Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has funneled $200,000 from his campaign’s funds to his wife’s nonprofit institute, the Sanders Institute, a think tank co-established by Jane O’Meara Sanders and stepson David Driscoll in 2017.
Background:
The Sanders Institute was created to act as a progressive think tank, focusing on democracy, civil discourse, and bold thinking.
It announced a temporary suspension in 2019 but has since resumed operations.
Financial Concerns:
Donations and Salaries:
In 2021, the institute raised $716,618 and allocated $257,000 to wages.
David Driscoll, the executive director, received $152,653 in salary and other compensation.
Project Expenditures:
$159,885 was spent on developing The Timeline Project.
Nearly $89,000 was disbursed for a news website, an identical amount for social media and content creation, and $17,765 for a canceled gathering.
Lack of Transparency:
Despite these expenditures, the institute appears to have minimal output or identifiable accomplishments.
There are inconsistencies in what is described as its top program expense on its website.
Its social media channels contain sparse content, primarily from outside sources.
Donations from Sanders’ Campaign:
– Two $100,000 checks were cut to the Sanders Institute for reported charitable contributions.
– Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign sent $350,000 to the institute in April 2021.
– Wend II Inc, directed by James M. Walton, added $250,000 in 2021.
– These two donations account for roughly 84% of the total revenue for 2021.
Past Controversy:
In 2018, local outlets reported little original content and a lack of substantial progress from the institute.
