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Education
Issues
Homosexual Agenda
Corporate
Foundations Fund Anti-Alito Groups
by Timothy P.
Carney
HumanEventsOnline.com
Posted Dec 15, 2005
Wal-Mart,
Ford Motor Co., AT&T, and Fannie Mae are among the major U.S.
corporations whose foundations fund the liberal groups now waging war
against Samuel Alito’s nomination.
The left-wing Coalition for a Fair and Independent Judiciary has
launched a series of advertisements aimed at defeating Alito. The group
describes itself as “a national coalition of public interest
organizations,” and includes NARAL Pro-Choice America, the NAACP, the
National Organization of Women, and Americans United for Separation of
Church and State among others. The Alliance for Justice, People For the
American Way, and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights head the
Coalition.
Many of these groups are very well-funded, getting most of their money
from foundations. Among the foundations bankrolling them are the
philanthropic arms of many of America’s largest corporations.
The AT&T Foundation, for example, has contributed about $1 million
since 2000 to groups that are now actively opposing Alito’s
confirmation. AT&T Foundation has given $675,000 to the
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and $120,000 to the Mexican
American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF). AT&T Foundation
has also given around $200,000 to the NAACP or its affiliates.
The Congressional Black Caucus has announced it is opposing Alito’s
confirmation. CBC Chairman Mel Watt told the Associated Press, “The
members of the CBC are concerned about Judge Alito’s opinions, many in
dissent, in race cases where his decisions have disproportionately
affected African-Americans.” Similarly, MALDEF and the NAACP are
members of the Coalition for a Fair and Independent Judiciary, according
to the coalition’s website, www.FairJudiciary.org.
The AT&T Foundation has also funded other Coalition members,
including American Association of People with Disabilities and the Human
Rights Campaign.
AT&T spokeswoman Claudia Jones told HUMAN EVENTS that the money the
foundation gave to these groups was earmarked for specific programs and
it was “not for political advocacy.” As an example of an earmark,
AT&T said its $20,000 to the Human Rights Campaign, a member of the
anti-Alito coalition, was earmarked for FamilyNet, which HRC describes
as “A ‘Virtual Village’ where gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender families can visit neighborhoods . . . to learn about
parenting, finance or partnership agreements…. Picture a place online
where GLBT families can connect with each other and talk to experts on
adoption, relationships and the law.”
The Fannie Mae Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the secondary
mortgage giant Fannie Mae -- officially a Government-Sponsored
Enterprise -- also prolifically funds anti-Alito groups. The Fannie Mae
Foundation funds the CBC Foundation and NAACP. In the past, the
foundation has also funded the Alliance for Justice and MALDEF.
A Fannie Mae spokesman responded by e-mail to HUMAN EVENTS’ queries,
writing, “Support for these and other grantees is never for the
purpose of engaging in political activity of any kind.”
While Wal-Mart is under attack from the left, some of its philanthropic
money is bankrolling the left’s attacks on Alito. Wal-Mart gave the
CBC Foundation $25,000 in 2003. In January of 2003, the CBC came out
against Miguel Estrada’s nomination to a federal appeals court.
Wal-Mart has also funded the NAACP.
The three groups leading the anti-Alito coalition are among the most
unabashedly and broadly liberal members of the coalition. The Leadership
Council on Civil Rights receives millions from the Ford Foundation
(which is not affiliated with Ford Motor) and over half a million from
George Soros’ Open Society Institute, but also generous gifts from the
UPS Foundation, and the Time Warner Foundation.
People For the American Way has lead the battle against conservative
justices since its victory in the battle over Robert Bork. The Eastman
Kodak Charitable Trust has given more than half a million dollars to
PFAW since 2000.
While these foundations are separate entities from the corporations,
they are controlled by and funded by the corporations.
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=1088.1
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