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

The Iowa Public Interest Institute (PII) is SPNs cookie-cutter think tank in Iowa. Founded in 1989 by Dr. Don Racheter (but beginning operations in 1991), the Public Interest Institute is an Iowa-based conservative think tank that claims to focus on limiting government spending and the privatization of government services.

Block access to affordable healthcare for Iowans

Defund and privatize Iowas public schools with vouchers Oppose increasing the minimum wage

Deny the science of climate change and oppose environmental protections Oppose measures aimed at curbing tobacco use

Public Interest Institute, accessed 10/2/2013

In 2007, PIIs Chairman David Stanley was accused of fraud and mismanagement over his familys charity, E&M Charities. Stanleys family alleged that he had illegally transferred money into organizations that other family members could not touch. IRS tax forms show that between 2001 and 2003, E&M Charities gave $170,000 to the Public Interest Institute and $240,000 to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, among other groups. E&M Charities was also a Chairman level sponsor of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and there are several reports of ALEC receiving loans from E&M Charities. E&M Charities dissolved in 2010, and the accusations resulted in a $24 million lawsuit between the Stanley family.

PII President and founder Donald Racheter was subjected to widespread media attention and criticism in 2012 when he reinforced the idea that President Barack Obama may not be a natural born citizen. As chairman of the Iowa Republican Partys 2012 platform committee, Racheter defended the committee when it inserted the requirement of presidential candidates to show proof of being a natural born citizen of the United States in order be put on the ballot in the partys 2012 platform.

While the Public Interest Institute is not required to disclose its donors to the public, and does not do so voluntarily, the identity of PIIs few known donors shows the organization is largely funded by out -of-state right-wing special interests. The largest known PII funder is the Koch-funded Donors Trust/Donors Capital Fund, known as the dark money ATM of the conservative movement, which funneled $200,959 to IPP in just the three years between 2008 and 2010. In 2009 alone, Donors funding made up nearly 72% of IPPs total revenue. Other known funders include the State Policy Network ($21,250), the Earhart Foundation ($15,000), and the Roe Foundation ($1,000).
[Public Interest Institute IRS 990, 2009; American Bridge Conservative Transparency]

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