The front-page headline in the August 8 New York Times read: "Scholarship or Business? Think Tanks Blur The Line: Researchers are Viewed as Independent but Often Push Donors' Agendas".
The story and its sequel were result of a multi-month collaboration between the Times and the New England Center for Investigative Reporting. WGBH News' Morning Edition host Bob Seay spoke with Brooke Williams, the reporter who spearheaded the investigation for NECIR's The Eye.
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Bob Seay: Your investigation found that 'think tanks', those tax-exempt organizations that often position themselves as 'universities without students' are not always what they seem.
The story quoted Senator Elizabeth Warren, who said that giant corporations have figured out that by spending millions of dollars they can influence the outcomes in Washington that can make them billions of dollars.
Joining us to discuss the analysis is Brooke Williams, Senior Investigative Reporter at WGBH's partner, the New England Center for Investigative Reporting. Good morning and welcome.
Brooke Williams: Good morning, thanks for having me.
Seay: Well Brooke, what did you find?
Williams: Well, we found that some of the most prestigious think tanks in the world are, in effect, selling trust. Where law makers and others might believe that these research institutions have the independence to publish papers in the public interest and produce research that helps to shape public policy, this isn't exactly what's been happening. For instance, the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C., largely regarded as one of the most prestigious think tanks in the world, solicited donations from Lennar Corporation. Now, Lennar is one of the country's largest homebuilders, and at the time it was looking to develop land in San Francisco, there was strong public opposition to this project because of toxic waste that was at the sight. Now, in approaching Lennar, Brookings asked for money and said, you know, we can help you engage with national media to develop stories that, quote, "highlight Lennar's innovative approach."
Seay: We've heard about Brookings -- are other think tanks involved in this?
Williams: Our investigation found it is widespread. Corporations, in essence, have found that donating money to think tanks to fund specific reports is a useful tool to their overall lobbying campaign. The Center for Strategic and International Studies, for instance, we found that in one case General Atomics funded a report that looked into whether or not defense contractors should be able to sell predator drones, so weaponized drones, to other countries. It was a question the State Department was considering, and not one did CSIS accept the money to produce this study, but it went farther. It talked to officials at the State Department and policy makers at high levels. And the report came out in favor of selling these drones to other countries, and the State Department within a year changed the rules so that they could.
Seay: Now, in Part II of this investigation, you focused on the scholars themselves, who are employed by these think tanks. What did you find?
Williams: That's right. So, I examined all of the scholars at about seventy think tanks, and I compared those scholars with registered lobbyists for industry, and with consultants for industry, as well as the board members of companies. And I found that many many scholars had outside positions for the very same industries that could benefit from their reports. So what the public and lawmakers aren't realizing in many cases is, is that they were funded by the industry that would benefit from them.
Seay: Now how have the think tanks responded to this?
Williams: So Brookings has maintained their work is independent, that donors do not influence their work, and at CSIS, my co-reporter on this story Eric Lipton attended an event. And at that event, we had a scholar up on the stage, and next to him were his clients. He's a registered lobbyist, and he's asking them questions in this forum that appears to be discussing policy issues. And no where was it disclosed that he's talking to his very own lobbying clients. So Eric approached them after this event and said, what do you think about this? Is this independent? Isn't this lobbying? And shortly thereafter, CSIS put on their website for this particular event that it wasn't appropriate.
Seay: So, as a result of this are there changes being made in these think tanks?
Williams: Yes. Brookings and the Urban Institute in particular have been changing their policies in regard to scholars who hold outside positions. There's movement to not allow scholars to testify before Congress under the think tank name when they're in fact paid by industry or the company.
Seay: Thank you so much. Brooke Williams, Senior Investigative Reporter with WGBH's partner, the New England Center for Investigative Reporting. Thanks for joining us this morning.
Williams: Thank you.
