Dallas businessman and The Dallas Express founder Monty Bennett described his efforts to counter what he called the growing influence of “fringe” and Soros-backed political operatives in Dallas, urging residents to get involved in local politics, media, and public safety reform.
Speaking with host Seth Holehouse on the Man in America podcast in an episode titled How Soros Hijacked Local Politics and How One Texan Fought Back, Bennett outlined his journey from hotel executive to media owner and political activist.
Bennett said the shift in Dallas politics reflects a nationwide trend of major cities moving left as outside funding, including from billionaire George Soros, targets district attorney races, mayoral contests, and other key positions.
“There is a fringe that controls a lot of our cities, funded by Soros and other outsiders and locals that want things the way that they want them — some for naive reasons, some for nefarious reasons,” Bennett explained.
Bennett launched The Dallas Express four to five years ago as a free, digital alternative to the Dallas Morning News, which he accused of abandoning journalism in favor of “far-left propaganda.” He said DX now has more than 270,000 daily newsletter subscribers, with total subscribers exceeding that figure, compared to the Morning News’ 60,000–70,000 paid subscribers.
Bennett noted that DX is free while the Dallas Morning News requires a paid subscription, but argued that the real takeaway is DX’s ability to reach far more readers in Dallas.
“The media had gone so far left that they’ve become irrelevant,” Bennett said. “Truth will win. Let people see both sides, and they can decide.”
Bennett said DX operates on the principle of presenting both sides in full and letting readers reach their own conclusions.
“Go and get people on the other side to tell us why they think what they think. In the end, I believe the truth will prevail,” he said. “Don’t cherry-pick — put their whole argument out there. Words don’t cost anything in a digital publication.”
Bennett also discussed his push for voter-approved city charter amendments requiring Dallas to hire more police officers and raise pay to among the top five in North Texas, despite opposition from city officials, major civic organizations, and business groups he claimed have been “captured” by City Hall. One of the measures, he said, allows any resident to sue the city to force compliance with its own laws or state laws, with no ability to collect any monetary damages, only attorney’s fees if successful.
“It’s just amazing — the resistance of the city not to have to follow the law,” he said. “The city is now required to do it. We’ll see if they actually follow the law.”
On homelessness, Bennett said Dallas’ response has been slow and undercut by groups with a vested interest in maintaining the problem. He personally funds staff to drive through downtown once every two weeks to count all the homeless individuals, aiming to provide reliable numbers on the problem. He said the counts show modest recent improvement downtown.
Bennett also described homelessness as a largely cultural problem that demands structured intervention.
“We need to get away from a culture of saying somehow it’s okay,” he said. “You take care of yourself, you take care of your family, and we’re going to help you do it whether you want help or not.”
“So I commend the city on what they’re doing down there. But it’s got a long way to go, and I’m here to help as much as I can. Sometimes it’s help they don’t want, but I’m here to help nonetheless,” he said.
Bennett advised listeners to get involved locally — from school boards to city commissions — and to bring their churches and communities with them.
“Get involved anywhere and everywhere you can — whether it’s the media, local politics, state politics, or even national politics when it affects your city,” he said.
He stressed that the city’s most pressing issues are not complicated.
“They may be hard to implement, but they’re not complex,” Bennett said. “Increase police staffing, fix homelessness with organized effort and accountability. It’s not Elon Musk sending people to Mars. This is something a lot simpler.”
While acknowledging political pushback and media criticism, Bennett said winning key fights has created opportunities to work with former opponents.
“I don’t want to throw a bomb — I’d rather work with people to get competent solutions in place,” he said.