In ancient Rome, the satirist Juvenal asked, Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchers? That question still matters today. In America, the “watchers” are supposed to be the fourth estate, the press, entrusted with holding government accountable. But what happens when the press itself drifts into activism, funded by hidden networks of billionaires and foreign money? Who steps in then? The answer must be legislators, who carry both the free speech right and the elected duty to call out bias and defend the American values of their constituents.

The Founders envisioned a free press as a safeguard against tyranny. They expected journalists to question all sides, to shine a light on corruption and abuse of power regardless of party. But in recent years, too many outlets have chosen sides. They have traded reporting for editorializing, often underwritten by powerful dark money groups like the 1630 Fund and Arabella Advisors which are the very groups reporters should be investigating and covering. This is not journalism in service of the people; it is agenda-driven activism dressed up as news.

The numbers are staggering. The 1630 Fund funneled $1.35 billion in 2022 alone to progressive causes, from climate hysteria to open borders to gender ideology in schools. Much of this money came from anonymous donors, including foreign-linked billionaires like Hansjörg Wyss, who cannot legally contribute to candidates but can pour millions into nonprofit networks that influence public opinion. Add in names like George Soros, and you begin to see the scale of the problem. These dollars fund not only news outlets, but media campaigns, influencer programs, and ballot initiatives designed not to inform, but to manipulate the public and push an agenda.

The citizens and the legislators elected to represent them must stand up to media tyranny whenever we see it.

The result is obvious. Coverage that should be balanced becomes slanted. Parental rights are smeared as “bigotry.” Concern about spending or immigration is branded as “xenophobia.” Alaskans see this every day, and trust in the press has cratered to historic lows. When only 16% of Americans say they trust newspapers, it tells us the people know they’re not getting straight reporting.

That’s why legislators cannot stay silent. The First Amendment doesn’t just protect journalists; it protects legislators and citizens too. And when a newspaper, local or national, strays from reporting into partisan spin, it is both our right and our responsibility to push back.

Take the recent example of Alaska State Rep. Sarah Vance in Homer. When the local paper chose to frame a community memorial through a distorted political lens, she spoke out in response, as she was elected to do. The owners of the Homer News, Carpenter Media Group, were forced to respond. Critics cried “intimidation!” Reporters quit in protest, and progressives lit up social media in outrage, claiming Vance was limiting free speech and the press. But let’s be honest: no amendments were violated here. A clear reading of the First Amendment shows that she wasn’t limiting free speech, but exercising her own. She did not silence anyone. She stood up for the people she represents and was right to do so. That is her job.

The bigger picture is this: small, locally owned outlets like the Homer News survive on advertising and subscriptions. They feel pressure from readers and communities because they must. That’s the free market at work. But when you’re competing against media platforms bankrolled by billions in dark money, the playing field is anything but level. Arabella’s empire shields its outlets from the consequences of bias. That leaves legislators with an even greater duty to watch the watchers and to speak up, to call out, and to fight for transparency. And it makes it even more important that legitimate news organizations like the Homer News hire reporters who understand the difference between true journalism and activist editorializing.

In the end, Juvenal’s question is answered in a republic like ours. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? We do; we must! The citizens and the legislators elected to represent them must stand up to media tyranny whenever we see it. If we fail in that duty, the press will no longer be the watchdog of liberty, but the lapdog of ideology. And if we don’t fight back now, we will wake up to find that day has already arrived.

The views expressed here are those of the author.

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