The Gates Foundation, according to an internal June announcement obtained by The New York Times, has ended its relationship with Arabella Advisors, the liberal mega-network notorious for funneling billions into progressive causes through nonprofit funds. While the memo didn’t explicitly mention politics, it noted a pivot toward building “deeper” partnerships directly with organizations tied to the foundation’s mission.

Arabella Advisors is no small player. The group manages a sprawling web of nonprofits that raised over $1 billion in 2022 alone, pumping money into progressive advocacy groups and Democratic-aligned campaigns. Its influence in shaping political battles—often through hard-to-trace funding—has made it one of the left’s most effective engines.

The foundation’s announcement, however, said new investments would not be made with Arabella-related groups, including consulting firms like the Redstone Strategy Group, which Arabella acquired in 2023. It also said it would work to “pursue early exits” from long-term investments already in place.

Arabella was founded by Clinton administration alum Eric Kessler, who spent years inside Democrat-friendly advocacy circles such as the National Democratic Institute and the League of Conservation Voters. Groups under Arabella’s management have supported Democratic candidates across battleground states, often outspending their Republican counterparts.

Elon Musk has even accused Arabella and its partner networks of being part of a “left-wing NGO cabal,” alleging their money was used to bankroll anti-Tesla protests. Musk and other critics have openly called for investigations into Arabella’s operations.

Inside Democrat donor circles, The New York Times reported, unease is growing. Some Arabella clients have quietly discussed how to reduce reliance on the firm as President Trump’s Justice Department eyes dark money groups more closely.

For its part, Arabella defended its work, saying it merely provides operational support for hundreds of philanthropic clients and does not itself make grants or engage in politics. But the optics of losing Gates—one of the richest and most influential donors in the world—couldn’t come at a worse time for Democrats already reeling from sagging fundraising.

Arabella’s clout has long been a sore spot for conservatives who have pointed to its vast resources as proof of the left’s reliance on shadowy funding streams. The Gates Foundation’s decision to cut ties marks a stunning break that signals even liberal giants may be wary of being tied to the Democrats’ dark money pipeline.

Now, as Republicans rack up record-breaking fundraising wins and Democrats are left scrambling to pay off campaign debts, the loss of Gates’s dollars leaves Arabella—and the party it fuels—on shakier ground than ever.