The Beacon Center of Tennessee

Background

The Beacon Center of Tennessee (BCT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that describes itself as “providing expert empirical research and timely free market solutions to public policy issues in Tennessee.” [1]

The Center was originally founded as the Tennessee Center for Policy Research (TCPR) in 2004 by Drew Johnson. Johnson left his position as president at the end of 2009. [2], [3]

Before founding TCPR, Johnson was a policy analyst at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation. He was a former senior fellow at the Koch-backed Institute for Humane Studies.[2]

The Center is a member of the Koch-funded State Policy Network, a group of state-level think tanks promoting conservative policy. [4]

Stance on Climate Change

October 4, 2010

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research released a report titled “Cap & Trade: A Lame (Duck) Proposal” that suggested CO2 and climate change may not be correlated, referring to “tens of thousands of scientists” signing petitions as evidence (this likely refers to the debunked Oregon Petition). [5]

The study further suggests that scientists are biased because they often do their research at universities, which receive government funding. Below is its introduction:

“Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a three atom molecule that humans produce with every exhale. Over the past decade, the belief has been propagated that excessive CO2 in the atmosphere leads to intense global warming that, if continued unabated, would cause glaciers to melt, rising the seas and engulfing coastal cities from San Francisco to New York. Despite tens of thousands of scientists signing petitions and stating their cases against the correlation between CO2 and rising temperatures, the link has been advocated by politicians and celebrities alike. Many of global warming’s supporters have no background in science and have convinced others of the CO2-global warming relationship without adequate proof. Even as people begin to realize that these ideas lack credibility, as evidenced by the change in terminology from ‘global warming’ to ‘climate change,’ politicians have continued to propose legislation to limit CO2 emissions.

Perhaps it is important to address how some have come to the idea that limiting CO2 will have a positive impact on the environment. To reach this conclusion, one much first accept that global temperatures are rising, that human activity is responsible for the rise, and that limiting carbon emissions will alleviate this global warming. Many feel that limiting carbon emissions is a function that can only be performed by government. However, one should examine what types of interests would benefit from carbon emission limitations. Environmental groups have a bias towards findings of environmental damage and often rely on university research to endorse their claims. Research universities are predominantly funded by government, and in order to continue receiving grant funds, have an incentive to produce research that supports ideas maintained by government officials, such as the connection between CO2 and global warming. Intervention follows as a way to expand the federal government’s control over a large swath of the economy.”

2008–2009

In 2009, Mother Jones magazine listed TCPR among the “Dirty Dozen of Climate Change Denial,” a list of the “12 loudest members of the chorus claiming that global warming is a joke and that CO2 emissions are actually good for you.” [6]

At the time, TCPR was running the website “Carnival of Climate Change,” which described itself as “a portal for bloggers who write on topics critical of current climate change alarmism and who question unsubstantiated discussions on global warming.” [6], [7]

The Carnival website promoted climate change denial blogs and groups such as Climate Audit, Greenie Watch, ICECAP, the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition, Watts Up With That, the World Climate Report, CO2 Science, the Science and Public Policy Institute, among others. [7]

December 13, 2009

Drew Johnson, founder and president of the Center from 2004 to 2009, wrote the following in an article titled “Climate Change ‘Cures’ are Worse than the Illness” at the Tennessean: [8]

“If the Earth’s temperature is changing in unnatural and unusual ways, and those climate oddities are, in part, a result of human activity, would taking radical steps that result in demolishing the economy of the developed world and the loss of millions of human lives in developing nations be worth reducing the Earth’s temperature a fraction of a degree? Most reasonable people would say no. Given the exaggerations of the problems and the dangers of the policy remedies, it is clear that government solutions to climate change are a medicine far worse than the illness.”

Funding

In a 2009 interview, Drew Johnson claimed TCPR had never taken any money from energy interests.[6]

According to data from the Conservative Transparency project, combined with review of original 990 forms by DeSmog, the Beacon Center has received more than $100,000 from the Charles Koch Foundation. The Koch family made their fortune from the oil refining business through Koch Industries and its many subsidiary companies. [9]

Over $1.8 million of the Center’s funding came from Donors Capital Fund and its sister organization DonorsTrust—together described as the “dark money ATM of the conservative movement” due to their ability to obscure the original sources of donations. [10]

See the full data below, or download the full spreadsheet outlining the Beacon Center of Tennessee’s funding by year (.xslx):

Donor	2005	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	Grand Total
Donors Capital Fund	$50,000	$125,000	$260,000	$345,000	$200,000	$105,000	$137,000	$57,500	$42,250	$439,700	$77,200			$1,838,650
Walton Family Foundation							$75,000	$50,000	$50,000		$50,000	$100,000		$325,000
Friedman Foundation For Educational Choice							$140,000		$76,000	$55,000				$271,000
The Roe Foundation		$20,000	$25,000	$30,000	$20,000		$20,000	$20,000	$25,000	$25,000	$25,000		$25,000	$235,000
John Templeton Foundation										$193,280				$193,280
State Policy Network							$10,000		$80,000		$50,350			$140,350
Charles Koch Foundation											$57,500	$50,000		$107,500
DonorsTrust		$6,000			$32,500						$25,290	$39,500		$103,290
Thomas W Smith Foundation									$25,000			$25,000	$25,000	$75,000
Atlas Economic Research Foundation												$40,000		$40,000
Jaquelin Hume Foundation			$15,000	$18,750										$33,750
Adolph Coors Foundation									$25,000					$25,000
National Philanthropic Trust									$5,000	$10,000	$10,000			$25,000
Americans for Prosperity										$10,000				$10,000
Castle Rock Foundation				$10,000										$10,000
National Christian Charitable Foundation									$2,500					$2,500
Grand Total	$50,000	$151,000	$300,000	$403,750	$252,500	$105,000	$382,000	$127,500	$330,750	$732,980	$295,340	$254,500	$50,000	$3,435,320

990 Forms

Key People

Board of Directors

Name

2006

2007

2008

2009

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Description

John Cerasuolo

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Larry White

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Joe Scarlett

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors

Pat Shepherd

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Ken Meyer

Y

Y

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Brian Fitzpatrick

Y

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Fred DeCosimo

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Raul Lopez

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Tina Benkiser

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Lee Beaman

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

David Johnson

Y

Y

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Jim Ethier

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Lauren Templeton

Y

Y

Y

Member of the Board of Directors

Carl Kirkland

Y

Chairman Emeritus, Kirklands

Jason A. Johnson

Y

Y

Y

Y

President

Martha Fouce

Y

Y

Y

Y

Secretary

Shaka L.A. Mitchell

Y

Y

Executive Vice President

Clint Brewer

Y

Interim Executive Director

Staff

Name

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Description

Justin Owen

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

President & CEO

Suzanne Michel

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Director of Operations

Mark Cunningham

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Vice President of Communications and Outreach

Braden H. Boucek

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Vice President of Legal Affairs

Joe Kirkpatrick

Y

Y

Y

Development Associate

Ron Shultis

Y

Y

Director of Policy and Research

Stephanie Whitt

Y

Y

Executive Vice President

Jamie McPherson

Y

Vice President of Development

Meggan DeWitt

Y

Staff Attorney

Taylor Dawson

Y

Director of Outreach and Digital Media

Sam Cosby

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Director of Development

Lindsay Boyd

Y

Y

Y

Y

Director of Policy

Hannah Cox

Y

Y

Outreach Coordinator

Trey Moore

Y

Director of Policy

Christopher Butler

Y

Y

Director of Government Accountability

Ryan Turbeville

Y

Y

Policy & Outreach Coordinator

Carter Meadors

Y

Y

Director of Development

Clint Brewer

Y

Interim Executive Director

Drew Johnson

Y

Y

Y

President

George Shifflett

Y

Y

Research Associate

Devon Klein

Y

Policy Research Associate

Lauren Biekman

Y

Policy Research Associate

Natalia Kowalski

Y

Government Accountability Analyst

Paige McKenzie

Y

Manager of Tennessee Votes

Reed Johnson

Y

Policy Research Associate

Shaka L.A. Mitchell

Y

Executive Vice President

Trent Seibert

Y

Y

Director of Government Accountability

Adam J. King

Y

Policy Analyst

Melanie Bull

Y

Research Associate

Michael Lumley

Y

Research Associate

Wesley Rainer

Y

Research Associate

Daniel Phillips

Y

Research Fellow

Douglas Kurdziel

Y

Research Fellow

Kellie Garretson

Y

Administrative Assistant

Luci Stephens

Y

Research Fellow

Nicole Williams

Y

Vice President of Operations

Trapper Michael

Y

Research Fellow

Troy Senik

Y

Research Fellow

Scholars

Name

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Description

Richard Grant

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Distinguished Fellow

Art Carden

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Distinguished Fellow

Donna Barrett

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Distinguished Fellow

Harold Black

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Distinguished Fellow

Paul Stumb

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Distinguished Fellow

Jeff Cornwall

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Distinguished Fellow

Jonathan Butcher

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Education Reform

Patrick Gleason

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Tax Policy

Naomi Lopez Bauman

Y

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Healthcare Reform

Adam Peshek

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Education Reform

Ben Stickle

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Criminal Justice

Julie Warren

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Criminal Justice

Michael LaFaive

Y

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Economic Development

Dan Smith

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Fiscal and Regulatory Policy

Lindsay Boyd Killen

Y

Y

Senior Fellow

David L. Harbin

Y

Senior Legal Fellow

Joe Coletti

Y

Senior Fellow for Local Finance

Jason Edmonds

Y

Y

Y

Carter and Moyers Research Fellow

Jared Meyer

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for the New Economy

Scott Drenkard

Y

Y

Senior Fellow for Tax Policy

Ben Clark

Y

Y

Carter-Moyers Research Fellow

Allyn Milojevich

Y

Y

Y

Research Fellow

Amy H. Sturgis

Y

Y

Y

Y

Belmont University

Charles Van Eaton

Y

Y

Y

Y

Bryan College

Dale Bails

Y

Y

Y

Y

Christian Brothers University

J.R. Clark

Y

Y

Y

Y

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

John Stone

Y

Y

Y

Y

Education Consumers Clearinghouse

Marilyn Young

Y

Y

Y

Y

Belmont University

Robert Berry

Y

Y

Y

Y

PATMOS EmergiClinic

Sally Kilgore

Y

Y

Y

Y

Modern Red Schoolhouse Institute

J.C. Bowman

Y

Y

Y

Florida State University

Martin D. Kennedy

Y

Y

Y

Middle Tennessee State University

Shaka L.A. Mitchell

Y

Y

Executive Vice President

Larry M. Hall

Y

Belmont University

Actions

October 4, 2010

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research released a Policy Report describing cap and trade as a “Lame (Duck) Proposal.” [5]

“Rather than harm the economy with extensive regulation, the government should support strong property rights for individuals and an efficient tort system so that those with violated property rights will have access to compensation,” the report suggested. [5]

As noted above, the report also suggests scientists should not be trusted because they work at universities that have received government funding. Rather, it suggests the reader should listen to “ tens of thousands of scientists signing petitions.” While the document does not specify which petitions it refers to, it would likely be referring to the Oregon Petition, a document organized by the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, along with the Exxon-backed George C. Marshall Institute, to gather signatories without limiting them to those with backgrounds in climate science (or even people with real names).

Related Organizations

• State Policy Network (SPN) — Member. [4]
• Talent Market — Client. Talent market is a recruiting agency for conservative nonprofit groups. [11]
• Tennessee Watchdog — Former publication of the TCPR. The website is no longer online. [12]

Contact & Address

Beacon Center of Tennessee [13]
P.O. Box 198646, Nashville, TN 37219
615-383-6431

Beacontn.org

Social Media

• @BeaconTN on Twitter
• Beacon Center of Tennessee on Facebook
• Beacon Center of Tennessee on YouTube

Resources

1. “Our Story,” Beacon Center of Tennessee. Archived December 12, 2019. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.ph/RLZBG
2. “Drew Johnson – President,” Tennessee Center for Policy Research. Archived August 14, 2007. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/rztw9
3. “Clint Brewer Now Top Dog At TCPR,” Nashville Post, August 8, 2011. Archived July 8, 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/KDBNy
4. “Beacon Center of Tennessee,” State Policy Network. Archived December 13, 2019. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.ph/QbwlL
5. “Cap & Trade: A Lame (Duck) Proposal” (PDF), Tennessee Center for Policy Research, October 4, 2010. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
6. “No. 10: Tennessee Center for Policy Research (A.K.A. Carnival of Climate Change),” Mother Jones, December 5, 2009. Archived December 12, 2019. Archive.ph URL:https://archive.ph/7Dlq9
7. “Content Disclaimer,” Carnival of Climate Change. Archived June 30, 2010. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.ph/a33xA
8. “Climate Change ‘Cures’ are Worse than the Illness,” The Tennessean. Republished by the Beacon Center of Tennessee. Archived December 12, 2019. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.ph/NnzlZ
9. “Beacon Center of Tennessee,” Conservative Transparency. Accessed December 14, 2019.
10. Andy Kroll. “Exposed: The Dark-Money ATM of the Conservative Movement,” Mother Jones, February 5, 2013. Archived December 13, 2019. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.ph/gGUXe
11. Facebook Advertising Archive for Beacon Center. Accessed December 14, 2019. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.
12. “About,” Tenessee Watchdog. Archived April 12, 2010. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.ph/AD3bv
13. “Contact,” Beacon Center of Tennessee. Archived December 14, 2019. Archive.ph URL: https://archive.ph/EJKmQ

Other Resources

• “Beacon Center of Tennessee,” Sourcewatch.
• “Beacon Center of Tennessee