7/27/2019 CT - Who is Behind the Yankee Institute

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The State Policy Network (SPN) is an umbrella group of right-wing think tanks across the country. The Yankee Institute is

SPNs cookie-cutter think tank in Connecticut. While the Yankee Institute claims to be focused on issues important to thecitizens of Connecticut, it actually pushes an agenda dictated by its national right-wing funders and partners.

"They are part of a well-

orchestrated and well-funded effort

... to undermine working people in

this country and further enrich and

empower the very few folks at the

top who have rewritten the rulesfor their benefit.''-Matt O'Connor, In This Together CT

Defund and privatize Connecticut publicschools through vouchers

Cut, or in some cases eliminate, corporatetaxes

Oppose any increase in the minimum wage Block access to affordable healthcare for

Connecticut citizens

Cut benefits that health insurancecorporations are required to provide to

Connecticut customers

Restrict workers' rights to organize andform a union

Repeal laws that provide mandatory sickpay for Connecticut workers

Oppose and repeal renewable energyprograms and pollution protections

Destroy public pensions and cut benefitsby changing from a defined benefit to a

defined contribution plan

Limit injured CT citizens' ability to sue acorporation when at fault

Yankee Institute: 2012 Policy Guide

TheYankee Institutewas founded in 1984 by French entrepreneur

Bernard Zimmern. Today, the Yankee Institute is run by executive

directorFergus Cullen, a former chairman of the New Hampshire

Republican Party whocontinues to livein New Hampshire while

running the ostensibly Connecticut-based Yankee Institute.

Additionally, all of the Yankee Institute's known donors are

organizations based outside of Connecticut.

Between 2004 and 2011, theYankee Institutehas received over

$1.7 million from the secretive Koch-fundedDonors Trust and

Donors Capital Fund, known as the "dark money ATM of the

conservative movement." In the three years between 2009 and

2011 alone, funding from the Donors groups made up 62% of the

Yankee Institute's total revenue. The Yankee Institute's other out-

of-state right-wing funders include the Walton Family Foundation

(of Walmart) and the Roe Foundation (of SPN founder Thomas

Roe). The following are the Yankee Institute's known donors:

Funder Based In Amount Years

Donors Trust/Donors Capital Fund Virginia $1,733,090 2004-2011

Jaquelin Home Foundation California $208,800 2003-2011

The Roe Foundation South Carolina $177,500 2000-2011

JM Foundation New York $41,500 1997-2006

The Vernon K. Krieble Foundation Massachusetts $30,000 2002-2008

Walton Family Foundation Arkansas $19,500 2008

The Yankee Institute's RaisingHale.com website is the state affiliate

of theFranklin Center, an umbrella organization of right-wing

"news" outlets in states across the country. Despite the Franklin

Center's nonpartisan description, many of the websites funded by

the Franklin Center have received criticism for their conservative

bias. The Yankee Institute uses its Raising Hale media site to

promote its right-wing agenda through statehouse reporting and

agenda-driven investigations. While the Raising Hale project is fully

operated and funded by the Yankee Institute, the institute has

received $105,200 from the Koch-fundedDonors Capital Fund

specifically for the project.

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