Leadership Institute

The Leadership Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Arlington, Virginia that teaches "political technology." [1] The Institute's mission is to "identify, train, recruit and place conservatives in politics, government, and media" through a variety of programs offered at the Institute's Arlington headquarters or at its many training seminars held around the United States, mostly on college campuses. As of January 2006, the Leadership Institute had trained more than 47,000 students.

Fundraising and non-partisanship

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Leadership Institute is required by law to remain non-partisan. Thus the Institute cannot endorse or support any party or candidate, though it is free to be philosophically conservative. The Institute's founder and president, Morton Blackwell, is very active in the Republican Party, but the Leadership Institute carefully guards its non-partisan status. Anyone is welcome to be trained by the Leadership Institute, whether Republican or Democrat. The classes are usually taught by conservatives, but instructors are generally careful to use examples from both parties and all points on the political spectrum. Although its funding comes from wealthy conservatives ($7 million per year), Morton Blackwell, the institute's president, claims that it does not teach family values or conservative ideology per se. In fact, Mark Montini, one of the institute's teachers, has told his classes that Bill Clinton's skills as a communicator were greater than those of Ronald Reagan, the 'Great Communicator.' Many of the students agree with this observation and see the 'technology' as being politically neutral. Student Leslie Quillen, 22, said "If we can use the technology from the other side to convey the message that we sincerely believe, that is when we will win." The Leadership Institute raises much of its money through direct-mailing campaigns. A recent letter (May 7, 2005) sent to potential donors came with the signature of J.C. Watts, a Republican representative from Oklahoma. The letter said that liberal media bias is out of control and something needs to be done about it.

Guest Speakers

• J.C. Watts- Republican representative- Oklahoma.
• Dick Armey- Republican Representative- Texas

Notable Leadership Institute Graduates

• United States Senator Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
• Senator Alex Mooney, Maryland State Senator
• Former Governor Jim Gilmore, Virginia
• Congressman David McIntosh, Indiana
• Congressman Mark Souder, Indiana
• Congresswoman Jo-Ann Davis, Virginia
• Congressman Joe Wilson, South Carolina
• Rep. David Miner, North Carolina State Assembly
• Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
• Ralph Reed, Former Executive Director, Christian Coalition
• Rob Anders, Conservative Member of Parliament, Canada
• Tony Rudy, former Legislative Director for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
• Jack Abramoff, lobbyist
• Eugene Delgaudio, President, Public Advocate
• Tony Zagotta, former Chairman College Republican National Committee
• Amanda Carpenter, Assistant Editor, Human Events Magazine
• Jeff Giesea, Publisher, FierceWireless and FierceFinance [2]
• Dan Perrin, Publisher, HSA Insider [3]
• Scott Huch, President, The Delta Group
• Susan Hirschmann former Chief of Staff to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
• Amy Ridenour, President National Center for Public Policy Research

References

New York Times article [4]