Politics

Pence-Led Nonprofit Hires Over a Dozen Heritage Foundation Staffers

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Dec 23, 2025

THE BARE STORY

More than a dozen employees from the Heritage Foundation have been hired by Advancing American Freedom (AAF), a nonprofit led by former Vice President Mike Pence. The move, which reportedly doubles the size of AAF, includes the entirety of Heritage's legal, data, and economics centers. The president of AAF, Tim Chapman, described the staff changes as a "reorganization of the conservative movement."

The departures occurred in the weeks following a video released in late October by Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts. The video was reportedly a defense of a podcast host who had recently interviewed a neo-Nazi. Chapman told reporters that the video was the "straw that broke the camel's back" for the departing employees, adding that the leadership of the three centers had already approached AAF weeks prior about leaving Heritage.

Several departing individuals publicly criticized Heritage’s leadership. Departing board member Shane McCullar stated he took issue with the think tank "hesitating to condemn antisemitism." Scholar Josh Blackman, who also resigned, wrote that Roberts's actions were a "blunder that aided antisemitism" which made his affiliation untenable. Amy Swearer, one of the departing employees, reportedly said in a staff meeting that Roberts’s handling of the situation was an "act of cowardice."

Since the October video, three Heritage board members have resigned, and the National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism has cut ties with the organization. After the head of Heritage's legal center departed for AAF, his replacements resigned the following day. One report indicated the former legal center head was fired for planning his resignation without disclosing his next employer.

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Perspective by Claude

• The move represents a significant reorganization within the conservative movement. Advancing American Freedom (AAF) President Tim Chapman described the hiring of over a dozen Heritage Foundation employees as a "reorganization of the conservative movement." The transfer doubles the size of AAF and includes the complete legal, data, and economics centers from Heritage.

• Staff left due to leadership's perceived failure to address antisemitism. Departing individuals cited Heritage leadership's handling of a controversy as the reason for their exit. According to AAF's president, a video in which the Heritage president reportedly defended a podcast host who interviewed a neo-Nazi was the "straw that broke the camel's back." A departing scholar wrote that the action was a "blunder that aided antisemitism," while a former board member said he took issue with the organization "hesitating to condemn antisemitism."

• Dissatisfaction with Heritage leadership predated the final controversy. While the October video triggered the mass departure, the leaders of the three centers that left had already approached AAF weeks prior about moving their teams. This suggests that significant discontent with the Heritage Foundation's direction existed before the specific incident that prompted their resignations.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• This shift in staff between major conservative organizations, described as a "reorganization," may alter the focus of future policy proposals presented to lawmakers.

• The transfer of entire legal, data, and economics centers to a new group could affect the type of research and analysis influencing future legislation and court cases.

• The long-term effects on specific U.S. policies are unclear, depending on how the influence of these competing think tanks evolves in the political landscape.

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