Despite repeated ‘fact-checks’ by The Washington Post and Politico, reporting from Real Clear Investigations has revealed that Abrams and her partner Ari Matusiak, CEO of Rewiring America, were both instrumental in securing the suspect $1.9 billion in grant money.
During his March 4th address to a Joint Session of Congress, Trump told the American people of a “$1.9 billion ( grant that went) to (a) recently created decarbonization of homes committee, headed up — and we know she’s involved, just at the last minute the money was passed over — by a woman named Stacey Abrams. Have you ever heard of her?" The revelation elicited a wave of boos from Republicans in attendance.
“We know she’s involved,” Trump said.
The reveal by Trump triggered a series of refutations from establishment media outlets and Abrams herself. The Post described Abram’s role as “vastly overblown” by Trump and the “right-wing media.”
However, according to Paul Sperry, of RealClearInvestigations,
“Abrams and her partner, Ari Matusiak, CEO of Rewiring America, were the driving force behind winning the massive grant, something they revealed in their own words during a podcast last year. Matusiak said she helped “put together” the Power Forward Communities coalition to apply for and win the $2 billion grant.”
In the July 2024 podcast description, Bloomberg Green described Abrams connection to Rewiring America, stating, “Akshat Rathi sits down with voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams and Ari Matusiak, who leads the nonprofit Rewiring America. Together, Abrams and Matuisiak are trying help middle and low-income families access the tax breaks that can help them affordably electrify their homes.”
In Matusiak’s own words, according to Sperry, Abrams helped “put together” the Power Forward Communities coalition for the purpose of applying for and successfully acquiring the nearly $2 billion grant.
Abram’s own website even maintains that she “serves as a senior adviser and consultant for Rewiring America,” for Rewiring America, despite PolitiFact’s reporting that she no longer does. In addition, two nonprofit organizations founded by Abrams, Fair Count and Southern Economic Advancement Project, are listed by Power Forward Communities on a website maintained by Rewiring America as “partners” in the coalition’s EPA-grant-funded project.
Thrilled to be part of @rewiringamerica and the Power Forward Communities coalition. This is how we expand access to clean energy —by prioritizing housing, equity and resilience.
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) October 15, 2023
We are building a future where everyone, regardless of income or place, can thrive. https://t.co/G8hIe9Xzas
Even more damningly, Abrams wrote in her own post to X-then Twitter in October 2023 that she was “Thrilled to be part of @rewiringamerica and the Power Forward Communities coalition,” even boasting “This is how we expand access to clean energy —by prioritizing housing, equity and resilience.”
