Capital Research Center (CRC)

Background

The Capital Research Center (CRC) was founded in 1984 by Willa Johnson to “study non-profit organizations, with a special focus on reviving the American traditions of charity, philanthropy, and voluntarism.”¹“Corporate Philanthropy,” Acton Institute. Archived February 2, 2007. ²“About CRC,” Capital Research Center. Archived December 13, 2010. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/nDrg0

Prior to founding CRC, Willa Johnson had been Senior Vice President of the Heritage Foundation, then worked as deputy director of the Office of Presidential Personnel in the first Reagan Administration, and as a legislative aide in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.³“Corporate Philanthropy,” Acton Institute. Archived February 2, 2007. ⁴“About CRC,” Capital Research Center. Archived December 13, 2010. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/nDrg0

The Capital Research Center has expressed concern that “Many charities and foundations now urge lawmakers to expand the powers of the welfare state, regulate the economy and limit individual freedoms.”⁵“About,” Capital Research Center. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/RrpI8

As part of the conservative campaign to ‘Defund the left‘ the Capital Research Center produces a range of publications targeting foundations, unions and activist groups that it views as supporting liberal causes.  The Capital Research Center’s monthly publications include the following:⁶Matthew Vadum. “Defunding the Left,” Capital Research Centre, October 31, 2009. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/nkIcE

• Organization Trends that reports on and analyzes the activities of advocacy organizations;
• Labor Watch that scrutinizes union contributions and activism;
• Foundation Watch that “examines the grantmaking of private foundations”
• Compassion & Culture (discontinued in 2009), which highlighted the “work of small, locally based charities that help the needy.”
• Green Watch, which it describes as a project dedicated to “monitoring the leadership, activities and funding of the liberal environmentalist movement”⁷Neil Hrab. ”’Direct Action’: The Tactics of Radical Activism: Part I” (PDF), Organization Trends (Capital Research Center), February, 2004. Archived February 5, 2007. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog.

The Capital Research Center has also published Patterns in Corporate Philanthropy, which documents corporate donations to non-profit groups. 

Influence Watch & Berman Ties

The CRC launched its project, “InfluenceWatch” to provide what it described as “more fact-based, accurate descriptions of all of the various influencers of public policy issues.” The Center for Media and Democracy’s PR Watch reported in December 2017 that InfluenceWatch was launched as an “Encyclopedia of the Left” inspired by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD)’s Sourcewatch.org.⁸“‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA

CMD’s investigation found that the InfluenceWatch project was the subject of a August 16, 2016 CRC grant proposal at the Bradley Foundation. The proposal recommends $125,000 “to support the Online Encyclopedia of the Left.” Bradley staff wrote: “CRC plans to take a page out of Sourcewatch’s play book by ensuring that its new, wiki-style encyclopedia of the Left is thorough, regularly updated, and written in a manner that’s accurate and measured in order to attract and retain a large audience.”⁹“‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA

According to CMD, InfluenceWatch was a “signature project” of CRC’s President Scott Walter. Before joining CRC, Walter worked for the PR firm Berman & Company, run by Richard Berman. Berman, who takes pride in his nickname “Dr. Evil,” has set up a chain of non-profit “educational” entities fighting against groups like Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), as well as unions, environmental groups, and others.¹⁰“Meet Rick Berman, A.K.A. ‘Dr. Evil’,” CBS, February 25, 2011. Archived December 23, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/hZ002

CMD reported that more than one quarter of InfluenceWatch’s funding was being provided by the Bradley Foundation. The Bradley Foundation 2016 annual report detailed $125,000 in funding to CRC, while the budget for InfluenceWatch was $400,000 in that year.¹¹“‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA

CMD reported that Berman groups had also coordinated with CRC in the past. For example, CMD’s Bradley Files investigation found Bradley had asked the Interstate Policy Alliance, a Berman group, to coordinate with CRC on an assessment of “second tier” states for consideration as “potential targets of opportunity” for construction of right-wing infrastructure. CMD reported on those investments in a six-report series titled “Weaponized Philanthropy.”¹²“‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA

Michael Hartmann, Director of Research and Evaluation at the CRC, was given permission to simultaneously as a senior fellow at CRC and at the Bradley Foundation, according to internal documents.¹³“‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA

Stance on Climate Change

February 11, 2020

CRC’s investigative researcher Hayden Ludwig wrote at CRC’s “GreenWatch”:¹⁴Hayden Ludwig. “You Can’t Compromise with ‘Green’ Socialists,” Capital Research Center, February 11, 2020. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/mm60G

“The lust for power is at the heart of environmentalism. Fearmongering is simply the quickest way to convince Americans to surrender their freedom—hence, the ever-looming ‘climate crisis’ that’s been hanging over our heads since the 1970s.

Undoubtedly, the Earth’s climate is always changing, and there’s much more we have yet to learn about it. People who are pro-science and understand the scientific method won’t rest on fake claims about a ’97 percent consensus’ or falsely state that the ‘science is settled.’ Truth—not unanimous agreement—is the object of science.”

April 21, 2015

Steven J. Allen wrote at the CRC blog:

“Years from now, when Global Warming theory is on the ashheap of history with supposed science like white supremacy, Piltdown Man, canals on Mars, Keynesianism, and N-rays, taxpayers will probably still be stuck paying for insane subsidies and mandates for ancient technologies repackaged as waves of the future—wind, solar, biofuels, dippy birds, whatever—and the I-Love-Science-When-It-Supports-My-Prejudices ‘Progressives’ will probably still be pushing policies like the Obama War on Coal, although, by then, they may have moved on to, say, a War on Fire conducted by the administration of President Chelsea Clinton or perhaps President Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky-Kennedy, who will get elected on an ‘anti-dynasty’ platform.”¹⁵Steven J. Allen. “Global Warming: 25 years of this nonsense,” Capital Research Center, April 21, 2015. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/Ej1r6

June 17, 2014

Steven J. Allen wrote at the CRC blog:

“As regular visitors to this space know well, there is no basis for the claim, put forth by President Obama and other radical environmentalists, that “97 percent” of scientists believe in Global Warming theory. They repeat this imaginary statistic over and over because, when it comes to real science, they got nuthin’.”¹⁶Steven J. Allen. “Climate McCarthyism,” Capital Research Centre, June 17, 2014. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/52FSQ

June 2006

Bonnor Cohen wrote the following in an edition of the CRC’s publication Organization Trends:¹⁷Bonner Cohen. “The Green Counter-Establishment: How It Holds Power” (PDF), Organization Trends (Capital Research Center publication). Archived November 27, 2008.

“Despite environmentalist claims of a ‘consensus’ on global warming, climate science is contentious.”¹⁸Bonner Cohen. “The Green Counter-Establishment: How It Holds Power” (PDF), Organization Trends (Capital Research Center publication). Archived November 27, 2008.

Funding

The following is based on data the Conservative Transparency project collected from publicly-available 990 tax returns. Note that not all funding values have been verified by DeSmog. See the attached spreadsheet for additional information on Capital Research Center funding by year (.xlsx).¹⁹“Capital Research Center,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed October 18, 2015.

Donor and Year	Total
Sarah Scaife Foundation	$6,150,000
The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation	$2,653,320
Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation	$650,000
William H. Donner Foundation	$635,833
John M. Olin Foundation	$617,500
Philip M. McKenna Foundation	$526,000
Searle Freedom Trust	$445,000
Lillian S. Wells Foundation	$390,000
Donors Capital Fund	$332,500
Hickory Foundation	$301,000
Stuart Family Foundation	$257,000
Scaife Family Foundation	$255,000
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation	$245,000
Exxon Mobil	$225,000
The Carthage Foundation	$225,000
Earhart Foundation	$222,000
Jaquelin Hume Foundation	$175,000
The Randolph Foundation	$173,000
The Rodney Fund	$150,000
Huizenga Foundation	$115,000
The Roe Foundation	$110,000
F.M. Kirby Foundation	$110,000
Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation	$95,888
Dodge Jones Foundatoin	$90,500
DonorsTrust	$88,650
Bradley Impact Fund	$73,000
Chase Foundation of Virginia	$61,100
Charlotte and Walter Kohler Charitable Trust	$60,000
The Weiler Foundation	$50,000
The Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation	$42,000
Dorothy D. and Joseph A. Moller Foundation	$35,000
Armstrong Foundation	$34,500
Aequus Institute	$32,000
JM Foundation	$30,000
Diana Davis Spencer Foundation	$29,000
Barbara and Barre Seid Foundation	$25,000
Arthur N. Rupe Foundation	$25,000
National Christian Charitable Foundation	$20,950
Neal and Jane Freeman Foundation	$20,000
Brady Education Foundation	$20,000
John William Pope Foundation	$20,000
Pierre F. and Enid Goodrich Foundation	$20,000
Charles and Ann Johnson Foundation	$15,000
True Foundation	$11,200
Windway Foundation	$10,500
Walton Family Foundation	$10,000
The Vernon K. Krieble Foundation	$9,500
Richard Seth Staley Educational Foundation	$7,500
Joyce and Donald Rumsfeld Foundation	$7,500
The Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation	$6,500
Tepper Family Foundation	$5,200
DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative	$5,000
Vernon K. Krieble Foundation	$4,500
Floyd Foundation	$2,750
Kickapoo Springs Foundation	$2,500
The Legett Foundation	$2,500
Schwab Charitable Fund	$2,000
The Challenge Foundation	$1,000
William E. Simon Foundation	$1,000
Wodecroft Foundation	$1,000
Lynn & Foster Friess Family Foundation	$1,000
John Templeton Foundation	$250
John P and Kathryn G Evans Foundation	$150
Grand Total	$15,942,291

Tobacco Industry Funding

SourceWatch found that while the Capital Research Centre was critical of non-profit groups opposing smoking, it was also received funding from the tobacco industry including $50,000 from Philip Morris in 1995.

A 1997 internal briefing sheet on possible questions about PM funding of CRC stated “we have supported this organization for about ten years. Our level of support has averaged about $30,000 a year.”²⁰“Capital Research Center and the tobacco industry,” SourceWatch. Accessed October 18, 2015. ²¹“CancerScam M message Track,” May, 1997. Retrieved from Truth Tobacco Industry Documents. Bates #2078829061-2078829063.

ExxonMobil Funding

According to Greenpeace’s ExxonSecrets, CRC received $265,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998.²²Factsheet: Capital Research Center and Greenwatch, CRC. Accessed March 10, 2020.

ExxonMobil announced that the Capital Research Center would be one of nine groups it would stop funding in 2008 that had been associated with global warming skepticism. Exxon had made a similar promise in 2007, but most of the organizations continued to receive funding.²³“Exxon Announces Cutoff for Warming Skeptics – Again,” Integrity in Science, June 2, 2008. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/OKDy2

Koch Funding

According to the most recent data available from Greenpeace, the Capital Research Center has received at least $699,200 from Koch-related foundations between 1987 and 2015.²⁴“Capital Research Center (CRC): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.URL: https://archive.is/EmhGx

*Original tax forms prior to 1997 are no longer available for verification. If you include these values, the grand total jumps to $724,200 in Koch funding from 1987 to 2015.²⁵“Capital Research Center (CRC): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.URL: https://archive.is/EmhGx

Year	Charles Koch Foundation	Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation	Grand Total
*1987	$5,000		$5,000
*1988	$10,000		$10,000
*1993		$5,000	$5,000
*1996		$5,000	$5,000
1997		$5,000	$5,000
1998		$50,000	$50,000
2000		$75,000	$75,000
2001		$100,000	$100,000
2002		$100,000	$100,000
2003		$100,000	$100,000
2004		$100,000	$100,000
2005		$50,000	$50,000
2006		$25,000	$25,000
2007		$25,000	$25,000
2008		$10,000	$10,000
2010	$20,000		$20,000
2011	$10,000		$10,000
2014	$14,800		$14,800
2015	$14,400		$14,400
Grand Total	$74,200	$650,000	$724,200

990 Forms

Key People

The following people were listed on the Capital Research Center’s website as of October, 2015. (Sourcewatch maintains records of past Board Members and notable previous staff):²⁶About,” Capital Research Center. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/RrpI8

 ²⁷“Capital Research Center and the tobacco industry,” SourceWatch. Accessed October 18, 2015.

Board of Trustees

Name

2001

2002

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Description

Edwin Meese, III

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Fellow, The Heritage Foundation

Marion G. Wells

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Deceased (1926-2016). Trustee, The Heritage Foundation and The Intercollegiate Studies Institute

Gilbert Collins

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Trustee emeritus. Trustee, Intercollegiate Studies Institute

Thomas S. Winter

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Editor-in-Chief, Human Events

William Meyersohn

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Real Estate Consultant

Michael Franc

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

The Hoover Institution

Eric O’Keefe

Y

Y

Y

Chairman, Citizens for Self-Governance

Gordon Cummings

Y

Y

Philanthropic Advisor

Robert E. Challey

Y

Y

Chairman of the Board, The Park Place Group

Terrence Scanlon

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Chairman, CRC Board of Trustees. President, Capital Research Center

Constance C. Larcher

Y

Y

Y

President and CEO, Washington Legal Foundation

Beverly Danielson

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Member, Mt. Pelerin Society

Barb Kenney

Y

Y

Y

Y

Daniel J. Popeo

Y

Y

Chairman and General Counsel, Washington Legal Foundation

Dean Webster

Y

Y

National Advisory Board

Name	2000	2002	2016	2019	2020	Description
Adam Meyerson	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	President, The Philanthropy Roundtable
John A. Baden	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Chairman, Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment (FREE)
Larry P. Arnn	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	President, Hillsdale College
Midge Decter	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Author
P.J. O’Rourke	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Author and Columnist
Robert L. Woodson, Sr.	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Founder & President, National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise
Walter Williams	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Professor of Economics, George Mason University
Kate O’Beirne		Y	Y	Y	Y	Deceased (1949-2017). Former President, National Review Institute
Christopher Long			Y	Y	Y	Trustee, Intercollegiate Studies Institute
Kenneth R. Weinstein			Y	Y	Y	President & CEO, Hudson Institute
Linda Chavez	Y	Y	Y	Y		Chairman, Center for Equal Opportunity
Menlo F. Smith	Y	Y	Y			CEO, Sunmark Capital Corporation
Marvin Olasky		Y	Y			Editor-in-Chief, World
Sally Pipes		Y	Y			President & CEO, Pacific Research Institute
Michael J. Horowitz	Y	Y				Senior Fellow, The Hudson Institute
Michael Novak	Y	Y				George Frederick Jewett Chair in Religion and Public Policy, American Enterprise Institute
Richard V. Allen	Y	Y				President, Richard V. Allen Company
T. Kenneth Cribb	Y	Y				President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute
Thomas S. Winter	Y	Y				Editor-in-Chief, Human Events
Deal W. Hudson		Y				Editor, Crisis
Arianna Huffington	Y					Columnist and Author
Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr.	Y					Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Policy, Eli Lilly and Company
R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.	Y					Editor-In-Chief, The American Spectator
William E. Simon	Y					Chairman, William E. Simon & Sons

Fellows

Name	2017	2019	2020	Description
Martin Morse Wooster	Y	Y	Y	Senior Fellow
Michael E. Hartmann	Y	Y	Y	Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Strategic Giving
Steven J. Allen		Y	Y	Distinguished Senior Fellow

Staff

Name

1999

2000

2001

2002

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2019

2020

Description

Christopher Krukewitt

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Chief Financial & Operations Officer

Scott Walter

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

President

Dan Thompson

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Vice President of Philanthropy & Development

Beth Bottcher

Y

Y

Y

Philanthropy Officer

Heather Cordasco

Y

Y

Y

Philanthropy Officer

Joseph (Jake) Klein

Y

Y

Y

Film & Video Producer

Kristen Eastlick

Y

Y

Y

Senior Vice President

Michael Watson

Y

Y

Y

Research Director

Ashley Rae Goldenberg

Y

Y

Investigative Reporter

Caleb Sutherlin

Y

Y

Social Media Coordinator

Catherine Heravi

Y

Y

Staff Accountant

Erin Demma

Y

Y

Personnel, Events, & Operations Coordinator

Hayden Ludwig

Y

Y

Investigative Researcher

Ken Braun

Y

Y

Senior Investigative Researcher

Michael E. Hartmann

Y

Y

Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Strategic Giving

Robert Stilson

Y

Y

Research Specialist

Shane Devine

Y

Y

Research Assistant

Carolyn Brandt

Y

Administrative Assistant

Jon Rodeback

Y

Managing Editor and Director of Content

Bridget Rossi

Y

Development Assistant

Matthew Vadum

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Senior Vice President

Steven J. Allen

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Distinguished Senior Fellow

Chenelyn Barker

Y

Development Associate

Ian Johnson

Y

Development Assistant

Tyler Stone

Y

Y

Office Manager

Terrence Scanlon

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Chairman, CRC Board of Trustees. President, Capital Research Center

Jana Marie Erwin

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Development Associate

Gordon Cummings

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Philanthropic Advisor

Jeffrey Shifflett

Y

Y

Office Manager

Robert Huberty

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Executive Vice President and Director of Research

Matt Patterson

Y

Y

Y

Senior Editor, Labor Watch and Green Watch

Peter J. Lee

Y

Office Manager

Douglas Walker

Y

Office Manager

Phil Brand

Y

Y

Y

Y

Director, EducationWatch

Brent Jordan

Y

Office Manager

Jill K. Lacey

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Editor, Compassion and Culture

Larry Farnsworth

Y

Y

Y

Director, Communications

Luke Lee

Y

Y

Y

Office Manager

Eric Heidenreich

Y

Director, Green Watch and State Environmental Watch

Patrick Reilly

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Editor, Labor Watch

James Dellinger

Y

Y

Y

Executive Director, GreenWatch and StateWatch

Jeremy Lott

Y

Editor, Labor Watch

Daniel Patrick Head

Y

Development Associate

Tara Wheeler

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Staff Assistant

Eric Blowers

Y

Y

Director of Development

David Hogberg

Y

Research Associate and Executive Director, GreenWatch and EducationWatch

Robert Volmer

Y

Director of Communications

Stephen DeMauri

Y

Development Associate

Gene Edward Veith, Jr.

Y

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow

Jeffrey Gayner

Y

Y

Y

Y

Visiting Fellow

Martin Morse Wooster

Y

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow

Christopher Morris

Y

Y

Research Associate

Ivan G. Osorio

Y

Y

Research Associate and Editor, Labor Watch

David Riggs

Y

Executive Director of Green Watch

Jennifer Gustafason

Y

Vice President and Director of Development

John Carlisle

Y

Research Associate and Editor, Foundation Watch, Organization Trends

Pam Witherspoon

Y

Director of Administration

Christopher Yablonski

Y

Y

Y

Research Associate

Daniel T. Oliver

Y

Y

Y

Research Associate and Editor, Alternatives in Philanthropy

Marvin Olasky

Y

Y

Y

Editor-in-Chief, World

Andrew Walker

Y

Y

Director of Communications and Congressional Liaison

Pam Perry

Y

Y

Manager, Administration

Tom Ivancie

Y

Y

Vice President and Director of Development

Matthew Roche

Y

Development Associate

Christopher Summers

Y

Research Associate

Philip F. Kelly Jr.

Y

Research Associate

William Baron

Y

Development Associate

Chad Cowan

Y

Director of Communications and Congressional Liaison

Eric Heubeck

Y

Research Associate

Julie Taylor

Y

Director of Development

Loren Smith

Y

Development Associate

Paul Taiwo

Y

Office Administrator

Other People

Tom Holt, appears to have been a past CRC “visiting fellow.” Holt has advocated legal reforms that would make it more difficult to sue corporations on the premise that “the consumer movement has imposed significant costs on industry–costs ultimately passed on to consumers–and has violated individual freedoms in a futile effort to protect us from our own actions and judgment.”²⁸“SLAPP Happy: Corporations That Sue to Shut You Up,” PRWatch, Second Quarter 1997, Volume 4, No. 2. Archived March 8, 2012. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/MmAti

Actions

December 16, 2019

CRC’s GreenWatch wrote an article alleging electric vehicle subsidies are a transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich.²⁹Hayden Ludwig. “Big Green Lobbies to Steal from the Poor and Give to the Rich,” Capital Research Center, December 16, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/FAd49

“Electric cars are a luxury item purchased almost exclusively by the rich,” CRC’s Hayden Ludwig claimed in the article. He also claimed, “ electric vehicles won’t save Mother Earth.” He then points to metals used in electric vehicle battery manufacturing—an issue DeSmog’s Koch vs Clean project has outlined, showing EV batteries use fewer rare earths than oil refining or gas-powered cars.³⁰Hayden Ludwig. “Big Green Lobbies to Steal from the Poor and Give to the Rich,” Capital Research Center, December 16, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/FAd49

“Americans would be better off letting the market decide the fate of electric cars—anything else means stealing from the poor to give to the rich,” Ludwig concluded.³¹Hayden Ludwig. “Big Green Lobbies to Steal from the Poor and Give to the Rich,” Capital Research Center, December 16, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/FAd49

Koch vs Clean has debunked many of the common oil industry talking points about electric vehicles, and includes a summary of how the EV tax credit benefits drivers of all income levels.³²Hayden Ludwig. “Big Green Lobbies to Steal from the Poor and Give to the Rich,” Capital Research Center, December 16, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/FAd49

October 25, 2019

CRC’s project, Dangerous Documentaries, produced a film starring comedian Adam Carolla and Dennis Prager titled No Safe Spaces. The film, according to CRC, “will expose the safe space culture that is undermining American universities.”³³“UPCOMING FEATURE FILM: No Safe Spaces,” Capital Research Center, June 30, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/6bgDL

“This film will expose the sad state of free speech, the unwillingness of students to be challenged by new ideas, and “the grievance culture” of “safe spaces” that are undermining the intellectual foundations of American universities. The project looks at those who have been silenced for expressing opinions that violate the new sacred writ of postmodern views on race and gender, which means acceptance of all except for those who think differently,” The CRC wrote in 2017, describing the upcoming film.³⁴“UPCOMING FEATURE FILM: No Safe Spaces,” Capital Research Center, June 30, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/6bgDL

One reviewer at Los Angeles Times wrote: “What might have been a pertinent, evenhanded examination of the notion of free speech on today’s college campuses wastes little time in exposing an overwhelmingly right-leaning bias in the disappointingly sensationalistic agitprop that is ‘No Safe Spaces.'”³⁵Michael Rechtshaffen. “Review: Free speech doc ‘No Safe Spaces’ clearly sides with one set of voices,” Los Angeles Times, November 24, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/qzwwy

May 8, 2017

CRC, represented by Steven J. Allen, is 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.”³⁶“Dear Mr. President” (PDF), retrieved from Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

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.³⁷Graham Readfearn. “Conservative Groups Pushing Trump To Exit Paris Climate Deal Have Taken Millions From Koch Brothers, Exxon,” DeSmog, May 10, 2017.

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.³⁸Susanne Goldberg. “Conservative groups spend up to bn a year to fight action on climate change,” The Guardian, December 20, 2013. Archived May 12, 2017. Archive URL: https://archive.is/TB2yy

February 22–25, 2017

The Capital Research Center was a Contributing Sponsor of the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), among a range of other conservative and pro-industry groups.³⁹“CPAC 2017 Sponsors,” cpac.conservative.org. Archived March 6, 2017. Archive URL: https://archive.is/SKFRU

According to CRC, their panels included “21st Century Labor Reform: A Better Way for Workers,” on February 23, “Revolt of the Deplorables: Inside Election 2016” on the 24, and “Is Political Correctness Killing U.S. Institutions?” on the 25.⁴⁰“Capital Research Center is live at CPAC 2017!” Capital Research Center, February 22, 2017. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.is/Z4e0T

April 1, 2015

The Capital Research Centre staff wrote an article defending Willie Soon, claiming that “Leftist politicians and the media try to blacklist scientists who are skeptical about Global Warming,” and that the outing of Soon’s significant fossil fuel funding by groups like Greenpeace has been a “Witch-Hunt.”⁴¹“Witch-Hunt 2015: Leftist politicians and the media try to blacklist scientists who are skeptical about Global Warming,” Capital Research Centre, April 1, 2015. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/3lTIK

Willie Soon was criticized when Greenpeace obtained documents regarding his funding through the Freedom of Information Act, revealing that there were at least 11 times that Soon failed to disclose fossil fuel funding in papers he had published between 2008 and 2015.⁴²Lisa Song. “A Guide To Willie Soon’s Climate Research Funded by Fossil Fuel Companies,” InsideClimate News, February 23, 2015. Archived Dec 24, 2019. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/8zcMd

August 2002

Terrence Scanlon of CRC was a signatory to a letter to President Bush, applauding his decision not to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg.

“Environmentally and socially irresponsible corporations and their operatives are lobbying the Administration to snub the Summit and halt any progress toward addressing environmental accountability and global climate change,” said Friends of the Earth President, Dr. Brent Blackwelder.⁴³(Press Release). “Corporate-funded Lobbyists Aimed to Sabotage Johannesburg Summit,” allAfrica.com, August 19, 2002. Archived April 29, 2003. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/NQslY

September 2001

In the press release launching the Greenwatch site in the fall of 2001, Rep. Butch Otter (R-ID), called the groups included in the Greenwatch database “extremists,” and declared the purpose of the database was to “monitor and keep the extremists in check.”⁴⁴Betsy Z. Russel. “Green extremist site launched,” Spokesman Review, September 14, 2001. Archived June 14, 2012. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/snLZo

1990s

The Capital Research Center published studies criticizing charities such as the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society for their anti-tobacco lobbying efforts.⁴⁵T Friend, “Charities anti-tobacco lobbying is criticized,” USA Today, Bates no 2023914980, June 28, 1990.

CRC was later criticized, and it was revealed that Phillip Morris had provided $50,000 in funding to the Capital Research Center.⁴⁶White J, Bero LA (February 2004). “Public health under attack: the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST) and the tobacco industry”. Am J Public Health, 94 (2): 240–50. doi:10.2105/AJPH.94.2.240. PMID 14759933. PMC 1448234.

CRC has also published reports on the “Anti-Smoking Movement,” to which select PM staff were given advance copies.⁴⁷PM, PHILIP MORRIS,MARDEN,RE. 1994 September 06. Bates Number: 2044720167.

Capital Research Center Contact & Location

The Capital Research Center lists the following contact information on its website:⁴⁸“Contact,” Capital Research Center. Archived March 10, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/BmhGK

Capital Research Center
1513 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 483-6900
(202) 483-6990 (fax)

Social Media

• Capital Research Center on Facebook
• @capitalresearch on Twitter

Related Organizations

• Cooler Ceads Coalition (CHC) — According to Greenpeace’s ExxonSecrets, CRC is a former member of Alliance for America and is a past member of the Cooler Heads Coalition (CHC).⁴⁹Factsheet: Capital Research Center and Greenwatch, CRC. Accessed March 10, 2020.
• InfluenceWatch — Project, described as “CRC’s work-in-progress.”⁵⁰“About Us,” Influence Watch. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/cag6F
• GreenWatch — CRC project.⁵¹“About GreenWatch,” Capital Research Center. Archived October 10, 2010. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/h7v6t
• Dangerous Documentaries — A project of CRC.⁵²“UPCOMING FEATURE FILM: No Safe Spaces,” Capital Research Center, June 30, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/6bgDL

Other Resources

• “The Capital Research Center: A Rising Star in the Crowded Universe of Right-Wing Think Tanks,” CultureWatch Online, Issue No. 36, October 1996. Archived October 15, 2000.
• “Capital Research Center,” Wikipedia Entry.

Resources

• 1
  “Corporate Philanthropy,” Acton Institute. Archived February 2, 2007.
• 2
  “About CRC,” Capital Research Center. Archived December 13, 2010. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/nDrg0
• 3
  “Corporate Philanthropy,” Acton Institute. Archived February 2, 2007.
• 4
  “About CRC,” Capital Research Center. Archived December 13, 2010. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/nDrg0
• 5
  “About,” Capital Research Center. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/RrpI8
• 6
  Matthew Vadum. “Defunding the Left,” Capital Research Centre, October 31, 2009. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/nkIcE
• 7
  Neil Hrab. ”’Direct Action’: The Tactics of Radical Activism: Part I” (PDF), Organization Trends (Capital Research Center), February, 2004. Archived February 5, 2007. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmogBlog.
• 8
  “‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA
• 9
  “‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA
• 10
  “Meet Rick Berman, A.K.A. ‘Dr. Evil’,” CBS, February 25, 2011. Archived December 23, 2017. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/hZ002
• 11
  “‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA
• 12
  “‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA
• 13
  “‘Influence Watch’ Website Launched: Berman, ALEC, Heartland Copy CMD’s Sourcewatch.org Site,” PR Watch, December 22, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/km5oA
• 14
  Hayden Ludwig. “You Can’t Compromise with ‘Green’ Socialists,” Capital Research Center, February 11, 2020. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/mm60G
• 15
  Steven J. Allen. “Global Warming: 25 years of this nonsense,” Capital Research Center, April 21, 2015. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/Ej1r6
• 16
  Steven J. Allen. “Climate McCarthyism,” Capital Research Centre, June 17, 2014. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/52FSQ
• 17
  Bonner Cohen. “The Green Counter-Establishment: How It Holds Power” (PDF), Organization Trends (Capital Research Center publication). Archived November 27, 2008.
• 18
  Bonner Cohen. “The Green Counter-Establishment: How It Holds Power” (PDF), Organization Trends (Capital Research Center publication). Archived November 27, 2008.
• 19
  “Capital Research Center,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed October 18, 2015.
• 20
  “Capital Research Center and the tobacco industry,” SourceWatch. Accessed October 18, 2015.
• 21
  “CancerScam M message Track,” May, 1997. Retrieved from Truth Tobacco Industry Documents. Bates #2078829061-2078829063.
• 22
  Factsheet: Capital Research Center and Greenwatch, CRC. Accessed March 10, 2020.
• 23
  “Exxon Announces Cutoff for Warming Skeptics – Again,” Integrity in Science, June 2, 2008. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/OKDy2
• 24
  “Capital Research Center (CRC): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.URL: https://archive.is/EmhGx
• 25
  “Capital Research Center (CRC): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,” Greenpeace USA. Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.URL: https://archive.is/EmhGx
• 26
  About,” Capital Research Center. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/RrpI8
• 27
  “Capital Research Center and the tobacco industry,” SourceWatch. Accessed October 18, 2015.
• 28
  “SLAPP Happy: Corporations That Sue to Shut You Up,” PRWatch, Second Quarter 1997, Volume 4, No. 2. Archived March 8, 2012. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/MmAti
• 29
  Hayden Ludwig. “Big Green Lobbies to Steal from the Poor and Give to the Rich,” Capital Research Center, December 16, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/FAd49
• 30
  Hayden Ludwig. “Big Green Lobbies to Steal from the Poor and Give to the Rich,” Capital Research Center, December 16, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/FAd49
• 31
  Hayden Ludwig. “Big Green Lobbies to Steal from the Poor and Give to the Rich,” Capital Research Center, December 16, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/FAd49
• 32
  Hayden Ludwig. “Big Green Lobbies to Steal from the Poor and Give to the Rich,” Capital Research Center, December 16, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/wip/FAd49
• 33
  “UPCOMING FEATURE FILM: No Safe Spaces,” Capital Research Center, June 30, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/6bgDL
• 34
  “UPCOMING FEATURE FILM: No Safe Spaces,” Capital Research Center, June 30, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/6bgDL
• 35
  Michael Rechtshaffen. “Review: Free speech doc ‘No Safe Spaces’ clearly sides with one set of voices,” Los Angeles Times, November 24, 2019. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/qzwwy
• 36
  “Dear Mr. President” (PDF), retrieved from Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 37
  Graham Readfearn. “Conservative Groups Pushing Trump To Exit Paris Climate Deal Have Taken Millions From Koch Brothers, Exxon,” DeSmog, May 10, 2017.
• 38
  Susanne Goldberg. “Conservative groups spend up to bn a year to fight action on climate change,” The Guardian, December 20, 2013. Archived May 12, 2017. Archive URL: https://archive.is/TB2yy
• 39
  “CPAC 2017 Sponsors,” cpac.conservative.org. Archived March 6, 2017. Archive URL: https://archive.is/SKFRU
• 40
  “Capital Research Center is live at CPAC 2017!” Capital Research Center, February 22, 2017. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.is/Z4e0T
• 41
  “Witch-Hunt 2015: Leftist politicians and the media try to blacklist scientists who are skeptical about Global Warming,” Capital Research Centre, April 1, 2015. Archived October 18, 2015. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/3lTIK
• 42
  Lisa Song. “A Guide To Willie Soon’s Climate Research Funded by Fossil Fuel Companies,” InsideClimate News, February 23, 2015. Archived Dec 24, 2019. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/8zcMd
• 43
  (Press Release). “Corporate-funded Lobbyists Aimed to Sabotage Johannesburg Summit,” allAfrica.com, August 19, 2002. Archived April 29, 2003. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/NQslY
• 44
  Betsy Z. Russel. “Green extremist site launched,” Spokesman Review, September 14, 2001. Archived June 14, 2012. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/snLZo
• 45
  T Friend, “Charities anti-tobacco lobbying is criticized,” USA Today, Bates no 2023914980, June 28, 1990.
• 46
  White J, Bero LA (February 2004). “Public health under attack: the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST) and the tobacco industry”. Am J Public Health, 94 (2): 240–50. doi:10.2105/AJPH.94.2.240. PMID 14759933. PMC 1448234.
• 47
  PM, PHILIP MORRIS,MARDEN,RE. 1994 September 06. Bates Number: 2044720167.
• 48
  “Contact,” Capital Research Center. Archived March 10, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/BmhGK
• 49
  Factsheet: Capital Research Center and Greenwatch, CRC. Accessed March 10, 2020.
• 50
  “About Us,” Influence Watch. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/wip/cag6F
• 51
  “About GreenWatch,” Capital Research Center. Archived October 10, 2010. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/h7v6t
• 52
  “UPCOMING FEATURE FILM: No Safe Spaces,” Capital Research Center, June 30, 2017. Archived March 11, 2020. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.vn/6bgDL