Mike Pence's 'Advancing American Freedom' hires slew of former Heritage Foundation employees

Former Vice President Mike Pence's foundation, Advancing American Freedom, said Monday that it has hired a dozen Heritage Foundation employees, which comes as the think-tank is engulfed in an internal battle over its future.

The Heritage Foundation has seen a large exodus in staffers and supporters since Heritage President Kevin Roberts defended former Fox News host Tucker Carlson's interview with controversial commentator Nick Fuentes. Roberts' later clarified that he does not support Fuentes or his views on the Holocaust, Judaism, rape, child marriage and women. 

Roberts confirmed the latest wave of exits at the foundation in an internal email Sunday, stating it includes most of the staff from Heritage’s legal and economic centers.

“We wish them well, though the manner of their departures speaks volumes,” Roberts said, according to The Hill.

The new AAF hires include John Malcolm, who led the legal team at Heritage and will create the new Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law at AAF; Richard Stern, who was a financial leader at Heritage and will lead AAF's Plymouth Institute for Free Enterprise; and Kevin Dayaratna, who was the chief statistician at Heritage and will build the Center for Statistical Modeling & Scientific Analysis at AAF.

“AAF is honored to welcome these principled conservative scholars to the team," Pence said in a statement. "They bring a wealth of experience, a love of country, and a deep commitment to the Constitution and Conservative Movement that will further the cause of liberty.” 

The new hires also include half a dozen staffers for Malcolm's Institute for the Rule of Law and four people for Stern's Plymouth Institute. More hires are expected to be announced soon.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.