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The State Policy Network (SPN) is an umbrella group of right-wing “think tanks” across the country. New York

is home to several SPN members and associate members, most notably the Manhattan Institute, which isone of the most influential national right-wing think tanks in the United States, and its spinoff state-based “thinktank,” the Empire Center for New York State Policy. While these organizations claim to be focused on issues

important to the people of New York, they actually push an agenda dictated by its national right-wing fundersand partners.

Found in 1978, the Manhattan Institute has focused onadvancing the right-wing agenda on both the state and national

level throughout its history. In 2005, the Manhattan Institutelaunched the Empire Center  as special project to focus on

state policy as a member of SPN. In 2013 the Empire Centerwas supposedly “re-launched” as its own independent

organization, although it remains closely connected with theManhattan Institute.

  Defund and privatize New York’spublic schools through voucher

programs

  Rollback regulations and taxes oncorporations

  Oppose minimum wage and livingwage laws

  Block access to affordablehealthcare for New York families

  Oppose renewable energy sources,while also promoting fossil fuels

and fracking

  Oppose workers’ collectivebargaining rights

  Cut benefits for retirees with publicpension deforms

The Empire Center: Research, accessed

10/7/2013

Tobacco industry documents reveal that the ManhattanInstitute sought funding from tobacco companies, including

Brown & Williamson, and has received funding from R.J.Reynolds. In 1991, Lorillard, Inc. budgeted a $4,000contribution to the Manhattan Institute and the same amount in1996. Philip Morris budgeted $25,000 for the Institute in 1995.

 A 1997 R.J. Reynolds memo reveals RJR's intent to use theManhattan Institute as a third party to help the company

reduce the public's perception of danger from exposure tosecondhand smoke. 

The Manhattan Institute has continued to receive funding fromBig Tobacco, as the institute is listed on Altria’s (formerly Philip

Morris) list of organizations receiving corporation contributionsin 2012.

The State Policy Network, which both the Empire Center and the Manhattan Institute are members of, is alongtime sponsor and member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). In addition, several

Manhattan Institute staff members have been speakers at ALEC conferences in the past.

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Manhattan Institute chairman Paul Singer is one of the best known GOP mega-donors. Singer, a venture

capitalist, contributed at least $1,000,000 in 2011 to Restore Our Future (the pro-Mitt Romney Super Pac)and $2,400 each to Mark Kirk and Randy Altschuler in 2010. Greg Palast of the BBC reported that Singercontributed $300,000 in the 2000 election and $1.2 million in 2004 to the Republican Party, while the Center

for Media and Democracy found that Singer also contributed $25,000 to the lobbying front group Vets forFreedom Action Fund during the 2005 – 2006 election cycle. The New York Times also reported in 2007 that

Singer contributed $1.5 million to Progress for America. 

Singer was reported to have engaged in debt manipulation by buying under potentially-illegal circumstancesworthless or forgiven debts owed by impoverished countries and then collecting on them for hundreds of

times their original amount. In one instance, Singer obtained a Congo-Brazzaville debt for $10 million, thensued the country to collect the debt for a profit of $127 million. 

Singer  was also acknowledged by the Koch brothers at the privately held seminar in June 2011 in Vail,Colorado for donating at least $1 million to Koch-related causes.

Up until the Empire Center’s re-launch in 2013, it was funded by the Manhattan Institute. While neitherorganization is required to disclose its donors to the public, IRS documents have revealed over $35 million in

Manhattan Institute funding, including:

  $6.7 million from the Olin Foundation

  $5.5 million from the Bradley Foundation

  $4.5 million from the Scaife Foundations

  $2.9 million from the Searle Freedom Trust

  $2 million from the Koch brothers’ foundations 

  $1.3 million from the Koch-funded Donors Trust/Donors Capital Fund

  $950,000 from the California-based Jaquelin Hume Foundation

  $546,525 from the Walton Family Foundation (of Walmart)

  $365,000 from Exxon Mobil

  $165,000 from the Coors family’s Castle Rock Foundation (of Coors Brewing Company) 

  $155,000 form PhRMA