Reading through Florida Trend‘s section on the burgeoning think tank industry in the state, I took note of this figure: Integrity Florida’s stated revenue for 2012.
Integrity Florida, helmed by Dan Krassner and Ben Wilcox, lists $15,590 in revenue for 2012, the first full year it was in operation. Meanwhile, other “newcomer” think tanks, such as the Foundation for Accountable Government and the R Street Institute report revenue streams of $212,194 and $792,000, respectively.
Now, I know there isn’t much money to be had in being a government watchdog and far be it for me to criticize an organization for not kissing ass/selling out as much as I do, BUT, $15,590 in revenue does not read like a think tank. That sounds more like a hobby.
What’s worse, Integrity Florida lost much of its, um, integrity when it allowed the Koch Brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity to sponsor a report. If Integrity Florida reported only $15,590 in revenue, how much of that was from AFP’s sponsorship. Even if it was all of it, fifteen large was not worth the cost of the negative press received by Integrity Florida concerning its relationship with AFP.
It gives me no pleasure to bust Krassner’s balls, but something doesn’t add up here.
