Bala Cynwyd billionaire Jeff Yass’s Susquehanna Foundation made contributions to an organization that champions sometimes controversial free speech issues, reports Annie Massa for Bloomberg.
The foundation donated $500,000 in 2023 to the Institute for Free Speech which advocates for First Amendment rights in high-profile cases. Recently, they filed suits opposing DEI, anti-racits guidelines, and gender identity legislation.
The Institute’s president, David Keating emphasized that donor contributions are not earmarked for specific cases, and that the organization takes up causes across the ideological spectrum.“Our work is guided by First Amendment principles, not partisan politics or donor preferences,” he said.
Yass was one of the top 10 ten contributors to the last election cycle. He gave $95 million to conservative groups. His Susquehanna Foundation donated $1.25 million to the Institute for Free Speech over the last three years. It has also supported the Cato Institute, Hadassah, and the Alliance for Decision Education.
The non-partisan institute has taken up cases defending a Texas professor critical of diversity requirements, challenged anti-racist teaching guidelines in California, as well as defended progressive journalists and media outlets.
Read more about the Susquehanna Foundation’s contributions to the Institute for Free Speech in Bloomberg.
