http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-11-07/podestas-fiercely-independent-research-organization-seeks-progressive-insight-leaves
The problem was that Podesta, and others within WCEG, thought that their research would not be deemed credible to the extent it was viewed as an arm of the leftist Center for American Progress. So, just like Hillary, they came up with a plan to
create a new WCEG with both a "public and private" image. Unfortunately, per a
memo leaked by WikiLeaks, the WCEG's plan to be "fiercely independent" acknowledged they would still need support from the Center for American Progress provided that it
"leaves no fingerprints." Finally, readers of the memo were warned to
"please burn this email after you read it."
Our mission is to be “fiercely independent.” Every day, we must convey to academics and policymakers that our research is unbiased and honest. While we believe there is much to be gained from our affiliation with CAP, we also believe that for us to be successful—and to do the most to support the work of CAP and other progressive organizations—requires that
CAP’s support “leaves no fingerprints.” (Please burn this email after you read it!) We want to be able to tap into CAP’s resources—and allow them to tap into ours—as it makes sense, but with a public-facing image that is independent of CAP.
But, to maintain our “fierce independence,” we need:
- Phone lines that show up as “Equitable Growth,” not “Center for American Progress.”
- Job openings posted on our site, not CAP’s
- Our staff listed on our own website, not CAP’s
- The ability to sign contracts with academics and researchers saying only “Equitable Growth,” not “Center for American Progress.”
- To be able to raise funds specifically to send directly out the door in support or grantmaking that do not have to include all of CAP’s standard 15 percent overhead.
- To control our spending by having a Washington Center for Equitable Growth credit card to expedite securing event space, among other things.
And there you go, all it takes is a couple of phone lines and a new website and another liberal "advocacy group" becomes a "fiercely independent" economic research organization with the credibility to influence public policy in an "impartial" way.