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Heartland Institute
The Heartland Institute is an American conservative and libertarian 501(c)(3) nonprofit public policy think tank known for its rejection of both the scientific consensus on climate change and the negative health impacts of smoking.
Founded in 1984, it worked with tobacco company Philip Morris throughout the 1990s to attempt to discredit the health risks of secondhand smoke and lobby against smoking bans. Since the 2000s, the Heartland Institute has been a leading promoter of climate change denial.
The institute was founded in 1984 by Chicago investor David H. Padden, who served as the organization's chairman until 1995. Padden had been a director of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C., since its founding as the Charles Koch Foundation in 1974. Padden was also a former director of Citizens for a Sound Economy, the Acton Institute, the Foundation for Economic Education, and the Center for Libertarian Studies. At age 26, Joseph L. Bast became Heartland's first employee. Bast's wife, Diane, was Heartland's publications director.
In the 1990s, the Heartland institute worked with the tobacco company Philip Morris to question serious cancer risks from secondhand smoke, and to lobby against government public-health regulations. Starting in 2008, Heartland has organized conferences to question the scientific consensus on climate change.
After the election of U.S. president Barack Obama in November 2008, the institute became involved with the Tea Party movement. In 2011, the organization's director of communications said that "the support of the Tea Party groups across the country has been extremely valuable." Heartland was among the organizers of the September 2009 Tea Party protest march, the Taxpayer March on Washington.
In March 2020, Heartland laid off staff, reportedly in response to financial issues; they also removed its president, Frank Lasee.
Since 2023, the institute has worked with right-wing members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from Poland, Hungary and Austria, helping coordinate campaigns against proposed environmental laws. In December 2024, the institute opened a European branch, Heartland UK/Europe, in London; the opening was attended by former UK prime minister Liz Truss; Nigel Farage, the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, and several Tory MPs.
The institute advocates free market policies. The policy orientation of Heartland has been described as conservative, libertarian, and right wing.
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Heartland Institute
The Heartland Institute is an American conservative and libertarian 501(c)(3) nonprofit public policy think tank known for its rejection of both the scientific consensus on climate change and the negative health impacts of smoking.
Founded in 1984, it worked with tobacco company Philip Morris throughout the 1990s to attempt to discredit the health risks of secondhand smoke and lobby against smoking bans. Since the 2000s, the Heartland Institute has been a leading promoter of climate change denial.
The institute was founded in 1984 by Chicago investor David H. Padden, who served as the organization's chairman until 1995. Padden had been a director of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C., since its founding as the Charles Koch Foundation in 1974. Padden was also a former director of Citizens for a Sound Economy, the Acton Institute, the Foundation for Economic Education, and the Center for Libertarian Studies. At age 26, Joseph L. Bast became Heartland's first employee. Bast's wife, Diane, was Heartland's publications director.
In the 1990s, the Heartland institute worked with the tobacco company Philip Morris to question serious cancer risks from secondhand smoke, and to lobby against government public-health regulations. Starting in 2008, Heartland has organized conferences to question the scientific consensus on climate change.
After the election of U.S. president Barack Obama in November 2008, the institute became involved with the Tea Party movement. In 2011, the organization's director of communications said that "the support of the Tea Party groups across the country has been extremely valuable." Heartland was among the organizers of the September 2009 Tea Party protest march, the Taxpayer March on Washington.
In March 2020, Heartland laid off staff, reportedly in response to financial issues; they also removed its president, Frank Lasee.
Since 2023, the institute has worked with right-wing members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from Poland, Hungary and Austria, helping coordinate campaigns against proposed environmental laws. In December 2024, the institute opened a European branch, Heartland UK/Europe, in London; the opening was attended by former UK prime minister Liz Truss; Nigel Farage, the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, and several Tory MPs.
The institute advocates free market policies. The policy orientation of Heartland has been described as conservative, libertarian, and right wing.