Heritage Foundation Caught in DeLay Web

Excellent investigative piece in the wapo this weekend by Tom Edsall. He covers the background of the ultraconservative Heritage Foundation "think tank" (how ironic is that?) and their ties to foreign money. Apparently the group was extremely critical of Malaysia, and in particular their autocratic leadership, for a number of years. Then, suddenly, Heritage began having close business ties to that country through several of their members and their families. Suddenly, their tune changed and they became big fans of Malaysia, paying for numerous trips by diplomats and congressmen to visit the country. And who do you suppose was involved?

The close relationships between the think tank and lobbying interests were apparent on the 2001 trip to Malaysia. Heritage paid expenses for [Tom] DeLay, Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Ander Crenshaw, both Republicans from Florida, and their spouses; Edwin and Linda Feulner, and Sheffer. Joining them on the trip but paying his own way, according to Edwin Feulner, was Buckham, the former DeLay aide and chairman of the Alexander Strategy Group.

You don't have to turn over very many rocks these days to see creepy, crawly things scattering from the sunlight. I don't think any progressive minded person had much doubt about the partisan, biased stance of the Heritage Foundation, but now the curtains are down completely. Check out the whole article. There's a lot of interesting background information there.