Malaysia Announces Biggest “Donor Contribution” In History

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From the Wall Street Journal:

Malaysia’s anticorruption agency said Monday that 2.6 billion ringgit (about $700 million) was deposited into Prime Minister Najib Razak’s personal account and that the money was from a “donor contribution,” not from 1Malaysia Development Bhd, a state investment fund also known as 1MDB.

$700 million! That makes Sheldon Adelson look like a piker. I think American donors need to pick up their game.

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We need to start being more upfront about how hard it is keeping a newsroom like Mother Jones afloat these days.

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