Heritage Foundation

Background

The Heritage Foundation is a conservative think tank founded in 1973 by Paul Weyrich to “formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.” [1]

The Heritage Foundation has been a fervent opponent of the Kyoto Protocol and its online database of “policy experts” includes many climate change skeptics such as Patrick Michaels, Sallie Baliunas, Thomas Gale Moore, Robert Balling, and Fred Singer. [2], [3]

The Heritage Foundation has had considerable influence over Republican politicians. It is estimated that two-thirds of the policy recommendations it made in 1981 were adopted by the Reagan Administration. The Heritage Foundation has been described as “the most effective media operation in American politics.” [4], [5]

Jim DeMint, former South Carolina Republican Senator, became Heritage Foundation president in 2013. According to The New York Times, this marked a shift in the foundation: “Long known as an incubator for policy ideas and the embodiment of the party establishment, it has become more of a political organization feeding off the rising populism of the Tea Party movement.” [6]

Heritage is a former member of the Cooler Heads Coalition (as of 2004). [7] Thomas A. Roe, a member of the board of trustees of the Heritage Foundation, founded the State Policy Network in 1991 as a way to promote conservative policies at the state level. [62]

It was also behind the right-wing news website Townhall.com. In 2005, Townhall.com split from The Heritage Foundation “in order to expand the scope of Townhall.com's mission to inform, empower and mobilize citizens for political change.” In 2006, it was acquired by Salem Communications. [8]

Donald Trump's “Shadow Transition Team”

Politico reports that the Heritage Foundation has emerged as one of the most influential forces behind Donald Trump's transition team. [60]

“Part gatekeeper, part brain trust and part boots on the ground, Heritage is both a major presence on the transition team itself and a crucial conduit between Trump’s orbit and the once-skeptical conservative leaders who ultimately helped get him elected,” Politco's Katie Glueck writes. [60]

Three sources with conservative groups said that Heritage employees were tracking resumes, looking to staff Trump's administration with conservative appointees. One source described the effort as a “shadow transition team” and “an effort to have the right kind of people in there.” [60]

The transition team is being assisted from Heritage officials including: [60]

• Becky Norton Dunlop, distinguished fellow at Heritage 
• Ed Meese, distinguished fellow emeritus
• James Carafano, Heritage national security expert
• Ed Feulner, founding trustee
• Rebekah Mercer, Heritage board member

A source reported that Rebekah Mercer had also been working with Heritage to recruit appointees for positions at the undersecretary level and below. [60]

Stance on Climate Change

2016

“[C]limate change […] is a contentious and unproven scientific theory.” — Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow and manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative at The Heritage Foundation. [9]

“Regardless of one’s opinions on the degree to which climate change is occurring, regulations associated with the Paris accord will have no meaningful impact on the planet’s temperature.” [10]

2010

“What I conclude from a policy standpoint is that global warming is clearly not a crisis and should not be addressed as one … None of the scary stuff about global warming is true, and what is true about global warming, what the science actually tells us about man's role in changing the climate, is far from terrifying.” — Ben Lieberman, Senior Policy Analyst for Energy and Environment at The Heritage Foundation. [11]

2009

“Global warming will not hurt the U.S. economy.” [12]

On Carbon Emissions

2016

“I think the serious people, the economists that have looked at this, understand there is a cost to reducing carbon emissions, because CO2 is a necessary byproduct of their most affordable and reliable energy sources, which are the natural resources of coal, natural gas, and petroleum. To take that choice away from people forces them to more expensive sources of energy” — David Kreutzer, research fellow in energy economics and climate change at The Heritage Foundation. [13]

Funding

The following is based on data compiled by the Conservative Transparency Project. Note that not all funding information has been verified by DeSmog.  [14]

View the attached spreadsheet for additional information on The Heritage Foundation's funding by year (.xlsx).

ExxonMobil Funding

According to ExxonSecrets, Heritage Foundation has received $780,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998. [2]

Koch Funding

According to Greenpeace, The Heritage Foundation received $6,130,201 from Koch foundations from 1997 to 2017. [15]

_{*Original tax forms prior to 1997 are no longer available for verification.}

990 Forms

Heritage Foundation 2018

Heritage Foundation 2017

Heritage Foundation 2016

Heritage Foundation 2015

Heritage Foundation 2014

Heritage Foundation 2013

Heritage Foundation 2012

Heritage Foundation 2011(2)

Heritage Foundation 2011

Heritage Foundation 2008

Heritage Foundation 2007

Heritage Foundation 2006

Heritage Foundation 2005PF

Heritage Foundation 2005

Heritage Foundation 2004T

← pg 1 of 2 →

1 – 15 of 20 documents

Key People

Board of Trustees

Policy Experts

According to ExxonSecrets, Heritage Foundation's Policy experts have included notable climate change deniers such as: [2]

• Patrick J. Michaels
• Sallie Baliunas
• Thomas Gale Moore
• Robert C. Balling Jr.
• Fred Singer

Actions

September 25, 2018

Heritage Foundation Senior Statistician Kevin Dayaratna testified before the Oregon Joint Interim Committee on Carbon Reduction on the economic and climate impacts of proposed carbon regulations being considered by the Oregon State Legislature. [79]

Video of the meeting is available at the Oregon State Legislature’s website.

Dayaratna asserted a proposed cap and trade policy would result in the elimination of thousands of jobs and have little to no effect on the climate.

He responded to questioning about the apparent links between climate change and extreme weather events as “myths propagated by the mainstream media.” [79]

September 19, 2018

UK Treasury minister Liz Truss met with representatives from the Heritage Foundation during a visit to Washington DC, Greenpeace's investigative unit, Unearthed, found. The taxpayer-funded trip also included meetings with the Cato Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, Americans for Tax Reform, and the American Legislative Exchange Council. [80]

January 23, 2018

The Heritage Foundation claimed that the Trump Administration had implemented nearly two-thirds of a list of 334 policy recommendations titled the “Mandate for Leadership” series. View the full list here. [77], [78]

“Over the past several months, Heritage’s executive branch relations staff reviewed the 334 policy recommendations and met with senior administration officials in the several agencies. Heritage analysts briefed administration officials on the recommendations, provided additional insight and information, and advocated for reform,” the Foundation notes. [77]

“Examples of some of the most notable policy recommendations and their adoption or implementation by the Trump administration include:

Leaving the Paris Climate Accord: In August 2017, Trump announced the U.S. was ending its funding and membership in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Repealing Net Neutrality: In December 2017, Trump’s Federal Communications Commission chairman proposed ending the 2015 network neutrality rules.

Reshaping National Monuments: Heritage’s recommendation to prohibit Land Acquisition (Cap and Reduce the Size of the Federal Estate) was adopted by Trump when he issued two executive orders effectively shrinking the size of national monuments in Utah.

Reinstating the Mexico City Policy: This executive order prevents taxpayer money from funding international groups involved in abortion and ending funding to the United Nations

Population fund. On Jan. 23, 2017, in his first pro-life action, Trump signed an executive order today reinstating the Mexico City Policy.
Increasing Military Spending: Trump’s budget calls for a $54 billion increase in military spending to improve capacity, capability, and readiness of America’s armed forces.

Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF): The Trump administration adopted and is in favor of strengthening existing work requirements in order to receive benefits.

Allowing Development of Natural Resources: The Trump administration opened off-shore drilling and on federal lands. Executive Order 13783 directed Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to commence federal land coal leasing activities.

Reforming Government Agencies: Trump tasked each of his Cabinet secretaries to prepare detailed plans on how they propose to reduce the scope and size of their respective departments while streamlining services and ensuring each department runs more efficiently and handles tax dollars appropriately.

Withdrawing from UNESCO: In October 2017, Trump announced he was putting an end to U.S. membership in the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).” [77]

May 8, 2017

Heritage Action for America and The Heritage Foundation, represented Michael Needham and Michael Costigan respectively, were listed on an open letter to President Donald J. Trump urging him “to withdraw fully from the Paris Climate Treaty and to stop all taxpayer funding of UN global warming programs.” [74]

DeSmog reported that the 40 groups represented in the letter, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), The Heartland Institute, and the Heritage Foundation, have received a combined total of millions of dollars from the Koch Brothers, ExxonMobil, and other industry groups. [75]

Analysis also showed that the groups accepted about $80 million through Donors Capital Fund and Donors Trust, two groups that have been confirmed is a key financial source for key U.S-based climate change denial groups. [76]

Apri, 28, 2017

Several news sources reported that Heritage Foundation president Jim DeMint was being forced out as leader of the group due to internal tensions inside the group. His ouster had been described by a “coup” against him, The New York Times reported. [71]

Politico reported that the move was imminent and that additional changes would likely be coming soon, according to a GOP Operative that works with DeMint. There's massive turmoil over there right now,” the operative said. President Donald Trump had praised DeMint around the time the news broke, mentioning him by name, calling him “amazing” and “a real friend.” [72], [73]

February 22 - 25, 2017

The Heritage Foundation was a Presenting Sponsor of the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), among a range of other conservative and pro-industry groups. [69]

Heritage reported that they had nine speakers who addressed CPAC over three days including Rob Bluey, Lindsey Burke, Mike Gonzalez, Bruce Klingner, Ana Quintana, Bryan Riley, Grant Strobl, and Bridget Wagner. Jim DeMint, president of Heritage, also spoke at the event. [70]

January 12, 2017

Michael Needham of Heritage Action for America, an affiliate of the Heritage Foundation, was a signatory to a January 12, 2017 official letter of support (PDF) for Scott Pruitt, in which numerous groups, including The Heartland Institute, American Energy Alliance (AEA), and others, declared that the Senate should “swiftly approve his nomination” for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

 Other signatories of the letter included: [68]

• Thomas Pyle, American Energy Alliance
• Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform
• Kent Lassman, Competitive Enterprise Institute
• Adam Brandon, FreedomWorks
• David McIntosh, Club for Growth
• Phil Kerpen, American Commitment
• Craig Richardson, Energy and Environment Action Team
• David Williams, Taxpayers Protection Alliance
• Harry Alford, National Black Chamber of Commerce
• Jim Martin, 60 Plus
• Andrew Langer, Institute for Liberty
• Heather Higgins, Independent Women’s Voice
• Independence Institute
• Richard Martin, Americans for Limited Government
• Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST)
• Brett Healy, MacIver Institute
• Joseph Bast, Heartland Institute
• George Landrith, Frontiers of Freedom
• Randy Eminger, Energy Policy Network
• Paul Gessing, Rio Grande Foundation
• Mike Nasi, Balanced Energy for Texas
• Brent Mead, Montana Policy Institute
• Forest Thigpen, Mississippi Center for Public Policy

December 8, 2016

The Heritage Foundation is a co-sponsor of the Texas Public Policy Foundation's “At the Crossroads III: Energy and Climate Policy Summit.” The event, describing itself as “the premier energy-and-climate policy event in America,” has historically attracted a range of prominent climate change deniers. The event description invites attendees to “Join national policymakers, leading energy experts, and the field’s most innovative minds to explore what’s next in energy policy, what’s coming in climate science, and how you may affect both.” Full video below. [61]

The agenda listed the following speakers:

• Brooke Rollins, President, Texas Public Policy Foundation
• Becky Norton Dunlop, Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow, The Heritage Foundation
• The Honorable Mike Lee (R-UT), Member, Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, and Chairman, Subcommittee on Water & Power
• The Honorable Lamar Smith (R-TX), Chairman, House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
• The Honorable Pete Olson (R-TX), Chairman, Subcommittee on Energy & Power, House Committee on Energy & Commerce 
• The Honorable Gary Palmer (R-TX), Member, House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
• Michael Needham, Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Action for America – Moderator
• The Honorable James Inhofe (R-OK), Chairman, Senate Environment & Public Works Committee
• The Honorable Kathleen Hartnett White, Director, Armstrong Center for Energy & the Environment, TPPF
• Stephen Moore, Distinguished Visiting Fellow, The Heritage Foundation
• Bud Brigham, Chairman, Brigham Resources, and Founder, Anthem Ventures – Moderator
• David W. Kreutzer, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow, Center for Data Analysis, The Heritage Foundation
• Patrick J. Michaels, Director, Center for the Study of Science, Cato Institute
• Mark P. Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Power Group; Senior Fellow, The Manhattan Institute; and Faculty Fellow, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University
• Horace Cooper, Adjunct Fellow, National Center for Public Policy Research – Moderator
• Patrick Forkin, Vice President Strategy & Global Energy Analytics, Peabody Energy
• Allen Gilmer, President, Texas Independent Petroleum Producers Association
• Karen Harbert, President, Institute for 21st Century Energy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Invited)
• Nick Loris, The Herbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow, The Heritage Foundation – Moderator
• Dr. Richard Lindzen, Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Meteorology, MIT 
• Dr. Willie Soon, Astrophysicist and Independent Scientist 
• Andrew M. Grossman, Co-Founder, Free Speech in Science Project – Moderator
• Dr. William Happer, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Princeton University
• Dr. Craig Idso, Chairman, Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change
• Dr. Roy Spencer, Principal Research Scientist, University of Alabama in Huntsville

Doug Domenech, director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation's “Fueling Freedom” project, wrote about the proceedings at The Hill. Domenech outlined the common climate change denial message shared among the speakers: “ Is climate change real? Yes, it has happened in the past and will happen in the future.  Is man making an impact on the climate? Perhaps but in very small ways. But the overarching consensus remains the climate change we are experiencing is by no means catastrophic.” [63]

Many of the speakers at the event have close ties to Donald Trump and his transition team. Becky Norton Dunlop, Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, was deputy to the senior adviser on President-Elect Donald Trump's transition team for policy and personnel. [64]

Brooke Rollins, President and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, is on Trump's economic advisory council. Two other members of Trump's “economic advisory team,” are Kathleen Hartnett-White and Stephen Moore. Hartnett-White was also in the running for a top EPA position. [65]

Climate change denier James Inhofe was said to be joining Trump's National Security Advisory Council. Other connections include David Kreutzer, who is on Trump's “landing team” and Allen Gilmer, CEO at Drilling Info, Inc., who donated $2,700 to Donald John Trump, Sr. on September 28, 2016 according to disclosures. [66], [67]

During his presentation, Richard Lindzen said “the only meaningful question would be whether we are seeing anything sufficiently unusual to warrant concern and the answer to this is unambiguously no.” [63]

Corbin Robertson of Quintana Resources said, “I'm gonna start out with a confession, I'm guilty. I'm guilty of providing goods and services and clean affordable energy to the world's growing population and now the environmentalists and the media want to convict me for my services to humanity.” [63]

July 12, 2016

The Heritage Foundation, represented by Bridgett Wagner, was among 22 groups represented in a “Coalition” open letter pushing back against what the Heartland Institute describes as an “affront to free speech.” The groups are responding to the recent Web of Denial Resolution brought up in the Senate, calling out fossil fuel industry-funded groups denying climate change. [55]

According to the Climate Investigations Center, all but one of the open letter's signatory organizations have taken money (totalling at least $92 million since 1997) from the “climate denial web” including Koch Brothers' various foundations, ExxonMobil, and two “Dark Money” organizations, Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund. [58]

Championed by Senators Whitehouse, Markey, Schatz, Boxer, Merkley, Warren, Sanders, and Franken, the resolution condemns what they are calling the #WebOfDenial — “interconnected groups – funded by the Koch brothers, major fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil and Peabody Coal, identity-scrubbing groups like Donors Trust and Donors Capital, and their allies – developed and executed a massive campaign to deceive the public about climate change to halt climate action and protect their bottom lines.” [56]

The open letter addresses the senators, calling them “tyrants”: 

“We hear you. Your threat is clear: There is a heavy and inconvenient cost to disagreeing with you. Calls for debate will be met with political retribution. That’s called tyranny. And, we reject it.” [57]

The full list of signatories and their respective organizations is as follows:

• Grover Norquist — Americans for Tax Reform
• Lisa B. Nelson — American Legislative Exchange Council
• John A. Charles, Jr. — Cascade Policy Institute
• David Rothbard — Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow
• Kent Lassman — Competitive Enterprise Institute
• Nicole Neily — Franklin Center for Government and Policy Integrity
• Benita Dodd — Georgia Public Policy Foundation
• Bridgett Wagner — The Heritage Foundation
• Fred Birnbaum — Idaho Freedom Foundation
• Joseph Bast — The Heartland Institute
• J. Robert McClure III — James Madison Institute
• Brett Healy — The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy
• Kory Swanson — John Locke Foundation
• Dave Trabert — Kansas Policy Institute
• Jason Hayes — Mackinac Center for Public Policy
• Brent Mead — Montana Policy Institute
• Sharon J. Rossie — Nevada Policy Research Institute
• Sally Pipes — Pacific Research Institute
• Kevin Kane — Pelican Institute for Public Policy
• Paul J. Gessing — Rio Grande Foundation
• Lynn Taylor — Virginia Institute for Public Policy
• Carol Platt Liebau — Yankee Institute for Public Policy

June 24, 2016

Writing in the Heritage Foundation's The Daily Signal, Heritage policy analyst Katie Tubb describes the striking down of Wyoming's Bureau of Land Management’s hydraulic fracking rule as a “win for good environmental policy.” [52]

The regulatory rule would have set federal water, chemical disclosure, and construction requirements for fracking operations on federal and Indian lands. [52]

June 23, 2016

Ted Bromund, senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, describes Britain's exit from the european union (“Brexit”) as “a victory for all Britons who voted.” [51]

“It is a triumph for the simple idea that Britain should be governed by the British people. And it is a tremendous, crushing rebuke for the European Union, and its desire to override the sovereignty of the nations of Europe,” Bromund writes in The Daily Signal. [51]

June, 2016

The Heritage Foundation was listed among organizations named in a Massachusetts subpoena looking for communications between ExxonMobil and organizations denying climate change, reports The Washington Times. [53]

Epstein's response, writes The Washington Times, was “Buzz off, fascist. […] Only he didn’t say 'buzz.'” Organizations named in the Massachusetts subpoena included the following: [53]

• The Centre for Industrial Progress
• The Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty
• The American Enterprise Institute
• Americans for Prosperity
• The American Legislative Exchange Council
• The American Petroleum Institute
• The Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University
• The George C. Marshall Institute
• The Heartland Institute 
• Mercatus Center at George Mason University

This latest inquiry by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is one in a series of investigations into what ExxonMobil knew about climate change and when, started by a coalition of attorneys general in the US. [54] 

April 13, 2016

Three Heritage Foundation researchers, including Nicolas Loris (formerly of the Charles G. Koch Foundation), claim to have modeled the impact of President Obama's plans to combat climate change based on the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris and found it to have “essentially zero environmental benefits.” [18], [19]

According to the authors, “restricting energy production to meet targets like those of the Paris agreement will significantly harm the U.S. economy.” They contend that “ Policymakers should therefore make every effort possible to prevent implementation of these harmful environmental regulations.” [19]

Shortly after the “backgrounder” was released, Nicolas Loris published a similarly-themed article in The Heritage Foundation's The Daily Signal entitled “Top 5 Reasons Congress Should Reject Obama's Climate Change Treaty.” [10]

March 4, 2016

Research fellows Salim Furth and David W. Kreutzer of The Heritage Foundation argue against Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, calling them a “costly mistake.” [20] 

They cite a research article by prominent economist Richard Tol and claim that a 2.5 degree Celsius increase in average world temperature would increase world gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 2.3 percent.  [20] 

February 2, 2016

July 7, 2015

The Heritage Foundation's Nicolas Loris published a research report titled “The Many Problems of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan and Climate Regulations: A Primer,” one month prior to President Obama's and the EPA's announcement of the Clean Power Plan. [22], [23]

In the report's abstract, Loris writes the “Obama Administration’s proposed climate-change regulations will exact a high price on Americans and have a negligible impact—if any—on global temperatures.” [22]

Loris continues, stating that “Higher energy bills for families, individuals, and businesses will destroy jobs and strain economic growth—and it will all be for naught.” [22]

July 7 - 9, 2015

The Heritage Foundation was a co-sponsor of The Heartland Institute's Tenth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC10) in Washington, DC. [24]

July 7-9, 2014

The Heritage Foundation is listed as an official Co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute's Ninth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC9). [25], [26]

August 28, 2012

The Heritage Foundation's Nicolas Loris published a research report titled “Hydraulic Fracturing: Critical for Energy Production, Jobs, and Economic Growth.” [27]

Within the report, Loris states that much of the “public concern” over hydraulic fracturing “has been over the possibility of contaminated drinking water, the chemicals used in fracking, the potential to create earthquakes, and wastewater management.” [27]

Loris then lists what he refers to as the “four most prevalent myths” about hydraulic fracturing:

“Myth #1: Hydraulic fracturing threatens underground water sources and has led to the contamination of drinking water.

Myth #2: The chemicals used in the fracking process are foreign chemicals that industry hides from the public.

Myth #3: Wastewater from hydraulic fracturing is dangerous and unregulated.

Myth #4: Fracking causes earthquakes.” [27]

May 21 - 23, 2012

The Heritage Foundation is listed as an official Co-sponsor of the Heartland Institute's Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC7). [28], [29]

November 16, 2011

The Heritage Foundation's Nicolas Loris, who was formerly an associate at the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, published a report in the Heritage Foundation's “Energy and Environment” section of its website titled, “New EPA Inspector General Report: One More Reason to Reject Climate-Change Regulation.” [30]

Loris writes that “Congress should vote to prevent the EPA from regulating greenhouse-gas emissions, and foster a transparent debate about the EPA’s endangerment finding and climate change generally.” Citing Richard Lindzen as a “respected climatologist,” Loris continues by stating “there has been plenty of dissent among the scientific community on the causes and magnitude of climate change.” [30]

June 30 - July 1, 2011

The Heritage Foundation was a sponsor of The Heartland Institute's Sixth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC6) in Washington, DC. [31]

DeSmogBlog concluded that 17 of the 43 sponsors of the Heartland Institute's Sixth International Conference on Climate Change, including the Heartland Institute itself, had collectively received over $46 million from either Scaife Foundations, Koch Foundations, or ExxonMobil. [32]

October 1, 2010

The Heritage Foundation claimed that the Royal Society had “significantly softened its position on global warming,” but Greenpeace's Polluterwatch reports that this was a misrepresentation of the Royal Society's actual position.  [33], [34]

Heritage selectively edited the report in a way that manufactured doubt about man-made climate change by editing out 10 pages and 48 paragraphs of text that had provided context in the report. [35]  

The Royal Society's view that man-made climate change is a problem is evidenced in the report summary: “[This report] shows that there is strong evidence that over the last half century, the earth's warming has been caused largely by human activity.” [36]

Nicolas Loris, the author of Heritage's controversial post, is a former associate of the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation. [18]

May 16 - 18, 2010

The Heritage Foundation was a sponsor of The Heartland Institute's Fourth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC4) in Chicago, IL. [37]

DeSmogBlog found that ExxonMobil, Koch Foundations, and Scaife Family Foundations had contributed a combined total of over $40 million to co-sponsors of The Heartland Institute's ICCC4. [38]

June 2, 2009

The Heritage Foundation was a sponsor of The Heartland Institute's Third International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC3) in Washington, DC. [39]

May 4, 2009

Heritage held a panel titled “aimed to “explore the lessons of Spain, and examine some of the fundamental flaws in the green jobs-as-an-economic-salve line of argument.”  [40]

Media Matters found that the entire Heritage panel had received money from ExxonMobil. [41]

The Heritage Foundation's senior policy analyst Ben Lieberman joined Robert Murphy, an economist at the Institute for Energy Research (IER), on a panel to discuss the study on renewable energy sources (PDF) done by economist Gabriel Calzada that suggested green jobs were harmful to the economy. [42]

Calzada's study has been debunked on numerous occasions. [43]

March 8 - 10, 2009

The Heritage Foundation was a sponsor of The Heartland Institute's Second International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC2) in New York. [44]

DeSmogBlog researched the funding behind Heartland's Second International Conference on Climate Change and found that sponsor organizations had received over $47 million in funding from energy companies and conservative foundations. [45]

November 5, 2008

In a “WebMemo” published on by the Heritage Foundation, Dr. Donald Kreutzer claimed that policy initiatives to advance green investment hurt economic growth and employment. [46]

Kreutzer claimed to have found three studies that had made false claims that green investment can promote job creation. Robert Pollin, the co-author of one of the studies (“Green Recovery”) responded here. See a PDF version of his response here. [46]

1990s

The Heritage Foundation reportedly encouraged conservatives to work together to “Strangle the environmental movement” as “It's the greatest single threat to the American economy.” [47]

This originally presented in a blueprint for policy in the 1990s and published in its journal “Policy Review.”  [47]

Heritage Foundation Contact & Location

The Heritage Foundation lists the following contact information on their website: [50]

The Heritage Foundation
214 Massachusetts Ave NE
Washington DC 20002-4999

Phone: 202.546.4400
Email: info@heritage.org

Related Organizations

• Townhall.com — Former project of The Heritage Foundation (Split off in 2005). [8]

• Cooler Heads Coalition — Past Member. [7]

• PolicyExperts.Org

• The Foundry (Now The Daily Signal) [48], [49]

Resources

1. “About Heritage,” Heritage Foundation. Archived April 19, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/s9HcE

2. ExxonSecrets Factsheet: Heritage Foundation. Accessed March 31, 2019. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/hqSo0

3. “Policy Experts,” PolicyExperts.org. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/d0aiz

4. Carl Deal. The Greenpeace guide to anti-environmental organizations. Odonian Press, Emeryville, Calif. Distributed through Publishers Group West, 1993. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/ucmdl

5. Norman Solomon. “The Media's Favorite Think Tank,” Extra!” July/August 1996. Archived October 14, 2005. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/SM1B0

6. Jennifer Steinhauer and Jonathan Weisman, “In the DeMint Era at Heritage, a Shift From Policy to Politics,” New York Times, February 23, 2014. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/dHred

7. “The Cooler Heads Coalition,” GlobalWarming.org. Archived April 12, 2004. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/lWnpt

8. “Townhall.com - the Leading Conservative and Political Opinion Website,” TownHall.com. Archived November 24, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/5Nl0E

9. Hans von Spakovsky. “The Left's Climate Inquisition’s New Target,” The Daily Signal, April 8, 2016. Archived April 20, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/6ElPn

10. Nicolas Loris. “Top 5 Reasons Congress Should Reject Obama’s Climate Change Treaty,” The Daily Signal, April 19, 2016. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/FYmpk

11. Ben Lieberman.”The Economics of Global Warming Policy,” The Heritage Foundation, June 16, 2010. Archived April 20, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/TPGCH

12. Conn Carroll. “Study Shows Global Warming Will Not Hurt U.S. Economy,” The Daily Signal, January 6, 2009. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/whGeJ

13. Chris Woodward. “There's a cost to reducing carbon emissions,” OneNewsNow.com, April 18, 2016. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/hnG0F

14. “The Heritage Foundation,” Conservative Transparency. Data retrieved May 28, 2016.

15. “The Heritage Foundation: Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/p3KBb

16. “Board of Trustees,” The Heritage Foundation. Archived September 25, 2015.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/G01p1

17. “Board of Trustees,” The Heritage Foundation. Archived December 22, 2011. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/H3GqI

18. “Nicolas Loris,” The Heritage Foundation. Archived April 20, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/lyk3r

19. Kevin D. Dayaratna, Nicolas Loris, and David W. Kreutzer. “Consequences of Paris Protocol: Devastating Economic Costs, Essentially Zero Environmental Benefits,” The Heritage Foundation, April 13, 2016. Archived April 20, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/I6lrp

20. “Fuel Economy Standards Are a Costly Mistake,” The Heritage Foundation, March 4, 2016. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/kvF2K

21. Steven Groves. “Paris Climate Promise: A Bad Deal for America,” The Heritage Foundation, February 2, 2016. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/js013

22. “The Many Problems of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan and Climate Regulations: A Primer,” Heritage Foundation, July 7, 2015. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/VU0D5

23. “Clean Power Plan,” EPA, August 3, 2015. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/xklfq

24. “Sponsors,” ICCC10. Archived July 15, 2015. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Uyj2K

25. “ICCC9 CoSponsors,” Heartland Institute. Archived September 23, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/8JFQL

26. “Return of Climate Denial-a-Palooza: Heartland Institute Hitches Anti-Science Wagon to Vegas FreedomFest,” DeSmogBlog, July 7, 2014.

27. “Hydraulic Fracturing: Critical for Energy Production, Jobs, and Economic Growth,” Heritage Foundation, August 28, 2012. Archived September 23, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/J80r6

28. “Cosponsors,” 7th International Conference on Climate Change. Archived May 10, 2012. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/VAY3r

29. “Seventh International Conference on Climate Change: Sponsored by the Heartland Institute” (PDF), the Heartland Institute. Archived August 15, 2015. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog.

30. “New EPA Inspector General Report: One More Reason to Reject Climate-Change Regulation,” The Heritage Foundation, November 16, 2011. Archived September 22, 2015. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/WXFEM

31. Sixth International Conference on Climate Change Conference Program (PDF), the Heartland Institute. Archived July 25, 2015. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog.

32. Brendan DeMelle. “Denial-a-Palooza 6: Heartland's Sixth International Conference on Climate Change, Courtesy of Koch, Scaife & Exxon,” DeSmogBlog, June 30, 2011.

33. “U.S. Could Learn from U.K.’s Global Warming Reversal,” The Daily Signal, September 30, 2010. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/LbFsN

34. Connor Gibson. “Heritage Foundation Cuts and Pastes to Upend Scientific Report,” Polluterwatch, October 19, 2010. Archived April 20, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/canXc

35. Dan Lashof. “Heritage Gate,” Switchboard, October 1, 2010. Archived April 17, 2012. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/zpFgO

36. “Royal Society launches new short guide to the science of climate change,” The Royal Society, September 30, 2010. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Z5EGR

37. “4th International Conference on Climate Change: Sponsored by the Heartland Institute” (Conference Program - PDF), The Heartland Institute, May, 2010. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog.

38. Brendan DeMelle. “Denial-a-palooza Round 4: 'International Conference on Climate Change' Groups Funded by Exxon, Koch Industries,” DeSmogBlog, May 13, 2010. 

39. “Co-Sponsors,” Third International Conference on Climate Change. Archived July 14, 2010. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/7M3LQ

40. “Busting the Myth of Green Jobs,” The Heritage Foundation, May 4, 2009. Archived April 20, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Y2ZGa

41. “Heritage Foundation Green Jobs Panel - Bought and Paid For By ExxonMobil,” politicalcorrection.org, May 4, 2009. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/oGj5w

42. “Study of the effects on employment of public aid to renewable energy sources (PDF), Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, March, 2009. PDF archived at DeSmogBlog.

43. Pete Altman. “Imported Lies: Debunking the Spanish Green Jobs Smear,” NRDC, April 16, 2009. Archived April 19, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/2tHMB

44. “Co-Sponsors,” The 2009 International Conference on Climate Change. Archived April 28, 2011. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/8pEf7

45. “Heartland Institute's 2009 Climate Conference in New York: funding history of the sponsors,” DeSmogBlog.

46. Robert Pollin. “Green Investments and Jobs: A Response to the Heritage Foundation,” Center for American Progress, November 7, 2008. Archived February 9, 2009. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/g8zG2

47. Andrew Rowell. Green Backlash: Global Subversion of the Environmental Movement. Page 52. Routledge; 1 edition (Sep 24 1996)

48. “The Foundry,” Archived February 24, 2011. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/qLD6U

49. “About The Daily Signal,” The Daily Signal. Archived April 20, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/pIY6d

50. “Contact Us,” The Heritage Foundation. Archived May 28, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/dWYUe

51. Ted Bromund. “For Britain, June 23 Is Independence Day,” The Daily Signal, June 24, 2016. Archived June 24, 2016.  Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/2aYIf

52. Katie Tubb. “Court Says BLM Can’t ‘Bootstrap’ Itself to Regulating Fracking,” The Daily Signal, June 24, 2016. Archived June 24, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/cUjTx

53. Valerie Richardson. “Exxon fights Mass. AG’s ‘political’ probe into climate change dissent,” The Washington Times, June 15, 2016. Archived June 24, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/FYZix

54. Ben Jervey. “State Investigations Into What Exxon Knew Double, and Exxon Gets Defensive,” Desmog, April 1, 2016.

55. Jim Lakely. “#WebOfDenial Push by Senate Dems Exposes Their Hatred of Free Speech,” Somewhat Reasonable, July 12, 2016. Archived July 14, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/eFCkh

56. Brendan Demelle. “Senators Launch Resolution, Speech Blitz Calling Out #WebOfDenial Blocking Climate Action,” DeSmog, July 11, 2016.

57. Coalition Letter to Senate Web of Denial Resolution (PDF). Retrieved from the Heartland Institute. Archived .pdf on file at DeSMogBlog.

58. Cindy Baxter. “Front Groups Attacking #WebofDenial Senate Action Took Over $92M in Dark, Dirty Money,” Desmog, July 14, 2016. Originally posted at Climate Investigations Center.

59. “Board of Trustees,” The Heritage Foundation. Archived August 3, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/SuixE

60. Katie Glueck. “Trump’s shadow transition team,” Politico, November 22, 2016. Archived November 24, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/AdrXn

61. “At the Crossroads III: Energy and Climate Policy Summit,” The Heritage Foundation. Archived November 24, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/KTgct

62. “About SPN,” State Policy Network. Archived November 24, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/3EQAV

63. Doug Domenech. “Climate change: Speaking truth to power,” The Hill, December 13, 2016. Archived December 21, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/zAEH5

64. Raoul Wootliff. “Backing far-right Swede, Trump proxy shuns top Israeli official,” The Times of Israel, December 21, 2016. Archived December 22, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/yfI8b

65. Patrick Svitek. “As Trump Struggles, Texas Republicans Stand by Him,” The Texas Tribune, August 19, 2016. Archived December 22, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/Q24ZJ

66. (Press Release). “TRUMP CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL,” DonaldJTrump.com, October 7, 2016. Archived December 22, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/55x1q

67. “Allen Gilmer,” Relationship Science. Archived December 22, 2016. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/2EPUZ

68. “Dear Senators,” (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, January 12, 2017. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

69. “CPAC 2017 Sponsors,” cpac.conservative.org. Archived March 6, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/SKFRU

70. “Heritage Has Strong Presence at CPAC 2017,” The Heritage Foundation, February 22, 2017. Archived March 9, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/krXa4

71. Jeremy W. Peters and Maggie Haberman. “Jim DeMint Is Said to Be Out at Heritage Foundation,” The New York Times, April 28, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/vCkXU

72. Nancy Cook, Eliana Johnson and Kenneth P. Vogel. “DeMint to be ousted from Heritage Foundation,” Politico, April 28, 2017. Archived May 2, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/c319y

73. John Wagner. “Trump praises Jim DeMint, who soon might be ousted from Heritage Foundation job,” The Washington Post, April 28, 2017. Archived May 2, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/DETY6

74. “Dear Mr. President” (PDF), retrieved from Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

75. Graham Readfearn. “Conservative Groups Pushing Trump To Exit Paris Climate Deal Have Taken Millions From Koch Brothers, Exxon,” DeSmog, May 10, 2017.

76. Susanne Goldberg. “Conservative groups spend up to $1bn a year to fight action on climate change,” The Guardian, December 20, 2013. Archived May 12, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/TB2yy

77. “Trump Administration Embraces Heritage Foundation Policy Recommendations,” The Heritage Foundation, January 23, 2018. Archived February 5, 2018. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/B92aO

78. “Mandate for Leadership Policy Recommendations,” ScribD document uploaded by user “The Heritage Foundation.” Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

79. Aubrey Wieber. “Statistician tells lawmakers extreme weather rise is myth,” Portland Tribune, October 1, 2018. Archived October 24, 2018. Archive.is URL: http://archive.is/e6w6c

80. Lawrence Carter. “Liz Truss met with ‘dark money’ think tanks during taxpayer funded trip to Washington DC,” Unearthed, December 19, 2018. Archived December 22, 2018. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/onRDJ

Other Resources

• “Heritage Foundation,” SourceWatch profile.

• Greenpeace research documents on the Heritage Foundation (Page A), (Page B).

• Pete Altman. “Heritage Foundation Fools Itself on Carbon Taxes,” Switchboard, April 2, 2009.