How Meta cofounder Dustin Moskovitz bought DA José Garza's policy decisions
A review of how another billionaire outsider is controlling public safety in policy Travis County Texas.
My investigation into publicly available information has led me to discover shocking information on how José Garza has been coached on policy decisions and campaign messaging about policy by political consultants who received funding from billionaire of Facebook fame, Dustin Moskovitz.
Wren Collective
I first learned of the Wren Collective from public accountability researcher Chris Harris. We first connected after I went public about filing a petition to remove Travis County District Attorney José Garza.
Through the Texas Public Information Act, Chris Harris was able to obtain a treasure trove of communications between José Garza, first assistant District Attorney Gertrude “Trudy” Strassburger in which Jessica Brand, the founder of the Wren Collective was coaching the Travis County District Attorneys Office on statements of policy made to the public.
Recently, Harris was able to obtain a copy of the contract for services between Wren Collective and Garza’s office in which Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs is named as the financial sponsor of these services.
In the photo below Jessica Brand (left) and Trudy Strassburger (right), are shown discussing the concept of “Progressive Prosecution” as well specific policies and practices of the Travis County District Attorneys Office at the University of Texas School of law in 2022.
Who funds the Wren Collective?
Open Philanthropy
It’s already been widely reported upon that billionaire George Soros has been pouring unprecedented amount of money into local district attorney elections across the county with $548,000 going to Travis County District Attorney José Garza’s campaign.
What hasn’t been as widely reported on is Facebook’s lesser-known billionaire cofounder, Dustin Moskovitz, has been shaping policy decisions of district attorneys the US.
Moskovitz’s foundation Open Philanthropy that he runs with his wife Cari Tuna gave a grant of $250,000 to the Wren Collective, via grant coordinating firm called Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, to “support work developing and implementing criminal justice reform communications strategies.”
In Texas specifically, Moskovitz José Garza and Joe Gonzales District Attorney Offices through the funding to various “progressive” organizations. KSAT San Antonio reported on Gonzales's relationship with the Wren Collective earlier this year.
It’s unclear how much money was spent specifically on Wren Collective consulting for Garza or Gonzales through Open Philanthropy.
Open Philanthropy was set and is managed by Apercen Partners which describes themselves as a “tax consulting firm offering high net-worth individual clients a full spectrum of income and multi-generational tax planning and compliance services.”
Real Justice PAC
Moskovitz first started spending money to design José Garza’s policies during his 2020 campaign. Moskovitz’s Real Justice PAC spent $19,300 on in-kind donations for campaign consulting. Real Justice PAC continued to pay for consulting through Real Justice PAC, which only operates in Texas, after Garza went into office, but those contributions were not labelled as earmarked for any candidate.
Just Impact Advisors
Another avenue Moskovitz uses to fund the Wren Collective is the Just Impact Advisors led by Chloe Cockburn.
It’s unclear how much money has been spent on Just Impact Advisors or if any of that money has reached Garza’s office, but the organization also funds the Wren Collective though Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs.
Below is an excerpt from Capital Research’s profile on Just Impact and Cockburn:
Cockburn is the granddaughter of infamous British Communist Party leader Claud Cockburn and sister of the vocal left-wing actress, Olivia Wilde, and she certainly maintains the family tradition of left-wing radicalism. On the Just Impact blog, Cockburn has called for the abolition of the prison system, comparing it to 18th century slavery. She has also claimed that increasing concern about crime rates among voters was the result of a media hoax and applauded DAs who had pledged not to enforce state laws on abortion.
Cockburn linked to an article that features Garza and his pledge to not enforce state laws on abortion. She clearly knows who he is and supports his policies. I do not support abortion laws that penalize the practice in anyway, nor to I support Garza legislating from the bench.
Has a crime been committed?
Over on X, Grits for Breakfast aka Scott Henson, another Garza advisor is sweating over possible accusations of impropriety. Grits claims that tracking money being spent on policy decisions of public officials is “stalkerish“ and claims that no impropriety has been committed.
No claims of impropriety have been made by Chris Harris, who Grits is accusing of making such a claim simply for posting an NDA between the Wren Collective’s CEO Jessica Brand and Garza’s first assistant District Attorney Strassbuger.
Just Liberty foundation run by Grits and his lobbyist wife Kathy Mitchell have received $1.5 million from Moskovitz Open Philanthropy between 2016 and 2019 and has acknowledged that he is an advisor for José Garza. Just Liberty was dissolved in February 2024 due to tax forfeiture. Rebecca Bernhardt was also a board member and is currently the chair of the city of Austin Public Safety Commission according to her Linkedin.
Grits was paid $1500 for campaign messaging so far this year.
In a future article I will discuss the over $600k in Justice Department grants the Innocence Project of Texas received to work on exonerations in Garza’s office, which resulted in the DA’s seeking to overturn the 1992 conviction of Allen Andre Causey in the murder of Anita Byington.
Receiving or offering a benefit in exchange for policy decisions and influence over official discretion is bribery under Texas law. Moskovitz has been gifting consulting services to the office for years in exchange for control over policy decisions and how Garza exercises discretion.
The issue is Garza would need to bring the charges against himself, so….that’s not going to happen.