Overview
- Advancing American Freedom announced it added 13 former Heritage scholars and staff, including legal chief John Malcolm, economist Richard Stern, and data head Kevin Dayaratna.
- Heritage said it fired Malcolm and programs deputy Jessica Reinsch for conduct “inconsistent” with the organization’s standards, framing broader exits as disloyalty.
- Heritage president Kevin Roberts told employees that most personnel from the think tank’s legal and economic centers were leaving effective immediately.
- AAF said it raised more than $10 million in recent weeks to fund the hires, with leaders saying the additions effectively double the organization’s size.
- The shake-up widened as three Heritage trustees resigned in recent weeks and, according to new reports, Hans von Spakovsky and Cully Stimson also quit, with AAF’s Tim Chapman calling the shift a “reorganization of the conservative movement.”