Established in 2011, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit advertising itself as seeking to “advance the public interest in the rule of law … in partnership with like-minded individuals and organizations.”
In reality, the right-wing Bradley Foundation has been the almost exclusive underwriter of WILL’s activities. For the years in which Federal IRS records are available for both the Bradley Foundation and WILL, 2011 and 2012, Bradley funds accounted for over 90 percent of the total money WILL reported raising. (NOTE – WILL has released their 2013 990, however at this time the 2013 990 for the Bradley Foundation has not been released.)
….A review of available records from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reveals that the Bradley Foundation has been the nearly exclusive funder of the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.
In 2011, according to their IRS Form 990, WILL disclosed raising $505,000 in contributions and grants. The 2011 IRS Form 990 filed by the Bradley Foundation reports a grant of $500,000 to WILL to “support general operations.” WILL’s 2012 IRS Form 990 reveals that the organization received $653,128 in contributions and grants. A review of the Bradley Foundation’s IRS Form 990 for the same year indicates that they provided or had approved a total of $500,000 to WILL to again support “general operations.”
In total, WILL reported raising $1,158,128 in gifts, grants, contributions and membership fees in tax years 2011 and 2012. The Bradley Foundation reports having provided or approved $1 million in funding for WILL general operations over the same time.
Via Where There’s a WILL, There’s a Way… to Promote Gov. Walker’s Best Interests @ One Wisconsin Now.