Virginia is home to two State Policy Network (SPN) think tanks: the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public

Policy (TJI) and the Virginia Institute for Public Policy (VIPP). SPN is an umbrella group of right-wing think tanks across the country. While the two think tanks claim to be focused on issues important to Virginians, they actually push an agenda dictated by their national right-wing funders and partners.

Defund and privative Virginias public schools through voucher and tax credit programs Deny the science of climate change, oppose renewable energy, and repeal pollution protections Block access to affordable healthcare for Virginian families Lower corporate taxes

Governor Bob McDonnell (R-VA)

Despite both TJI and VIPPs claim to be nonpartisan, both have deep ties to Republicans and the national right-wing network. The Thomas Jefferson Institute is known for its close ties to Governor Bob McDonnell and the Virginia Republican Party. In June 2011, Campaigns and Elections magazine listed TJI President Michael W. Thompson as one of the most influential Republicans in Virginia, citing his work for state Republican causes and his involvement in McDonnells 2009 campaign, where cochaired the campaigns Government Reform Issues Committee. Additionally TJIs Thompsons influence is also seen in political contributions, as he has contributed nearly $22,000 to Republican candidates and committees on the state and federal level, including to Bob McDonnell, Mitt Romney, John McCain, George Allen, Herman Cain, Eric Cantor, Ken Cuccinelli, the Virginia Republican Party, and several Republican campaign committees. TJI, through its staff and board, are connected to national right-wing organizations such as Heritage Foundation and the Reason Foundation, while numerous staff and board members have worked for Republican politicians both in and out of Virginia. Similarly, VIPP is connected to and has worked with several national right-wing organizations, including the Koch foundations, the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, and the Heartland Institute.

Thomas Jefferson Institute, accessed 9/13/2013 VA Institute for Public Policy, accessed 9/13/2013

In 2009, TJI reported receiving $224,363 in revenue, 87% of which supposedly came from individual donors, 7.5% from foundations, and 5.5% from corporations according to TJIs 2009 annual report. But according to its filings with the IRS, TJI took at least $170,450 from right-wing foundations, which is over 75% of their reported revenuemuch higher than the 7.5% they reported in their annual report. [TJI IRS 990, 2009)

While both TJI and VIPP are not required to disclose their donors to the public, and refuse to do so voluntarily, the few available records show they are largely funded by national right-wing foundations. Both TJI and VIPP have received hundreds of thousands from the Koch-funded Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, known as the dark money ATM of the conservative movement. Other shared significant donors include the South Carolina-based Roe Foundation (of SPN founder Thomas Roe), the Californiabased Jaquelin Hume Foundation, the New York-based JM Foundation, and the State Policy Network. VIPP has also received funding from Coors familys Castle Rock Foundation (of Coors Brewing Company), and has advocated for privatizing liquor sales and lowering corporate and sales taxes. TJI received $7,500 from PhRMA in 2010. At the same time, TJI was working against healthcare reform such as the Affordable Care Act.