One way that foreign governments (and their intelligence services) seek to influence the American government is through donations to Washington think tanks.
The top 50 think tanks that shape policy direction and legislation in Washington received over $174 million in foreign money from 2014 to 2018, according to a new analysis conducted by the Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative at the Center for International Policy.
“A significant amount of foreign funding at think tanks comes from authoritarian regimes whose aims often diverge significantly from U.S. interests. In a variety of instances… we’ve learned that this funding can significantly influence the work being done at think tanks,” states the report.
Barbara Boland comments at The American Conservative
What does all this money buy? Think tanks contribute to the Washington ecosystem in a variety of ways: their writers and influence-peddlers appear as experts on news shows and pen op-eds, they conduct in-depth research on policy, they draft legislation, and they write talking points, memos and Congressional scorecards. Think tanks are homes for former and future government officials: they employ former former senators, representatives, executive branch officials, and their staff.
Source: Foreign Governments Are Greasing U.S. Think Tank ‘Experts’ With Millions | The American Conservative
