A Public Service of A Job is a Right Campaign, Milwaukee, WI

Following the Money:

From the Bradley Foundation 1997 Report

In 1997, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation author-ized grants totaling $33,080,790. A large percentage of this money went to support some of the most right-wing foundations, think tanks, publications and authors in the country, responsible for much of the current attacks on labor, needed social programs and progressive traditions.

Another large percentage went to local organizations in some 30 cities in 20 states. Local activists may find some insights here as to why particular groups have begun spouting a "conservative" line on welfare, school vouchers, affirmative action, etc.

For those organizations considering taking that first hit from a Bradley grant, here's a partial list of some of the foundation's 1997 grantees.

(Note: Except where listed, all grants are to support general operations or ongoing programs.)

Some of the major, right-wing recipients of Bradley grants in 1997:

American Civil Rights Institute (Sacramento, CA) -- A new organization headed by UCal Regent Ward Connerly, who spearheaded the overturn of affirmative action in that state's university system. Connerly also played a major role in the recent successful anti-affirmative action referendum in the state of Washington. $100,000; plus $100,000 "to support a book project on affirmative action."

American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (Washington, D.C.) -- AEI provides a home and literary launching pad for arch-conservative scholars like Charles Murray ("The Bell Curve") and Dinesh D'Souza ("The End of Racism"), as well as former conservative office-holders like U.N. ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick and Dan Quayle's chief of staff William Kristol. $810,000 "to support the Foreign and Defense Policy Studies Program, a fellowship for Charles Murray, and the Bradley Lecture Series; $45,000 "to support a book project on contemporary art."

The American Spectator Educational Foundation (Arlington, VA) -- The American Spectator is one of the country's major right-wing publications. After an article by author David Brock leveled a sleazy attack on former African American EEOC staffer Anita Hill, Bradley gave Brock $11,850 to expand his article into a book entitled "The Real Anita Hill: The Untold Story." The Spectator also played a key role in sparking the Whitewater investigation. $127,000 "to support general operations, special projects and dinner discussion meetings."

The Center for Individual Rights (Washington, D.C.) -- Affirmative action programs at state universities in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana were overturned by the Hopwood vs. State of Texas court decision, in which four white students successfully charged they were denied admission to the University of Texas law school due to that school's affirmative action program. All four plaintiffs were represented by the Center for Individual Rights. The Center is now a key player in the campaign to overturn affirmative action at the University of Michigan. $140,000.

The Empire Foundation for Policy Research (Clifton Park, NY) -- Empire members have played key roles in attacks on progressive admissions policies in the city (CUNY) and state (SUNY) university systems of New York. $50,000.

The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies (D.C.) -- An organization of conservative lawyers that counts among its members one Kenneth Starr (who has done extensive work for Bradley, especially in the area of "school choice".) Other prominent Society members include Senator Orrin Hatch, Edwin Meese, Judge Robert Bork and Justice Antonin Scalia. Another is James Moody, attorney for Linda Tripp, Monica Lewinsky's "friend" who carried the wire for Starr. $135,000.

Free Congress Research and Education Foundation (D.C.) -- Founded by leading right-wing operative Paul Weyrich with seed money from the Coors Foundation. Sponsors its own satellite network, National Empowerment Television. NET helps give a national audience to groups like the Christian Coalition, the National Rifle Association and Phyllis Shlafley's Eagle Forum. As head of this group, Robert Billings along with Weyrich engineered the formation of the Moral Majority with Jerry Falwell as its head. According to investigative reporter Russ Bellant, the Free Congress distributes "virulently homophobic literature". $425,000 "to support general operations and NET programming."

The Heritage Foundation (D.C.) -- The country's preeminent conservative think tank; founded in 1973 by Paul Weyrich and right-wing brewery magnate Joseph Coors. Responsible for the policy papers that became the blueprint for such Reagan Administration policies as the Star Wars Defense Strategy, massive budget cuts and trickle-down economic theory. $325,000 "to support the Domestic Policy Studies Program"; $350,000 "to support the Bradley Resident Fellows Program"; $150,000 "to support the State Relations Department."

Hudson Institute (Indianapolis, IN) -- "...a hard-right activist think tank that advocates the abolition of government-backed Social Security and an end to corporate income tax." [From "Buying a Movement" by People for the American Way.] Also the author of W-2, Wisconsin's national welfare reform model. $60,000 "to support a book project on Robert McNamara"; $250,000 "to support the general program activities of the Welfare Policy Center"; $70,000 "to support a fellowship for Norman Podhoretz"; $165,000 "to support the general program activities of the National Commission on Philanthropy and Civic Renewal."

Institute for Justice (D.C.) -- A legal advocacy office that has as its strategic goal the complete deregulation of the U.S. economy. Its overall target is what it calls the "regulatory welfare state", by which it means any legal restriction on businesses to maximize their profits, or any legislative or court-mandated program or institution that requires the use of public money to benefit poor, working or middle class people. Among its goals are the elimination of all affirmative action programs, the Davis-Bacon Act and the concept of free and universal public schooling. A bill that would end all affirmative action programs on the federal level was drafted by Clint Bolick, the Institute's director of litigation. Bolick, an assistant at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Clarence Thomas, has played a key role in the school voucher movement in Wisconsin. $180,000.

Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (NYC) -- The Institute "...advocates privatization of sanitation services and infrastructure maintenance, deregulation in the area of environmental and consumer protection, school vouchers and cuts in government spending on social welfare programs; it is a preferred source of information for New York City's Mayor Rudolph Giuliani." [From "Buying a Movement".] Literary home of Bradley-funded author Charles Murray while he was writing the book "Losing Ground." $150,000 "to support the Center for Civic Innovation"; $20,000 "to support a book project on the judiciary"; $18,875 "to support general program activities."

National Affairs (D.C.) -- Publishes The Public Interest and The National Interest. Public Interest was founded by Irving Kristol, a Depression-era student-radical-turned-reactionary often called the "godfather" of the neoconservative movement. $350,000 "to support publication of The Public Interest and The National Interest."

National Association of Scholars (Princeton, NJ) -- Founded in 1985 "...to unite right-wing faculty against 'politically correct' multicultural education and affirmative action policies." [From Buying a Movement.] Played a key role in the California anti-affirmative action referendum. $150,000.

National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise (D.C.) -- According to the NCNE, "Because of the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise's position as advocate for low-income groups, NCNE President Robert L. Woodson, Sr. was asked by House Speaker Newt Gingrich to form a task force to make specific policy recommendations to the 104th Congress." That task force provided a community "cover" for Gingrich's massive attacks on social programs. Woodson is touted by the right-wing as one of the country's leading African American "conservatives". $376,000.

Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy (San Francisco, CA) -- California Gov. Pete Wilson's favored source of information regarding privatization and water rights. $75,000.

Philanthropy Roundtable (D.C.) -- A network of conservative foundations that together fund an even broader network of think tanks, researchers and publications. Until recently, at least, the Roundtable's chairman was Bradley president Michael Joyce. $225,000.

Grants authorized or disbursed to other groups in 1997 (excluding universities, most foundations and think tanks):

CALIFORNIA -- Berkeley: Association of Literary Scholars and Critics -- $25,000. Los Angeles: American Cinema Foundation -- $140,000; Center for the Study of Popular Culture -- $925,000; Puente Learning Center -- $100,000; The Reason Foundation -- $150,000. Oakland: Institute for Contemporary Studies -- $250,000; $49,215 "to support the Hacienda Group"; $42,000 "to support a book project on educational reform"; $300,000 "to support general program activities of the New Civics Project." San Francisco: International Center for Economic Growth -- $100,000.

CONNECTICUT -- Storrs: The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research -- $214,000 "to support opinion surveys of charitable giving in the U.S."

DELAWARE -- Wilmington: Collegiate Network -- $160,000; Intercollegiate Studies Institute -- $90,000.

FLORIDA -- Stuart: Foundation Francisco Marroquin -- $125,000; Miami: Universidad Latinoamericana de la Libertad Friedrich Hayek -- $100,000.

GEORGIA -- Savannah: Christian Methodist Episcopal Church -- $100,000 "to support general operations of Saint Paul Academy for Boys."

MASSACHUSETTS -- Cambridge: National Bureau of Economic Research -- $200,000 "to support the 1997 Summer Institute."

MICHIGAN -- Grand Rapids: Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty -- $120,000. Midland: The Mackinac Center -- $30,000. North Adams: The Philadelphia Society -- $15,000 "to support general operations and the annual national meeting."

MINNESOTA -- Minneapolis: Center of the American Experiment -- $20,000 "to support the annual series of speakers forums"; Wilderness Inquiry -- $3,000.

MONTANA -- Bozeman: Political Economy Research Center -- $55,000 "to support the 1997 National Conference for Journalists."

NEW JERSEY -- Princeton: Corporations for the Advancement of Policy Evaluation -- $50,000 "to support evaluation of the New York City scholarship program."

NEW YORK -- New York City: Environmental Defense Fund -- $115,000 "to support development of the Environmental Resources Trust"; Midtown Pregnancy Support Center -- $10,000.

NORTH CAROLINA -- Wilmington: North Carolina Coastal Land Trust -- $35,000 "to support Bradley Graduate and Post-Graduate Fellows in Environmental Policy."

OHIO -- Athens: National Business Incubation Association -- $10,000. Bowling Green: Social Philosophy and Policy Foundation -- $125,000 "to support two research book projects." Westlake: National Council for History Education -- $75,000 "to support publication of the newsletter 'History Matters!'"; $53,896 "to support a conference on history standards and teacher training."

OREGON -- Oak Grove: The Thoreau Institute -- $45,100 "to support the Public Resources Free Market Consensus Project."

PENNSYLVANIA -- Philadelphia: Middle East Forum -- $45,000 "to support the 'Muslims in America' research book project"; $40,000 "to support a special issue of the 'Middle East Quarterly' on 'The Middle East's Disappearing Christians.'" Wynnewood: Evangelicals for Social Action -- $35,000 "to support a project on education reform." Malvern: National Coalition of Independent Scholars -- $48,000 "to support a book project on Cesar Chavez."

TEXAS -- Lewisville: Institute for Policy Innovation -- $75,000. Dallas: National Center for Policy Analysis -- $200,000 "to support research on welfare reform"; Shelter Ministries of Dallas -- $100,000.

VIRGINIA -- Arlington: Independent Women's Forum -- $50,000. Alexandria: The Mont Pelerin Society -- $50,000 "to support the 1997 general meeting."

WASHINGTON -- Seattle: Discovery Institute for Public Policy -- $25,000 "to support a policy conference"; National Bureau of Asian Research -- $50,000 "to support production of 'The Accidental Revolutionary' in association with Pacem Productions"; $65,000 "to support a project on Korean reunification and American foreign policy." Olympia: Evergreen Freedom Foundation -- $25,000. Mercer Island: Toward Tradition -- $20,000 "to support the 1997 'Toward a New Alliance' conference." Bellevue: Washington Family Council -- $25,000. Seattle: Washington Institute Foundation -- $12,500 "to support a conference on domestic policy issues."

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Women's Freedom Network -- $35,000.

WISCONSIN (not including Milwaukee) -- Madison: Wisconsin Association of Scholars -- $60,000; via National Association of Scholars -- $100,000 "to support the Faculty Harassment Defense Fund at the University of Wisconsin-Madison"; Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System -- $35,500 "to support a research project on public university trusteeship."

VERMONT -- Rutland: Mt. Saint Joseph's Academy -- $3,750 "to support student scholarships."

NOTE: Since such a large percentage of Bradley grants go to organizations and institutions in Milwaukee, we will do a separate report on these grants in the next issue.