A new report reveals how the Wren Collective, a consulting firm funded by left-wing billionaires, has quietly shaped criminal justice policy for progressive prosecutors overseeing jurisdictions that impact 48 million Americans.
The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) found that the Wren Collective embedded itself in the offices of 40 prosecutors across 22 states, offering free policy proposals designed to ease prosecutions and weaken bail requirements. Emails show the group worked directly with former Portland district attorney Mike Schmidt, who took office during the 2020 riots.
“We should have mentioned this as well—we do this work without any billing or publicity,” senior attorney Amy Weber told Schmidt. She assured him that “these policies will be yours, not ours. We are just here to help you figure out how to implement meaningful changes to the criminal justice system in Portland.”
Schmidt soon adopted policies “nearly indistinguishable” from those Wren provided, including easing prosecution of protest-related crimes. His office later dismissed hundreds of cases tied to the Portland riots.
The group’s funding comes from donors including billionaire John Arnold, who has poured over $46 million into progressive criminal justice efforts, and Shaun King’s Real Justice PAC. According to LELDF, only two prosecutors paid the firm with taxpayer dollars; the rest relied on billionaire funding.
“This is a much deeper problem than people understand,” warned Sean Kennedy, LELDF’s policy director. “Donors fund the production, activists write the script, the Wren Collective directs the scene, and their client prosecutors dutifully act out their parts.”
