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The Dark Money Game, directed by Alex Gibney, is a two-part documentary series premiering on HBO and Max in mid-April 2025. Each episode spans feature-length runtime, with Ohio Confidential probing a high-stakes corporate bribery case in the Buckeye State and Wealth of the Wicked tracing decades of hidden political donations.

Gibney positions his camera at the intersection of law, money, and power, inviting viewers to witness how undisclosed campaign contributions have reshaped U.S. governance since the 2010 Citizens United decision. The first film follows a power company’s clandestine $61 million funnel to sway Ohio legislators, while the second zooms out to chart the rise of super PACs and religious lobbying that culminated in a Supreme Court reshaping, including the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Throughout, the series maintains an investigatory tone, alternating between a hard-boiled detective voiceover and a straightforward expository style. By exposing corridors of influence where wallets speak louder than ballots,...

Prolific documentarian and HBO nonfiction lodestar Alex Gibney’s last project for the premium cable network was Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos. The 2024 two-parter was a puppy dog-eager piece of fan service in which Gibney was the biggest fan of all, peppering David Chase and much of the surviving cast of The Sopranos with all of his questions. It was, in the grand scheme of things, perhaps Gibney’s least urgent or essential project to date, but it was light on its feet and, if anything, the rare HBO documentary that felt too short.

It could be argued that, in our current political moment, Gibney’s two-film docuseries The Dark Money Game might be one of his most essential projects, a rudimentary history lesson that you’ve probably already learned elsewhere, not that it hurts to be reminded. It’s also sloppily edited, aesthetically uninspired and frequently tedious...

HBO has announced that its Original The Dark Money Game features two films, Ohio Confidential and Wealth of the Wicked, both directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney.

Ohio Confidential debuts on Tuesday, April 15 (9:00-11:00 p.m. Et/Pt), and Wealth of the Wicked debuts on Wednesday, April 16, at the same time. Both films will be available to stream on Max on Tuesday, April 15.

The Dark Money Game films investigate the shadowy world of political donations and fundraising 15 years after the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizen’s United case, which enabled unlimited spending by hidden sources on many political campaigns.

The project is inspired by Jane Mayer’s book Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right and features interviews with journalists, including Mayer, as well as lawmakers, judges, FBI investigators, whistleblowers, and insiders on both sides of the issue.

HBO on Monday unveiled premiere dates for a pair of Alex Gibney documentaries falling under the double-bill title The Dark Money Game. Ohio Confidential debuts Tuesday, April 15 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt, and Wealth of the Wicked premieres Wednesday, April 16 at the same time. Both films will be available to stream on April 15.

The Dark Money Game investigates the shadowy world of political donations and fundraising 15 years after the Supreme Court’s Citizen’s United decision, which enabled unlimited spending by hidden sources on political campaigns. Inspired by Jane Mayer’s book Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, the project features interviews with journalists including Mayer, as well as lawmakers, judges, FBI investigators, whistleblowers and insiders on both sides of the issue. Through two separate stories, the films reveal how an untraceable web of money from wealthy individuals and corporations representing...

On Sunday December 15 2024, Pix broadcasts Freethought Matters!

Russ Feingold Episode 34 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Freethought Matters,” titled “Russ Feingold,” promises to be an engaging exploration of freethought and activism. This episode will air on Pix and features hosts Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker, who are known for their insightful interviews with prominent figures in the freethought community.

In this episode, Gaylor and Barker will sit down with Russ Feingold, a notable figure in American politics and a strong advocate for civil liberties. Feingold’s experiences and perspectives are expected to shed light on the intersection of freethought and political activism. His work has often focused on issues such as campaign finance reform and the separation of church and state, making him a fitting guest for a show dedicated to exploring these themes.

Viewers can look forward to a thoughtful discussion that highlights Feingold’s contributions to freethought...

And at a time when the health of the planet is under threat, another remarkable achievement last week was from the ninth meeting of the Cites Conference of the Parties as it adopted 46 out of 52 proposals, and a record 365 decisions to protect flora and fauna.

After COP27 and Cites summits, the world will be on the road to Un Biodiversity Conference (COP15) from December 3-19 in Montreal, a once-in-a-decade opportunity to usher in a new global framework to protect and conserve the world’s biodiversity by signing ‘Paris deal’ for nature.

Climate change and the loss of biodiversity are the two sides of the same coin. "I think that this is something that we understood a decade ago, and we’re working for more integrations across the different conventions," says Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, the CEO of the Global Environment Facility.

COP15, with a high-level segment from December 15-17, is expected...

In the weeks leading up to Election Day, Mandela Barnes’ supporters felt frustrated. They believed in Barnes as the best Democrat to take on Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), and election forecasts all but guaranteed a Johnson victory. That frustration gave way to fury, however, once the ballots were counted on Wednesday. Barnes lost to Johnson by a single point.

It was a performance far stronger than what former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) achieved in his back-to-back runs against Johnson in 2010 and 2016. It also shouldn’t have been a shock. “This...

New Delhi, March 10 (Ians) Led by former US Senator Russ Feingold and comprised of eight former heads of state, two former Prime Ministers, six former ministers, and four environmental and indigenous and local experts, the Campaign for Nature’s Global Steering Committee (Gsc) has said the success of an upcoming global biodiversity agreement hinges on […]...

Roger Nichols, the songwriter behind some huge '70s hits, is trying to make sure one of those songs doesn't end up getting tied to Donald Trump's face during his presidential campaign.  Nichols co-wrote The Carpenters' #1 hit "We've Only Just Begun" ... and also penned "Times of Your Life" -- which Paul Anka took to the top of the charts in 1976.  In a lawsuit, Nichols says Club For Growth Action -- a political action group...

When the United States Senate voted on the USA Patriot Act in 2001, the vote was 98-1 with one abstention. That means only one senator voted against it. That senator was Russ Feingold, and the speech he gave on the Senate floor over a decade ago contains one of the best arguments against government surveillance ever delivered by a public official.

Real Time with Bill Maher March 2 show on HBO will see an eclectic group, from scientists to political analysts. The series continues its tenth season Friday, March 2 (10:00-11:00 p.m. live Et/tape-delayed Pt), exclusively on HBO, with an instant replay at 11:00 p.m. following the live presentation. The show allows Maher to offer his unique perspective on contemporary issues, the show includes an opening monologue, roundtable discussions with panelists, and interviews with in-studio and satellite guests. The roundtable guests this week are political consultant James Carville, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and journalist John Heilemann; former Wisc. Sen. Russ Feingold and business consultant Bob Lutz are interview guests. Neil deGrasse Tyson's tenth book, Space Chronicles: Facing The...

HollywoodNews.com: However immature it may be, it can be fun to crow when your enemy fails. Thus we’ve had two weeks of various liberal bloggers jumping for joy at the financial under-performance of the Sarah Palin halo-agraphy The Undefeated. The film opened with $65,132 on ten screens for a mediocre $6,532 per-screen average. It expanded to 14 locations this past weekend but dropped 62%, earning just $24,662 for a $1,762 per-screen average. The film barely has $100,000 after ten days and has announced premature (?) plans to debut on Video on Demand and DVD release. This is frankly an out-and-out tank, a genuine bomb even when compared to other political documentaries that aren’t directed by Michael Moore (comparing all political documentaries to Moore’s work would be like expecting Punisher: War Zone to out-gross Spider-Man 3). Ben Stein’s Intelligent Design documentary, Expelled, ended up grossing $7.7 million in 2008. Even something as relatively low-key as The Us vs.

Welcome to No Fact Zone’s weekly roundup of cultural references on The Colbert Report. From Darcy to Danger Mouse, String Theory to Shakespeare, we’ve got the keys to this week’s obscure, oddball, and occasionally obscene cultural shout-outs (hey!).

Cheerio Zoners! Pardon the late nature of my post, as I was experiencing some of my own technical difficulties. It was another high energy week-after-vacation from the folks at The Report. I especially enjoyed Stephen’s anticipation of the Royal Wedding, as well as his new line of Vacsa products. I nearly fell out of my seat when I saw the picture of him “during” his interview with Doris Kearns Goodwin. What were some of your favorite segments?

Monday

Catholic Bender

Then I tried a couple of cults: scientology, Raelianism and Apple.

Raelism is a religion based on the belief that life on Earth was created by a species of extraterrestrials called the Elohim.

Episode Number: 7056 (April 28, 2011)

Guests: Russ Feingold, Wade Graham

Segments: The ‘Report’ is in England!, the Loophole-ulator 6400, Progressives United, Terror Alert system eliminated.

Videos: Thursday, April 28, 2011

Wow! Stephen’s in England! And the whole set is so Red-White-And-Blue! You know. Like British. Hip-Hip-Cheerio! And fog, too. It was all too smashing. I’m so glad he’ll get to use all his comportment training, even if he doesn’t get the official invite. Just watch that pinky, Stephen.

I think they managed to get all the possible stereotypes squeezed in there, And the bad disappearing acts throughout the show was just the right silly to add.

I’m guessing Long John Silver won’t be a sponsor of the program any time soon. That was definitely not how product placement is supposed to go. Aaaargh!

I had visions of a metaphor-off between Stephen and Russ Feingold when they started the Pac...

Update: Wisconsin Senate Republicans voted to strip state workers of their collective bargaining rights on Wednesday. The Democratic senators' presence was not required after the Gop separated the measure from a spending package so that it no longer required a quorum. The final vote was 18-1, with Republican Dale Schultz casting the only vote against the bill. The move could come back to bite Republicans: Polling showed citizens of Wisconsin, by a two-to-one majority, were expecting a compromise.

Last week, John Avlon reported on how Walker's "nuclear option."

Related story on The Daily Beast: The Left's New Powerhouse

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has an un-played ace up his sleeve in the budget fights that have made Madison the focus of a national struggle between fiscal conservatives and public sector unions.

A little-noticed provision in the Wisconsin State Constitution-Article 8, Section 8-allows non-fiscal bills to be passed by a simple majority of state legislators,...

As the retirements of Jon Kyl and Jim Webb make plain, the era of Senator-for-Life Strom Thurmond is over. David A. Graham reports on what's pushing senators out early-and more possible retirees, from John Ensign to Ben Nelson.

When Arizona Republican Jon Kyl announced that he wouldn't run for a fourth term in the Senate, it wasn't exactly a surprise-he'd been rumored to be considering the move for months. But in the past, the very idea that a senator in his position wouldn't run would have been shocking. Kyl's the second-ranking Republican in a body the Gop has a good chance to recapture in 2012, and with a reputation as an influential and skillful politico with sharp elbows, his prospects for moving up were good.

Related story on The Daily Beast: The Gop's Race Backslide

Kyl follows Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-tx), Joe Lieberman (I-ct), Jim Webb (D-va), and Kent Conrad (D-nd...

Republican bigwigs vote for a new party chairman Friday. With Michael Steele on the ropes, who's likely to emerge as top dog? The Daily Beast previews the contenders. Plus, what black Republicans think about Steele.

Republican National Committee members are gathering in Michael Steele's backyard Friday afternoon, hunkering down in a Maryland hotel to decide the fate of the controversial Rnc leader. But the former Maryland lieutenant governor has little reason to feel comfortable, even with the home cooking.

Related story on The Daily Beast: The Republican Fight Over Afghanistan

According to early vote counts, Steele is on his way out the door. During his two years at the helm of the Gop fundraising machine, the 52-year-old sometime lawyer has been criticized by party elders for turning the Rnc into a den of debt and delinquency. Remember that whole West Hollywood sex club fiasco?

Well, the 168 Rnc members voting today certainly do.

House projected to switch to Gop control; Senate still expected to be in Democratic hands.

By Gil Kaufman

Marco Rubio

Photo: Joe Raedle/ Getty Images

Results are still pouring in, and probably will be for the next 24 hours, but the writing on the wall for Democrats on Tuesday night (November 2) is clear: A change is gonna come.

Nearly two years after President Barack Obama swept into power on a wave of excitement and promises of change that helped Democrats gain control of the White House and both houses of Congress in a rare political hat trick, voters gave the president's ambitious agenda a harsh rebuke in the midterm elections. According to the Huffington Post, exit polls showed that voters were very worried about the economy and not happy with the way Obama and Congress had handled the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, leading many to vote for Republicans...

Scott Brown and Barack Obama. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza. Scott Brown (R-ma) and the other, less situationally impactful Senators did it! This afternoon, President Obama’s financial reform legislation passed in the Senate, 60-39. All but three Republicans voted against the bill, as did Democrat Russ Feingold, the only member of his party to do so. In a statement released in May, Feingold explained his impetus for casting a “nay” vote: “[t]he bill does not eliminate the risk to our economy posed by ‘too big to fail’ financial firms, nor does it restore the proven safeguards established after the Great Depression, which separated Main Street banks from big Wall Street firms and are essential to preventing another economic meltdown,” he wrote.

Vice President Joe Biden is starting to give White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel a run for his money in the salty language category. On the campaign trail for Democratic Senator Russ Feingold at Wisconsin's Kopp's Frozen Custard today, Biden called its owner a "smartass" for suggesting the vice president's treat would be on the house if he would agree to lower the owner's taxes.

America’s very own Senate has been quite the productive legislative body today, voting to end discussion on the parameters of financial regulatory reform. A vote on the bill could come as early as Thursday, Politico reports. Democrat Russ Feingold voted against ending the debate out of fear “that the legislation still was not aggressive enough in imposing rules that would curtail risky behavior by major financial companies that could lead to another catastrophic collapse,” according to The New York Times. Others who voted to keep debate open argued that the bill should be changed as to rectify “a gaping loophole that would undermine efforts to regulate the $600 trillion derivatives market.” (The loophole “could force Wall Street banks to spin off part of their lucrative derivatives business. Banks also fear other provisions limiting their trading capacity could still be added to the bill before passage,” reports Politico.) Still, three Republicans...