Government Accountability Institute (GAI)

Activities

The Government Accountability Institute (GAI) publishes its most in-depth research as books. In 2018, GAI published its findings on Hunter Biden’s business dealings in China, Ukraine, and Russia in Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends. In 2015, GAI’s book Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich provides information claiming that the Clintons used the Clinton Foundation to gain influence. ¹

GAI’s book, Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win in 2022, presents findings that suggest wealthy Americans have been cutting secret deals to aid China in building its military, technological, and economic strength. GAI research asserts that these wealthy Americans include presidential families, tech gurus, professional athletes, Wall Street businessmen, and Ivy League universities. ²

GAI’s investigative reports focus on a variety of subjects related to public corruption, especially as it concerns teachers’ unions, the legalization of cannabis at the state level, and fraud within the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). ¹

In a 2022 report, the GAI claimed that the two largest teachers’ unions in the U.S., the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA), have been misusing their power to support Democratic presidential candidates, progressive causes, and social activism. GAI’s research finds that both AFT and NEA have used the COVID-19 pandemic to guide public education to include more liberal policies and advocate for a more radical curriculum. This includes advancing gender politics in classrooms, race curriculum that pushes critical race theory-aligned narratives, and expanding “community school” programs. ³

Second Trump Administration

On October 8, 2025, the Second Trump Administration and President Donald Trump held a Roundtable session with cabinet members at the White House to discuss the growth of radical extremist movement Antifa and allegations that the movement, as well as affiliated organizations, have previously received funding through left-of-center organizations and non-government organizations (NGOs). ⁴ Earlier on September 22, President Trump had signed an executive order designating Anfita as a “domestic terrorist organization.” ⁵ On X, formerly Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented on a video of Bruner’s comments at the Roundtable by stating “Way more than $100M of US taxpayer money.” ⁴ Brunner also commented at the Roundtable that “I think we know that this is not just a story about violence and chaos … this is a money story…we follow the money, and we followed it to the top of what we call the protest industrial complex…It’s not just the Soros network, the Open Society network, it’s other funding networks, the Arabella funding network, the Tides funding network, Neville Roy Singam and his network, foreign cash.” ⁴

According to research findings published the GAI, several nonprofit organizations, NGO’s, and alleged networks were listed along with “sum totals” that each group had donated to “Domestic Extremists and/or Civil Unrest Advocates” and/or “Pro-Hamas and/or Radical Islam” with the sum total being listed as “$159,708,245.” Under “Domestic Extremists and/or Civil Unrest Advocates,” the listed organizations/networks/individuals included Arabella ($7,821,930), Buffett ($8,557,500), Ford ($10,110,825), Rockefeller ($9,819,959), Singham ($610,000), Soros ($5,755,308), and Tides ($18,765,690) with a combined total of $61,441,212. Under “Pro-Hamas and/or Radical Islam,” listed names and amounts by the GAI report included Arabella ($3,253,604), Buffett ($12,025,074), Ford ($30,757,185), Foreign Influence ($87,040), Rockefeller ($6,535,906), Soros ($33,307,474), and Tides ($12,300,750) with a combined total of $98,267,033. ⁴

GAI’s Bruner also made recommendations to the White House and to Congress regarding Antifa funding which included “Intensify investigations into opaque funding networks,” “End taxpayer subsidies to groups tied to unlawful conduct,” “Improve disclosure for fiscal sponsors & bail funds,” “Review nonprofit status compliance,” and “Strengthen enforcement against fraud & violence financing.” ^{6 4}

Funding

The Government Accountability Institute (GAI) is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While GAI does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Franklin News Foundation ($2 million in 2012), ⁷ Mercer Family Foundation ($1.7 million in 2017), ⁸ and Donors Trust ($1 million in 2019). ⁹

People

Peter Schweizer is the founder and president of the Government Accountability Institute (GAI). Schweizer is a former consultant to the Office of Presidential Speechwriting during the George W. Bush administration ¹ and a former fellow at the Hoover Institution. ¹⁰

Peter Boyer is the executive vice president of GAI. Boyer formerly worked as a national correspondent for the Weekly Standard, editor-at-large for Fox News, and a writer for Newsweek. ¹¹

Rebekah Mercer is the chair of the board of GAI, the director of the Mercer Family Foundation, and the founder of Reclaim New York. Mercer sits on the boards of the Media Research Center, the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation, and the Moving Picture Institute, and is a trustee at the Heritage Foundation. ¹²

Ron Robinson is the former president of the Young America’s Foundation, cofounder of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), ¹³ and the vice president of the Free Speech Defense and Education Fund. Robinson is a trustee of the Phillips Foundation and sits on the boards of Citizens United, the Citizens United Foundation, and the American Conservative Union. ¹⁴