Heartland Institute in financial crisis after billboard controversy

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/24/heartland-institute-billboard-controversy


Billboards in Chicago paid for by The Heartland Institute Photograph: The Heartland Institute

The ultra-conservative Heartland Institute admitted it was in financial crisis on Wednesday, with the flight of corporate donors making it difficult to pay staff or cover the costs of its annual conference aimed at debunking climate science.

In a speech at the close of this year's climate conference, Heartland's president, Joseph Bast, acknowledged that a provocative ad campaign comparing believers in human-made climate change to psychopaths had exacted a heavy cost.

However, Bast also attributed Heartland's current problems to his weakness in financial management.

"These conferences are expensive, and I'm not a good fundraiser so as a result I don't raise enough money to cover them. We really scramble to make payroll as a result to cover these expenses," Bast said.

[drm604]

1. This is what needs to happen to all of these goofy right-wing "think tanks".