-style attack on free speech and independent journalism. She also warned investigators could eventually target Democracy Now! itself and encouraged viewers to financially support BreakThrough News as it fights the subpoenas. ‘MCCARTHY TRIALS’: HASAN PIKER, FAR-LEFT FIGURES ERUPT OVER SUBPOENAS IN $39M SINGHAM PROBE “They’re attempting to criminalize dissent and an independent press because they’re losing the argument,” Khalek told Goodman. Khalek described the subpoenas as a “flagrant attack” on the First Amendment and argued lawmakers were reviving McCarthy-era tactics because they were losing the public debate. She said the committee had cited the outlet’s coverage of Israel and ICE’s immigration enforcement. According to a previous Fox News Digital investigation cited by the House Ways and Means Committee, BreakThrough BT Media Inc., the parent organization of BreakThrough News, received about $1.1 million from Neville Roy Singham. Separately, IRS filings show Democracy Now! paid about $2.5 million between 2019 and 2024 to ThoughtWorks, the software company founded by Singham, for software development services. Democracy Now! is not a target of the House Ways and Means Committee investigation and the committee has not suggested those payments are part of its inquiry. Singham sold the company in 2017. BreakThrough News and two other organizations are being scrutinized over funding tied to the Singham network and for failing to produce documents requested by the committee earlier this year. The committee said it is examining whether nonprofit laws adequately protect against foreign influence and whether Congress should strengthen those laws. The committee alleges the Singham network routed money through shell companies and donor-advised funds in ways that obscured the original source of the funding. The committee is specifically investigating about $39 million it says flowed to BreakThrough News, as well as People’s Forum Inc., a New York-based activist organization, and Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, which describes its work as rooted in “national liberation Marxism.” BreakThrough News operates from People’s Forum’s West 37th Street address in Manhattan. HOUSE PANEL SUBPOENAS 3 LEFT-WING GROUPS IN PROBE OF $39M TIED TO MARXIST TYCOON NEVILLE SINGHAM Singham, a 72-year-old American who sold ThoughtWorks for an estimated $785 million in 2017 and now lives in Shanghai, has directed at least $278 million into six core nonprofits within a broader international network of media organizations, activist groups and think tanks, according to a previous Fox News Digital investigation. Organizations within the broader network have regularly organized or participated in anti-ICE, anti-Israel and pro-Iran demonstrations, Fox News Digital previously reported. During the Democracy Now! interview, Khalek argued the committee was investigating BreakThrough News because of its political views. Khalek also disputed the committee’s characterization of the investigation. “They are explicitly saying it’s because of our viewpoints,” she said. However, in a cover letter accompanying the subpoenas to BreakThrough News, the House Ways and Means Committee rejected such arguments made by attorneys for the organization that the investigation infringed First Amendment protections. The committee said its inquiry concerns BreakThrough News’ “financing arrangements and organizational structure” — “not its speech, editorial positions, or political viewpoints.” The cover letter stated that the committee is seeking internal communications, financial records and documents relating to the committee’s investigation into organizations connected to the Singham network. Khalek later expanded on her McCarthyism comparison, arguing Republicans were attempting to shape public opinion because they were “losing the argument.” She said the original McCarthy era succeeded because it won public support. “This smear that we’re part of a ‘foreign plot’ is all they have left because they can’t win on their merits,” Khalek said. “That’s what people need to understand this as.” Khalek did not address the committee’s questions regarding BreakThrough News’ finances or organizational structure during the interview. INTEL EXPERT SAYS SINGHAM NETWORK IS MORE THAN A NONPROFIT SCANDAL—IT’S A SECURITY THREAT Her remarks echoed messaging that quickly spread among left-wing activists and organizations defending BreakThrough News after the subpoenas became public. Supporters portrayed the probe as an effort to suppress dissent rather than scrutinize the network’s funding and alleged foreign influence. As Fox News Digital previously reported, Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, socialist politician Kshama Sawant and others — rapidly characterized the investigation as “McCarthyism,” a “witch hunt,” an attack on independent journalism and a “war on the left.” Many argued the probe was aimed at suppressing dissent rather than scrutinizing the network’s funding and alleged foreign influence. Benjamin also appeared on the same Democracy Now! program, where she discussed a separate Treasury Department investigation into CodePink following the group’s Cuba convoy earlier this year. Benjamin co-founded CodePink with Jodie Evans, who married Singham in 2017, the same year he sold ThoughtWorks. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York has separately opened a grand jury investigation into alleged wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering and other financial crimes involving Singham’s funding network. The investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been announced. In March 2026, Piker, Benjamin and Evans traveled to Cuba to express support for the country’s communist government. Later in the interview, Khalek broadened her warning beyond BreakThrough News. “It starts with BreakThrough News. But if we let them win, next they come after Democracy Now!, and it only gets bigger from there,” Khalek said. BreakThrough News and Democracy Now! did not respond to a request for comment.
Jharkhand protest: JPSC exam cancellation fails to satisfy students, CBI probe demanded
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All 3 members of Jharkhand Public Service Commission resign amid protest over exam irregularities
The resignations have been accepted by Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar, the Lok Bhavan said in a statement. The officials who have stepped down are Ajita Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda, and Jamal Ahmed.
Rahul Gandhi slams Amit Shah over CJP march violence: ‘Lathis and pellets rained down on children’
Targeting Shah and PM Modi, Gandhi said: “Thirteen days have passed – not a word has come from Home Minister Amit Shah’s mouth. Instead of apologising, Modi ji is doling out pardons.”
Gujarat: Security guard arrested for allegedly raping woman in Ahmedabad residential building
Ahmedabad Police officer Neeraj Badgujar said that the accused, who was hired as a security guard four days ago, allegedly strangled the victim and committed the crime before fleeing the scene.
Centre extends IRS officer Rahul Navin’s tenure as ED director for one year
Navin, a 1993-batch IRS officer, was appointed as the Director of Enforcement in the Directorate of Enforcement in August 2024. His tenure was scheduled to end on August 13, 2026.
Jharkhand Protest: Students gather for ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ march amid prohibitory orders, heavy security in Ranchi
Razor fencing has been installed along the route near Jagannath Temple, and Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been imposed within a 750-metre radius of the state Assembly in view of the Vidhan Sabha Gherao march.
Assam floods: Death toll reaches 100, over 1.47 lakh people affected across 12 districts
The authorities clarified that the death count in Sivasagar district was revised after a correction in the reported data. A death was mistakenly recorded twice under the same name, due to which the district’s toll has been reduced from 50 to 49.
Delhi Court calls wrestlers’ harassment case against Brij Bhushan Singh ‘false, fabricated’, BJP responds
According to Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwini Panwar, who issued the order, the allegations looked “politically motivated.”
Bernie Sanders demands Democrats ban super PACs from primaries, blasts AIPAC, ‘corrupt system’
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is urging Democratic leaders to restrict super PAC involvement in party primaries, arguing that wealthy outside groups have too much influence over Democratic nominations. In a post on X on Sunday, Sanders singled out the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, while criticizing outside spending in Democratic primaries. “It is insane that the Democrats allow super PACs like AIPAC to spend millions in their primaries — only for those same special interests to help elect Republicans in the general election,” Sanders wrote. “My message to Democratic leaders: Ban super PACs from Democratic primaries NOW.” Sanders also shared an Aug. 8 letter addressed to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin. SANDERS’ ANSWER WHEN ASKED IF HE WILL ENDORSE SOCIALIST HONG IN WISCONSIN SPARKS INSTANT MOCKERY: ‘SAYS A LOT’ In the letter, Sanders said AIPAC and affiliated groups spent more than $30 million in Michigan’s Democratic primary in an effort to defeat Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. He also said the group plans to spend tens of millions more to support Republican Mike Rogers in the general election. “AIPAC is not the only super PAC or outside organization playing this role. Corporate super PACs — including crypto, AI and online betting special interests — have already spent a record $517 million this election cycle, shattering the record set in 2024,” Sanders wrote. His criticism focused not only on the amount of outside spending, but also on groups that he said try to influence Democratic primaries and then support Republican candidates if their preferred Democrat loses. “What is particularly obscene is not only the outrageous amount of money coming into Democratic primaries from billionaire-funded super PACs, but the reality that these special interests have no particular desire to see Democrats win,” he said. BERNIE SANDERS TELLS JAMES CARVILLE TO START HIS OWN PARTY AS MODERATE DEMS WARN AGAINST ‘EMBRACING EXTREMISM’ “It is absurd that they spend tens of millions of dollars to try to determine who the Democratic nominee is and, if they fail, then proceed to support the Republican candidate in the general election.” AIPAC says it supports pro-Israel candidates from both parties, according to its website. “AIPAC is a grassroots membership organization with a PAC that supports pro-Israel Democratic and Republican candidates for Congress,” as noted on its website. “The AIPAC PAC is funded by individual American citizens who care deeply about helping elect leaders who want to strengthen the partnership between the United States and Israel.” AIPAC is affiliated with United Democracy Project, a super PAC that says it works to help defeat “detractors — both Republicans and Democrats — of the U.S.-Israel relationship,” its website states. Sanders again called for a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United and for public financing of elections. “Right now, the Democratic Party has the power to prohibit super PACs from participating in its primaries. That can be done. That must be done,” Sanders wrote. “I urge you to take action and make clear that the Democratic Party will no longer maintain this corrupt system.” BERNIE SANDERS BLASTS FETTERMAN AS ‘WAY OUT OF TOUCH’ WITH AMERICANS AFTER GRAHAM PLATNER REBUKE Sanders added, “While there are ideological differences of opinion within the big tent of the party, I would hope that we can all agree that Republican special interests should not play a role in determining the outcome of Democratic primaries. The time to act is now.” In May, Sanders and Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., introduced the Abolish Super PACs Act, which would cap individual contributions to super PACs at $5,000 and effectively eliminate them. AIPAC, Sanders, Schumer, Martin, Jeffries and Rogers could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.