J. Justin Wilson

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The Leadership Institute employed O’Keefe for a year to train conservative activists; while there, he formed a friendship with Ben Wetmore, another veteran campus conservative who put up the four activists at his home before the Landrieu escapade. But any attempt to make them the faces of conservative college journalism, argued Longwell, would be off-base.

“From what he’s said and what he’s doing, O’Keefe strikes me as an ideologue,” said Longwell. “To use him to define conservative campus journalism is silly.”

Longwell has gained some perspective on this. In 2005, she left the Intercollegiate Studies Institute–the umbrella organization that runs CN–for Berman and Company, a free-market public relations firm in Washington that aggravates liberals with dogged, smart-alecky campaigns against their causes.

Also joining Berman was Justin Wilson, once the editor of CN’s paper at the University of Michigan, then another program director at CN. Both later worked with <a title="Bret Jacobson" href="http://bretjacobson.com/" style=" font-weight: normal;">Bret Jacobson</a>, formerly the editor of the CN’s paper at the University of Oregon. (Before she came to CN, Longwell worked at a CN paper at Kenyon College.) In the years since, all three of them helped out with a punchy campaign against the Employee Free Choice Act–legislation that would make it easier for workers to form unions–at Berman’s Center on Union Facts. That campaign included <a title="ads" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu4oj_2E1jE" style=" font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ads</a> that portrayed union organizers as thugs and undercover <a title="videos" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7eIqS-o0QE" style=" font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">videos</a>–conducted with more subtlety than O’Keefe, who would pose in costume–that captured union strategists shifting their strategy. One measure of how successful Berman and Company was at frustrating Democrats came when the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) angrily <a title="ripped up one of the firm's anti-EFCA newspaper ads" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcJ5lKq3GY0" style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ripped up one of the firm’s anti-EFCA newspaper ads</a> in front of a cheering crowd of union workers.

According to activists who spoke with TWI, the experience of campus conservatives who went on to Berman is more representative of the movement’s investment in college journalism than the trials of James O’Keefe, Stan Dai, Joseph Basel and Ben Wetmore. It’s the sort of work that the three latter activists were doing until last week, using their training and connections to become players in the intelligence industry or in conservative activism. For the Leadership Institute, the Collegiate Network, and the National Journalism Center run by Young Americans for Freedom–just three of the conservative training organizations that have operated for more than a generation–the Landrieu debacle was a distraction from a project that had been going quite well. Conservative activists and journalists who’ve come out of those training programs have had a larger, but quieter, impact than O’Keefe. (Disclosure: I edited a CN paper, The Northwestern Chronicle, from 2002 to 2004, and I held a CN fellowship at USA Today from 2004 through 2005.) They’re well-funded–ISI, CN’s parent organization received, $8.3 million in contributions in 2009–and while they don’t release the names of donors, their trustees include American Spectator publisher Al Regnery (ISI), Heritage Foundation president Ed Fuelner (ISI), and GOP strategist Frank Donatelli (LI).

CN:

<h2 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Personnel (Past and Present)</h2>

<li>Bryan J. Auchterlonie (Executive Director). According to a biographical note on CN's website, he "also serves on the Advisory Council of the<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Young_Britons_Foundation" title="Young Britons Foundation" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Young Britons Foundation</a>, a London-based educational and training organization. Bryan graduated in 2001 from Kenyon College with a degree in political science. At Kenyon, he served as editor of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Kenyon_Observer&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Kenyon Observer (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Kenyon Observer</a>, a monthly opinion magazine, and was co-president of the College Republicans'.</li>

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<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Sarah_Longwell" title="Sarah Longwell" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Sarah Longwell</a> (Senior Program Officer). According to her biographical note, "is responsible for managing the campus mentoring program ... A staff writer for the Kenyon Observer, Sarah majored in political science with concentrated study in the declining standards and politicization of college curricula".</li>

<li>

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<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=J._Justin_Wilson" title="J. Justin Wilson" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">J. Justin Wilson</a> (Program Officer) According to his biographical note he is "a 2003 graduate of the University of Michigan where he edited the<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Michigan_Review&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Michigan Review (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Michigan Review</a>, which, in 2002, celebrated its 20th anniversary. Justin is responsible for campus mentoring visits, technical instruction for publications, grant administration, and website administration". He has been published in conservative publications including <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Review" title="National Review" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">National Review</a> and<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=TechCentralstation.com&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="TechCentralstation.com (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">TechCentralstation.com</a>.</li>

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<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Stephen_M._Klugewicz&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Stephen M. Klugewicz (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Stephen M. Klugewicz</a> (Executive Director). According to his biographical note he "served as Director of Education Programs for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bill_Of_Rights_Institute&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Bill Of Rights Institute (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Bill Of Rights Institute</a> in Arlington, Virginia. In 2002, Steve received his Ph.D. in American history from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, studying there under the eminent historian of the Founding era, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Forrest_McDonald&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Forrest McDonald (page does not exist)" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Forrest McDonald</a>. Steve is a member of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Philadelphia_Society" title="Philadelphia Society" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Philadelphia Society</a> and the recipient of several awards and honors, including two <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Earhart_Foundation" title="Earhart Foundation" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Earhart Foundation</a> fellowships. His writing has been published in several prominent academic journals. Steve was also a classroom teacher for seven years at prestigious private schools in Alabama, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. As an undergraduate at the College of William and Mary, Steve co-founded the William and Mary Observer, a conservative student newspaper, and was active in the campus chapters of the College Republicans and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Young_Americans_for_Freedom" title="Young Americans for Freedom" style=" text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">Young Americans for Freedom</a>."</li>

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srcwatch

J. Justin Wilson is the Managing Director of the Research Department of the<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Employee_Freedom_Action_Committee" title="Employee Freedom Action Committee" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Employee Freedom Action Committee</a>, the supporting group of The Committee to Rethink Reform.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/J.Justin_Wilson#cite_note-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[1]</a> He defends soda manufacturers against proposals to tax sugary drinks. In an article published in the Los Angeles Daily News December 1, 2009, he accused public health workers who fight obesity of being a public health threat.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/J.Justin_Wilson#cite_note-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[2]</a>

He is also credited as Managing Director of lobbyist <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Richard_Berman" title="Richard Berman" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Rick Berman's</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/The_Center_for_Union_Facts" title="The Center for Union Facts" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">The Center for Union Facts</a> and a contributing blogger to LaborPains.org<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/J._Justin_Wilson#cite_note-3" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[3]</a>

<h2 style=" color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 1.5em; font-family: 'Linux Libertine', Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 1.3; background: none;">Related SourceWatch articles</h2>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Center_for_Union_Facts" title="Center for Union Facts" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Center for Union Facts</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Richard_Berman" title="Richard Berman" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Richard Berman</a></li>

<li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Front_groups" title="Front groups" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;">Front groups</a></li>

</ul>

<li id="cite_note-1" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/J._Justin_Wilson#cite_ref-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important; -webkit-user-select: none;">Jump up↑</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.employeefreedom.org/aboutUs.cfm" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) right center no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E);">EmployeeFreedom.org About Us</a> website accessed March 2010.</li>

<li id="cite_note-2" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/J._Justin_Wilson#cite_ref-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important; -webkit-user-select: none;">Jump up↑</a> J. Justin Wilson <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_13901330" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) right center no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E);">J. Justin Wilson: Obesity activists are the real public health threat</a>, Los Angeles Daily News, December 1, 2009</li>

<li id="cite_note-3" style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/J._Justin_Wilson#cite_ref-3" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background: none;"><span class="cite-accessibility-label" style=" top: -99999px; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); overflow: hidden; position: absolute !important; padding: 0px !important; border: 0px !important; height: 1px !important; width: 1px !important; -webkit-user-select: none;">Jump up↑</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://laborpains.org/about/" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(102, 51, 102); padding-right: 13px; background: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent) right center no-repeat, url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%2210%22%20height%3D%2210%22%3E%3Cg%20transform%3D%22translate%28-826.429%20-698.791%29%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%225.982%22%20height%3D%225.982%22%20x%3D%22826.929%22%20y%3D%22702.309%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%20stroke%3D%22%2306c%22%2F%3E%3Cg%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M831.194%20698.791h5.234v5.391l-1.571%201.545-1.31-1.31-2.725%202.725-2.689-2.689%202.808-2.808-1.311-1.311z%22%20fill%3D%22%2306f%22%2F%3E%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M835.424%20699.795l.022%204.885-1.817-1.817-2.881%202.881-1.228-1.228%202.881-2.881-1.851-1.851z%22%20fill%3D%22%23fff%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E);">LaborPains website About page</a> website accessed March 2010.</li>

</ol>

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