(Daily Caller)—Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s daughter works for an anti-fossil fuel activist group connected to a sprawling liberal dark money network.
Somah Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe and daughter of Deb Haaland, is a communications coordinator for the Pueblo Action Alliance (PAA), a New Mexico-based activist group advocating for “indigenous solutions as means to dismantle and eradicate white supremacy, capitalism, imperialism, hetero-patriarchy and extractive colonialism” that has drawn scrutiny from some elected Republicans for its engagement on land use policy, according to its website. PAA is a fiscal project of the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), a group that has received more than $1.5 million since 2020 from funds managed by Arabella Advisors, a for-profit company that oversees a vast dark money network aligned with left-of-center organizations and causes.
In 2022, the Windward Fund, a nonprofit operating as part of the Arabella network, gave SWOP $150,000 after giving it more than $136,000 in 2021 and $70,000 in 2020, according to the Windward Fund’s tax filings. The New Venture Fund, another nonprofit leg of the Arabella network, gave SWOP $282,000 and $425,000 in 2021 and 2022, respectively, after giving SWOP more than $467,000 in 2020, according to the New Venture Fund’s tax filings.
Arabella Advisors-managed funds have also supported other organizations that advocate for a bevy of left-wing political causes, such as campaigns pushing for oil divestment and less stringent criminal sentencing, according to Influence Watch. The five nonprofits that compose Arabella Advisors’ network, including the Windward Fund and the New Venture Fund, do not have to disclose the source of their funding. The five nonprofits also make grants to each other in some cases, making it more difficult to identify the origins of the money, according to the Capital Research Center.
The company provides management services to the nonprofits in exchange for fees, according to the Capital Research Center, and it is currently subject to an investigation by Brian Schwalb, the attorney general for the District of Columbia, for alleged violations of tax law.
Somah Haaland identifies as a “non-binary” person and supports a range of left-wing views, according to her public posts on X, formerly Twitter. For instance, she once donned a shirt that read “all colonizers are bastards” specifically to go shopping in wealthy neighborhoods in July 2020, a time when racially-charged Black Lives Matter riots were breaking out in numerous American cities.
As the PAA’s fiscal sponsor, SWOP helps the organization by handling matters including “fiduciary oversight, financial management and other administrative services” while PAA works to achieve standalone nonprofit status with the government, according to the National Council of Nonprofits.
President Joe Biden announced in December 2020 that he intended to nominate Deb Haaland to become the Interior secretary, a powerful cabinet position that provides considerable influence over the country’s energy policies on public lands. SWOP and PAA are both vehemently opposed to fossil fuel development, and Haaland’s record as Interior secretary has been generally hostile to oil and gas activity on public lands and federally-controlled offshore areas.
Deb Haaland came under fire for her agency’s June decision pertaining to the future status of oil and gas leasing activity in New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon region. The Department of the Interior (DOI) closed off public lands within ten miles of the Chaco Canyon from any future fuel leasing activity for the next two decades, a move which Haaland’s Laguna Pueblo tribe celebrated; however, a different tribal group opposed the decision, saying that it would deprive them of economic opportunities, according to Source NM.
Some observers, like Western Energy Alliance President Kathleen Sgamma, said that Deb Haaland had a “conflict of interest” in that decision, a sentiment echoed by Protect the Public’s Trust, a government watchdog group that filed an ethics complaint against her in August.
Deb Haaland “was evidently involved” with the PAA prior to assuming the top job at DOI, and she purportedly met with PAA leaders during her tenure, according to a June letter sent by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman. Somah Haaland also reportedly participated in a 2022 PAA trip to Capitol Hill to lobby on legislation that would bar leasing public lands for oil and gas development, according to the same letter.
Additionally, in September, Haaland’s DOI released the most restrictive five-year offshore oil and gas leasing schedule in contemporary American history. Haaland touted the agency’s leasing schedule, which drew sharp criticism from energy industry trade groups like the National Oceans Industries Association and the American Petroleum Institute.
“It’s no surprise Arabella’s dark money network pours hundreds of thousands of dollars into the fiscal sponsor of a radical group tied to a sitting cabinet secretary and her daughter, because Arabella seeks power for itself and radical policies for America,” Scott Walter, president of the Capital Research Center, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The PAA’s website also includes a section titled the “New Mexico Venceremos Brigade” highlighting the organization’s efforts to encourage people to join Venceremos Brigade trips. The Venceremos Brigade is a group that organizes work trips for Americans to visit communist Cuba, established with the help of Cuban officials “for indoctrinating and recruiting American leftists, arranging and coordinating meetings between international terrorists, sponsoring terrorist activities among Puerto Rican Americans, and providing training for terrorists,” according to a 1976 report by the Department of Justice.
The PAA also features a prominent reference to the year 1680 on its website, an allusion to the Pueblo revolt against Spanish colonizers that year. The website says “1680 to infinity” and that “the Pueblo revolt never ended.”
The DOI, PAA, SWOP, Windward Fund, New Venture Fund and Arabella Advisors all did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
