Freedom Foundation (Washington)

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Freedom Foundation
Formation1991
FounderBob Williams
TypePublic policy think tank
Location
LeaderTom McCabe
Budget
Revenue: $2,170,285
Expenses: $2,211,611
(FYE December 2014)[1]
Websitemyfreedomfoundation.com
Formerly called
Evergreen Freedom Foundation

The Freedom Foundation (formerly known as the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, EFF) is a state-based free market conservative think tank located in the state of Washington.[2][3] The organization, a member of the State Policy Network, has a stated mission "to advance individual liberty, free enterprise, and limited, accountable government."[4]

Policy research

The Freedom Foundation's efforts center on public policy research in the areas of state budget and tax policy, education, labor policy, property rights, legal policy, and citizenship and governance. Policy analysts for the Freedom Foundation have opposed minimum wage increases[5][6] and mandatory paid sick leave.[7] The organization was founded in 1991 by Lynn Harsh and former Republican legislator and gubernatorial candidate Bob Williams.[8]

Activities

The organization filed a complaint against the Washington Education Association (WEA), accusing the union of unlawfully spending worker fees on politics.[9] In response to that complaint, the state in turn sued the teachers union on the grounds that the WEA was unlawfully spending some workers' fees on politics. The matter was taken on appeal to the United States Supreme Court.[10] The Supreme Court decided that states can require public-employee labor unions to get consent from workers before using their fees for political activities.[9] The Washington State Legislature later modified the law in a way that blunted the court's decision.[9]

In 2007, the organization sponsored the "Take the Field with Glenn Beck" event at Seattle's Safeco Field. About 7,000 people attended.[11]

In March 2015, the Freedom Foundation filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of four family child-care providers who objected to paying union fees to SEIU 925.[12]

In November 2015, the Freedom Foundation pulled one of its podcasts on which the podcast host and a Washington state legislator laughed at the Middle Eastern surname of a state Democratic Party spokesman.[13]

In May 2016, a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against the Freedom Foundation by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office, and dismissal of that case was appealed to the Washington Supreme Court. The lawsuit accused the Freedom Foundation of breaking state campaign-finance laws. Ferguson's office has also filed campaign-disclosure lawsuits against several unions in response to complaints from the Freedom Foundation. Two affiliates of the Service Employees International Union settled lawsuits by agreeing to pay civil penalties to the state over campaign-disclosure omissions.[14]

In October 2016, the office of Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that it had filed a complaint alleging campaign finance violations by the Freedom Foundation regarding the organization's opposition to Initiative 1501, a statewide ballot measure. The complaint was initiated by the Service Employees International Union, which organized the campaign promoting the initiative.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Charity Rating". Charity Navigator. Also see "Quickview data". GuideStar.
  2. ^ Johnson, Gene (17 March 2014). "Two-term justice to retire early from state Supreme Court". KOMO News. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  3. ^ Tsong, Nicole (April 16, 2009). "Thousands in Puget Sound region protest government spending". Seattle Times. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  4. ^ "About". Freedom Foundation. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  5. ^ Nelson, Maxford (26 January 2014). "Raising Minimum Wage a Burden, not a Benefit". Herald Net. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  6. ^ Nelson, Maxford (15 April 2014). "Why "$15 Now" Has Nothing to Do With Inflation, Productivity, or a Living Wage". Seattle Met. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  7. ^ Nelson, Maxford; Saltsman, Michael (January 24, 2014). "Paid sick leave a drag on business". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  8. ^ Smith, Erik (November 27, 2013). "Tom McCabe to Take Over Reins at Freedom Foundation". Washington State Wire. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  9. ^ a b c Garber, Andrew (15 June 2007). "Court rules against unions in fee case". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  10. ^ Ralph Thomas (2007-01-09). "Union fight reaches high court". The Seattle Times. Seattle Times. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  11. ^ "Beck Speaks to 7,000 at Seattle: 'The American people have not surrendered!'". Seattle Times. 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2011-04-05.
  12. ^ Brunner, Jim (5 March 2015). "Labor law challenged: Freedom Foundation sues SEIU 925". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  13. ^ "Conservative podcast pulled after host laughs at Democrat's Middle Eastern name". Seattle Times. 2015-11-30. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
  14. ^ Brunner, Jim (13 May 2016). "Judge tosses state AG's lawsuit accusing Freedom Foundation of breaking campaign laws". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Freedom Foundation violating campaign-disclosure rules, state Attorney General's Office says". Seattle Times. 2016-10-28. Retrieved 2016-12-13.

External links

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