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The State Policy Network (SPN) is an umbrella group of right-wing think tanksacross the country. The SouthCarolina Policy Council (SCPC) is SPNs cookie-cutter think tank in South Carolina. While SCPC claims to befocused on issues important to South Carolinians, they actually push an agenda dictated by its national right-

wing funders and partners.

After seeing the success of national right-wing political organizations andthink tanks throughout the 1970s and 1980s, South Carolina corporate

executiveThomas A. Roe set outto create mini-Heritage Foundations instates across the country. In a 1996 interview, Roe recounted a conversation

he had with wealthy conservative donor and Heritage Foundation trusteeRobert Krieble in which Roe told Krieble, "You capture the Soviet Union -- I'm

going to capture the states."

Roe would go on to found both the South Carolina Policy Council in 1986,and its parent organization, the State Policy Network, in 1992. From thereRoe provided much of the seed money for SCPC and the SPN network

through theRoe Foundation,which has given nearly $10 million to the SPNand member think tanks since 1998, including $1.2 million to SCPC and over

$1 million to SPN.

SCPC founder Thomas Roe

with President Ronald Reagan

SCPC isknown for its influencein Governor Nikki Haleys

administration. SCPC President Ashley Landess is alongtime friend of Governor Haley, and several currentand former members of SCPC staff and board serve in

the Haley administration. Despite SCPCs influence in thegovernors office, the council has failed to register any

lobbyists or lobbying activity to the government of SouthCarolina or the federal government. [Associated Press, January 2011]

- then-SC Republican SenaPresident Pro Tem (now LGovernor)Glenn McConnon SCPC in 2011

SCPC political campaign activities, includingadvocating that South Carolina voters

replace moderate Republicans with moreconservative lawmakers, have been

criticized by both Democrats andRepublicans. Some Republican lawmakers

have called SCPC'spolitical activity"dangerously close to crossing the line into

campaigning and lobbying, actions thatcould cost the Policy Council its nonprofit

designation.

- SC RepublicanSenatorPaulCampbellon SCPC'spolitical activity

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/State_Policy_Networkhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/State_Policy_Networkhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/State_Policy_Networkhttp://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=253685http://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=253685http://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=253685http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/south-carolina-elections/south-carolina-governor/2011-01-24/think-tankshttp://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/south-carolina-elections/south-carolina-governor/2011-01-24/think-tankshttp://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/south-carolina-elections/south-carolina-governor/2011-01-24/think-tankshttp://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/south-carolina-elections/south-carolina-governor/2011-01-24/think-tankshttp://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/south-carolina-elections/south-carolina-governor/2011-01-24/think-tankshttp://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/south-carolina-elections/south-carolina-governor/2011-01-24/think-tankshttp://chronicle.augusta.com/news/government/elections/south-carolina-elections/south-carolina-governor/2011-01-24/think-tankshttp://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=253685http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/State_Policy_Network

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SCPC currently operates The Nerve, a right-wing newoutlet that is affiliated with theFranklin Center,a right

wing organization with "statehouse" news bureauprograms in states across the country. Despite the

Franklin Center's nonpartisan status, many of its stateoutlets have been criticized for their conservative bias

and the center is largely funded by the same right-winfunders of SPN. By publishing agenda-driven content

SCPC uses The Nerve to reiterate is right-wing agendthrough another means.

Tax records show that the secretive Koch-funded DonoCapital Fund is likely the main funding source for SCPC

The Nerve. DCF contributed $1,005,000 to the SouthCarolina Policy Council between 2008 and 2011

specifically for journalism projects or SCPCs newsbureau.

[Donors Capital Fund, IRS 990s, 2008-2011]

Restrict workers' collective bargaining

rights

Cut funding to South Carolina's publicschool

Privative public education with vouchers

Block access to affordable healthcare

Oppose gun safety lawsSouth Carolina Policy Council,Accessed8/27/2013

The South Carolina Policy Council has called forrequiring income disclosureof South Carolina lawmakers, buhas failed to hold itself to the same standard. SCPC is not required by law to disclose its funding sources, even

though SCPC may have more influence in shaping state policy than some legislators.

- SCPC PresidentAshley Landess

A review of the South Carolina Policy Councilsfew known donorssuggests that the organization is beholden t

right-wing special interests, many which are located out of state.

Other SCPC right-wing funders include the Coors familys Castle Rock Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation (ofWalmart), the Jaquelin Hume Foundation, the JM Foundation, and the State Policy Network.

While SCPC takes money from corporate special interests like the Kochs, the Lowndes, the Waltons, and the Coors, SCPhas consistently called for loweringor eliminatingSouth Carolinascorporate income tax,advocatedagainst workers

rights,and pushed for weakeningconsumer protections and corporate regulations.

$

THE KOCH BROTHERS: SCPChas received $45,000 from two of

the Kochs charitablefoundations. SCPC has also

received over $2.8 million fromthe Koch-funded Donors CapitalFund, which has beencalledthe

dark money ATM of theconservative movement.

THE ROE FOUNDATION:

SCPC founder ThomasRoes right-wing foundation

continues to be a majorsource of revenue for SCPC,

contributing $1,161,000 toSCPC between 1998 and

2011.

THE LOWNDES FOUNDATION:Lowndes isa major funder of SPN think tanks, and the

foundations executive director, WilliamLowndes III, sits on the board of SPN and

SCPC.The Lowndes Foundationhascontributed $480,947 to SCPC since 2004.William Lowndes serves as the Chairman

and CEO of the SC-based concrete designand construction corporation, the Tindall

Cor oration.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Franklin_Center_for_Government_and_Public_Integrityhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Franklin_Center_for_Government_and_Public_Integrityhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Franklin_Center_for_Government_and_Public_Integrityhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/http://www.scpolicycouncil.org/http://www.scpolicycouncil.org/income-disclosure-email?email=mzais@ed.sc.govhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/income-disclosure-email?email=mzais@ed.sc.govhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/income-disclosure-email?email=mzais@ed.sc.govhttp://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=281532http://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=281532http://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=281532http://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/fast-facts-south-carolina%E2%80%99s-corporate-income-taxhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/fast-facts-south-carolina%E2%80%99s-corporate-income-taxhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/fast-facts-south-carolina%E2%80%99s-corporate-income-taxhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/employee-freedomhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/employee-freedomhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/employee-freedomhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/employee-freedomhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/?s=regulatoryhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/?s=regulatoryhttp://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/donors-trust-donor-capital-fund-dark-money-koch-bradley-devoshttp://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/donors-trust-donor-capital-fund-dark-money-koch-bradley-devoshttp://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/donors-trust-donor-capital-fund-dark-money-koch-bradley-devoshttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lowndes_Foundationhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lowndes_Foundationhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lowndes_Foundationhttp://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lowndes_Foundationhttp://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/donors-trust-donor-capital-fund-dark-money-koch-bradley-devoshttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/?s=regulatoryhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/employee-freedomhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/employee-freedomhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/research/taxes/fast-facts-south-carolina%E2%80%99s-corporate-income-taxhttp://bridgeproject.com/?organization&id=281532http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20101029/PC1602/310299930http://www.scpolicycouncil.org/income-disclosure-email?email=mzais@ed.sc.govhttp://www.scpolicycouncil.org/http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Franklin_Center_for_Government_and_Public_Integrity