By Paul Sperry RealClearInvestigations:
In a recent spotlight moment, President Trump called out Georgia activist Stacey Abrams, suggesting her involvement in a contentious $2 billion agreement between progressive nonprofit organizations and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Biden administration. “We know she’s involved,” Trump asserted to Congress.
And, indeed, he seems to have hit the nail on the head. However, following his remarks, a media frenzy ensued, particularly in Washington, where the narrative quickly shifted to downplaying her contributions through an array of “fact-checks.”
For instance, The Washington Post claimed that Abrams’ purported influence in this massive green-energy initiative was “vastly overblown” by both Trump and the “right-wing media.” The paper’s leading fact-checker argued it was “a stretch” to assert that the Democratic figure played any significant role in securing the grant. “She was not involved with Power Forward’s EPA grant,” wrote Post reporter Glenn Kessler in a recent article.
The Post also asserted that Abrams had “no role at Power Forward Communities beyond advising Rewiring America,” one of the coalition’s partners, a sentiment echoed by PolitiFact, a fact-checking platform associated with the liberal Poynter Institute, which cited an Abrams spokesperson claiming, “Abrams did not have a role at Power Forward Communities beyond her position at Rewiring America.”
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Yet, in stark contrast to these claims, Abrams and her collaborator Ari Matusiak, CEO of Rewiring America, have openly acknowledged their pivotal role in securing the monumental grant during a podcast last year. Matusiak explicitly stated that Abrams was instrumental in “pulling together” the Power Forward Communities coalition to pursue and ultimately succeed in obtaining the $2 billion grant.
Moreover, Matusiak disclosed that he assisted in drafting the 2022 Biden legislation that established the $27 billion green fund that Rewiring and its coalition accessed two years later.
While PolitiFact contended that Abrams no longer worked with Rewiring, her official website indicates she remains a senior adviser and consultant for the nonprofit.
Abrams and Matusiak did not respond to inquiries for comments.
A timeline derived from public records illustrates how their paths converged to secure the extensive grant from the Biden administration:
2021-2022: Matusiak, a former special assistant to President Obama, joins Rewiring America. The organization engages with Biden officials and Democratic lawmakers to help shape various provisions that eventually made it into the climate bill—the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). The bill, which Biden would endorse the following year, establishes a groundbreaking funding mechanism for green initiatives like Rewiring. Matusiak noted, “The Inflation Reduction Act was something that we were really involved with in shaping.”
Democratic U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, a staunch supporter of the IRA, confirmed, “An enormous amount of the work that Rewiring America did ended up in the climate bill.”
Interestingly, a review of federal lobby records revealed no documentation of Matusiak or Rewiring America as registered lobbyists.
August 2022: Biden enacts the Inflation Reduction Act, which creates the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund that would later benefit Rewiring.
September 2022: Matusiak and other Rewiring America officials visit the White House to meet with Biden and celebrate the bill’s passage on the White House lawn.
November 2022: The White House announces that Rewiring America will lead a coalition focused on educating low-income households about the Inflation Reduction Act’s rebates and tax credits aimed at electrifying homes and businesses, effectively sidelining more cost-effective natural gas options.
Circa January 2023: Rewiring America, operating from a modest mailing service in Washington, D.C., begins recruiting board members and key hires to bolster its electrification agenda, transitioning from its fiscal sponsor, Windward Fund, a nonprofit associated with the liberal “dark money” group Arabella Advisors, which provided a significant $4.5 million in initial funding.
March 2023: After being introduced to Abrams by Biden officials, Rewiring America hires her as a senior counsel to advocate for the federal project and educate communities of color about the green financial incentives offered in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Summer 2023: Abrams and Rewiring CEO Matusiak “assembled a coalition to apply for grants from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund,” according to Matusiak, who is also recognized as “founder and co-chair of Power Forward Communities.”
July 2023: The EPA officially opens the application process for the billions in funding available through the Inflation Reduction Act.
October 2023: Rewiring America announces a partnership with Enterprise Community Partners, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, United Way, and Habitat for Humanity to form the Power Forward Communities coalition, aiming to apply for $9.5 billion from the IRA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for household electrification and decarbonization.
On its website, which is managed by Rewiring, Power Forward Communities lists two nonprofits founded by Abrams—Fair Count and Southern Economic Advancement Project—as partners in executing its EPA-backed project.
October 2023: Abrams expresses her enthusiasm on Twitter, stating she is “thrilled to be part of @rewiringamerica and the Power Forward Communities coalition.”
December 2023: The White House hosts an “Electrification Summit” alongside Rewiring America and other green community organizers, discussing how the Inflation Reduction Act created an “electric bank account” averaging $10,600 per household to assist in electrifying homes.
Circa 2023: Rewiring pressures the U.S. Energy Information Administration to modify its efficiency measurement methodology, arguing that the costs of heating homes with electricity are comparable to those of natural gas.
April 2024: The White House selects Rewiring America and four other members of the Power Forward Communities coalition to receive a substantial $1.92 billion EPA award aimed at electrifying low-income and disadvantaged communities and “electrifying a billion machines.”
“We were selected for two billion dollars,” Matusiak exclaimed, beaming with Abrams seated beside him.
July 2024: In the aftermath of Biden’s underwhelming debate performance against Trump the previous month, Abrams pens an Op-Ed urging Democrats that “Our path to victory lies in standing by Biden” and refraining from “introducing a new, untested candidate.” She emphasizes, “[I]t is crucial that we continue to support him … we must do the critical work of getting Biden reelected.” Abrams also affirms, “I’m not concerned, I’m committed [to Biden’s candidacy],” and stresses, “He is our nominee and he will be president again.” She hints at her motivations for steadfast support, stating, “[L]et’s be clear: we would not have the Inflation Reduction Act, we would not have the billions of dollars, but for President Joe Biden.”
The Trump administration is now scrutinizing the grant review process, alleging it lacked competitiveness due to Rewiring and Abrams seemingly having an insider advantage with the Biden administration. Meanwhile, awarded funds have been frozen. In a counter-move, Power Forward Communities is suing the current administration to release the billions in funding.
BREAKING: New Evidence Reveals EPA Mega-Grant Has Stacey Abrams’ Fingerprints All Over Ithttps://t.co/VagrxF7ayX
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) April 17, 2025
This RealClearInvestigations article was republished by with permission.
Paul Sperry is the former D.C. bureau chief for Investor’s Business Daily, Hoover Institution media fellow, author of several books, including bestseller INFILTRATION
