George Mason University
 George Mason University  (University)     | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Motto | Freedom and Learning |
| Formation | 1949 |
| Headquarters | Virginia, USA |
| Type | • Public • research university • sea grant |
| Sponsored by | Carnegie Corporation, Hewlett Foundation, Koch family foundations, Open Philanthropy, Scaife Foundations |
| Other name | Patriots |
| Virginia-based university heavily Koch-funded. Notable for hosting over 40 libertarian research centers and affiliates. | |
George Mason University is a Virginia-based public university near Washington, D.C. A "magnet for right-wing money" [1] and heavily Koch-funded[2], it is notable for hosting over 40 libertarian research centers and affiliates including the Institute for Humane Studies and the Mercatus Center.
Contents
History
The university began as the Northern Virginia branch of the University of Virginia in 1957. In 1972 it had grown to the point where it officially separated from its parent institution.
It became a "magnet for right-wing money" during the 1990s: from 1992 through 1994, 12 libertarian foundations invested a combined total of $8.55 million in various academic programs and institutes of George Mason University. It was this funding that help establish (and continues to support) the University's unrivalled set of libertarian "study centers", which aim to recruit and support young, free-market-oriented students - typically through paid-for "study trips", seminars, and placements.
Study Centers
The most influential of George Mason University's study centers are:
- Institute for Humane Studies (Charles Koch appears to be chairman of its Board of Directors)[ http://www.theihs.org/koch-summer-fellow-program/faqs#159 ]
- Mercatus Center (Charles Koch sits on its Board of Directors)[1]
- Center for Market Processes ("was a precursor to the Mercatus Center")
- Center for the Study of Public Choice
- Law and Economics Program and Center
Funding
In April 2016, GMU announced that the Charles Koch Foundation was contributing $10 million to its law school. This contribution came at the same time as a $20 million anonymous donation that was contingent on the school being renamed the Antonin Scalia School of Law.[3]
"Since 1985, George Mason University (GMU), and its associated institutes and centers, has received more funding from the Koch Family Charitable Foundations than any other organization."[2]
Between 2011 and 2014, the Charles Koch Foundation gave $48 million to GMU, the Associated Press has calculated.[4]
The Mercatus Center is currently the main focus of right-wing and libertarian funding. Between 1999 and 2001, the Mercatus Center was the third largest recipient of conservative foundation money (a position previously held by the Institute of Humane Studies). [2]
As of April 2011, George Mason University is listed among the funders of Princeton-based Climate Central[5], though this just reflects Climate Central's subcontracting on an NSF grant to GMU's Center for Climate Change Communication.[6]
Employees on Wikispooks
| Employee | Job | Appointed | End | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellen Laipson | Director of Center for Security Policy Studies | 2015 | ||
| John Otho Marsh | Adjunct Professor | 2008 | 2019 | Teaching a course on technology, terrorism and national security |
Sponsors
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| Carnegie Corporation | Established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911, with large grants especially to form the education sector. Lots of grants to "security" think tanks too. |
| Hewlett Foundation | Huge foundation setting the agenda by funding lots of deep state projects. |
| Koch family foundations | Controlled by the billionaire Koch brothers, who finance the 'right' in US politics when they say the right things. |
| Open Philanthropy | Grant maker funneling deep state money among other things to pandemic planning. Financed Event 201. |
| Scaife Foundations | Grant-making foundation overseen by the late right-wing billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife. |
Alumni on Wikispooks
| Person | Born | Died | Nationality | Summary | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Bennett | 22 November 2024 | Whistleblower Spook Journalist | Spent 2 years in jail as a result of speaking his mind and attempting to blow the whistle on fraud and corruption inside the US war machine. | ||
| Sibel Edmonds | 18 January 1970 | Iran Turkey US | Author Whistleblower Journalist | Sibel Edmonds was recruited by the FBI as a translator in the wake of 9/11. She quickly turned whistleblower when she discovered security breaches, cover-ups and malpractice at numerous levels. The US government has made her "the most gagged person in the history of the United States". | |
| Chris Edwards | |||||
| Christine Fox | |||||
| Hala Gorani | 1 March 1970 | US | Journalist | A YGL 2011 who worked for CNN 1998-2022 | |
| Deborah Hersman | 7 May 1970 | Bureaucracy | Investigated collision of two Washington Metro trains and over 25 major transportation incidents. | ||
| Zachary Petrizzo | 1999 | US | Propagandist | "Conservative activist turned leftist propagandist". Very suspect. | |
| Steve Ricchetti | Lobbyist | Counselor to President Biden, lobbyist | |||
| Karl Rove | 25 December 1950 | Deep politician | "That’s not the way the world really works anymore. We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality." |
References
- ↑ http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipientprofile.php?recipientID=413
- ↑ a b http://www.desmogblog.com/koch-and-george-mason-university quote=Since 1985, George Mason University (GMU), and its associated institutes and centers, has received more funding from the Koch Family Charitable Foundations than any other organization--a total of $29,604,354. The George Mason University Foundation has received the most funding, $20,297,143, while the Institute for Humane Studies has been directly given $3,111,457, the Mercatus Center $1,442,000, and George Mason University itself has received $4,753,754.
- ↑ Lee Fang, "Law School Sells Naming Rights to Secretive Antonin Scalia Fan," The Intercept, April 1, 2016.
- ↑ Matthew Barakat, "George Mason University becomes a favorite of Charles Koch," Associated Press, April 1, 2016.
- ↑ http://www.climatecentral.org/about/funding/
- ↑ Ben Strauss email 2011-04-11; see reference on Climate Central page for detail.
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