Appendix 2 of "The Attack on Trial Lawyers and Tort Law"

An Example of Interconnectedness

This is a look at a portion of one individual's tort-reform work, to demonstrate how interconnectedness leverages the work of individuals and organizations tied to the right-wing movement.

Michael I. Krauss, Professor of Law, George Mason University is author of "Tort Reform, CATO Institute's Handbook for 107th Congress, 2001." [69] Other tort reform publications at Cato include "Restoring the Boundary: Tort Law and the Right to Contract." [70] George Mason University is covered in detail elsewhere in this report, and receives funding from the Scaife, Bradley, Koch, Earhart, Olin and Coors foundations. [71] Cato, also discussed elsewhere in this report, receives funding from Scaife, Bradley, Koch, Earhart, Olin and Coors. [72]

According to Professor Krauss' biography, [73] he is a Salvatori Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, described elsewhere in this document, which receives funding from Scaife, Bradley, Coors and others; [74] a member of the Advisory Board of Freedom House, which receives funding from Scaife, Bradley and Smith Richardson; [75] a member of the adjunct faculty of the Institute for Justice, which receives funding from Scaife, Bradley, Koch, Olin and Coors; [76] on the Board of Governors of the National Association of Scholars, which receives funding from Scaife, Bradley, Olin and Coors. [77] His "Past Employment and Service" lists the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which receives funding from Scaife, Bradley, Koch and Coors. [78]

Krauss has made various presentations [79] to the Federalist Society, which receives funding from Scaife, Bradley, Koch, Olin and Coors. [80]

Krauss' tort-reform work is cited at the anti-lawyer website Overlawyered.com. [81]

Krauss' tort reform paper, "Federalism and Product Liability: One More Trip to the Choice-of-Law Well," was published in 2002 Brigham Young University Law Review 759. [82] Brigham Young University receives funding from the Earhart and Olin foundations. [83]

Krauss' tort reform paper, "Tort Law, Moral Accountability and Efficiency," ("Most people agree that today's Tort law discourages personal responsibility,") was published in Markets & Morality, a publication of the Acton Institute for The Study of Religion and Liberty, [84] which receives funding from Bradley, Koch and Coors. [85]

Krauss' paper, "Smoke and Fire: Government Recoupment Suits and the Rule of Law," was published by the Independent Institute, [86] which receives funding from Koch and Olin. [87]

The Washington Legal Foundation, described elsewhere in this report, receives funding from Scaife, Olin and Coors, [88] and published Krauss' "Suits Against 'Big Fat' Tread On Basic Tort Liability Principles" in their publication, Legal Backgrounder. [89] Professor Krauss also speaks at the Washington Legal Foundation. [90]

Krauss' paper, "Today's Tort Suits Are Stranger Than Fiction" [91] appeared in the publication Virginia Viewpoint, published by Virginia Institute for Public Policy, which receives funding from Coors, Koch, [92] and managed by the former President of Cato Institute.

Krauss' work is cited in a pro-tort-reform column by Walter Williams, the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University. [93]

Krauss' work is cited in a tort reform article by Consumer Freedom, a food- and liquor-industry front-organization. [94]

Krauss is quoted in numerous newspaper stories [95] on tort reform issues.

Michael Krauss' interconnectedness with other right-wing issues:

These examples show the utility of having an infrastructure in place to support the Right's use of the interconnectedness effect to advance multiple issues. With a ready-to-go message amplification infrastructure in place, the right is able to utilize their many funded scholars, such as Krauss, to advance a broad range of causes, not just tort reform.

Krauss authored a Washington Times column, "Loading the dice for the ruling?" opposing affirmative action and diversity. [96]

Krauss gave an endorsement of Foundation Francisco Marroquin, [97] where he had lectured, which receives funding from Bradley. [98]

Krauss authored a July 23, 2003 column on conservative Fox News Online, "Just Say No To Drug Re-Importation," [99] supporting the pharmaceutical-industry position.

Krauss signed a petition, Don't Let The President Lie With Impunity, (President Clinton, not President Bush). This petition appears in a Claremont Institute publication. [100] Claremont receives funding from Scaife, Bradley, and Olin. [101]

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