87 Republicans Vote With Democrats To Fund Deep State Slush Fund That Targeted Conservatives
Dozens of Republicans joined all Democrats Wednesday night in rejecting a GOP-led effort to eliminate federal funding for a nonprofit organization accused of bias against conservatives.
Lawmakers voted 127-291 to strip $315 billion in funding for State Department democracy promotion programs, including the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), from the government funding program, falling short of a majority. Arizona Republican Rep. Eli Crane, who proposed the amendment, argued that although NED has the ostensible goal of promoting democracy, the organization has repeatedly promoted “anti-American goals” and undermined free speech. (RELATED: House GOP set to back anti-conservative ‘democracy’ organization Trump wants to fund)
The vote split House Republicans with 127 Republican lawmakers — most of them members from the conservative flank of the conference — supporting the amendment and 81 joining Democrats in voting “no.”
“Tonight, the Uniparty rejected my amendment to cancel funding NED,” Crane wrote on X after the vote concluded. “[Eighty-one] “Republicans” voted with Democrats to fund this rogue organization that fuels global censorship and domestic propaganda.”
“Although its name suggests a force for good, its mission has strayed far from its Cold War origins. This is a classic swamp tactic, where bad politics and corruption hide behind a title of nobility,” the Arizona Republican said on the House floor Wednesday, before the vote.
“We have learned that this organization has engaged in global censorship, domestic propaganda and regime change,” Crane added.
WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 7: Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) (R) listens to testimony from Minnesota lawmakers on fraud investigations in their home state during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol on January 7, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The White House recommended completely defunding the NED in May, citing reports that the organization distributed money to entities that attacked Republicans and sought to blacklist conservative media outlets.
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee also called on the House of Representatives to support Crane’s amendment.
“Congress should not give $315 million to the National Endowment for Democracy. We are not the ATM of the world,” Lee wrote Monday
Elon Musk, a billionaire tech executive and former head of the Department of Government Efficiency, also advocated for defunding the nonprofit.
In 2020, NED financially supported the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a UK-based anti-free speech organization, which named a range of conservative media outlets among the “riskiest” news sources for misinformation. GDI then sent this list to major advertisers in an attempt to drain the sites of their advertising revenue.
Democrats have largely defended the NED’s ostensible democracy promotion efforts around the world.
“In Ukraine, democracy programs have helped document Russian war crimes against women and children. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, they are fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law. In Pakistan, they promote religious tolerance and protect minority communities,” Florida Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel said during the floor debate.
“These investments are not charity. They are prevention,” Frankel continued, adding that NED’s investments reduce the likelihood of conflicts that could force U.S. intervention.
Lawmakers approved a two-bill spending package Wednesday that would fund the Treasury Department and State Department — in addition to the Internal Revenue Service and Federal Trade Commission — for the rest of the fiscal year.
Since Crane’s amendment failed, the NED would be fully funded if President Donald Trump ultimately signs the measure into law. The minibus package is now submitted to the Senate, which could examine the bill as early as next week.
Caden Olson contributed to this report.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news service, is available free to any legitimate news publisher capable of delivering a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and DCNF affiliation. For questions about our guidelines or our partnership, please contact licenses@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
