Sources have told The Tennessee Star that the state of Tennessee has withdrawn from cooperation with the Democrat-run National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP).
The NASHP brands itself on its website as a non-partisan group, saying: “For over 35 years, The National Academy for State Health Policy has been a nonpartisan organization committed to developing and advancing state health policy innovations and solutions. NASHP provides a unique forum for the productive exchange of strategies across state government, including the executive and legislative branches.”
However, The Washington Free Beacon reported in late June that “the group boasts significant ties to Democratic Party infrastructure—several of its employees have worked on Democratic campaigns, and it relies on millions in liberal dark money funding.”
The report additionally stated, “NASHP’s deep ties to the Democratic Party complicate its appearance as a nonpartisan source of support for the legislative proposal, which is expected to cost taxpayers billions of dollars. The group was led for much of the past four decades by Trish Riley, who was NASHP’s president from 1987 to 2002 and then returned in 2011 to lead its board of directors until she stepped down last year. In her eight years away from the group, Riley worked for Democratic Maine governor John Baldacci—she returned only after Maine elected a Republican as governor in 2010. Riley, who has been described in local media as a “veteran party activist,” is now chairwoman of a Maine Democratic Party committee. She has donated more than $50,000 to Democratic campaigns since 1992, according to Federal Election Commission records.”
The Free Beacon additionally reported the funding sources of the NASHP.
“The organization is funded by and tied to liberal dark money groups. Arnold Ventures, which funds Democratic campaigns and liberal advocacy groups such as the New Venture Fund and the Center for American Progress, has donated nearly $8 million to NASHP since 2016. The billionaire-backed dark money group advocates gun control and climate change regulations,” the report said.
Arnold Ventures is owned by John Arnold, who sources have referred to as “the new George Soros.”
In early June, The Washington Examiner reported that the NASHP, “A nonprofit advocacy group with close ties to the health insurance industry is playing a leading role in pushing lawmakers in Congress to save Obamacare from a self-imposed ticking time bomb.”
Several attempts were made by The Star to get a comment from Governor Lee’s office on the matter, but no response was given as of press time.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR, Twitter, Truth Social, and Parler.
Photo “Tennessee Capitol” by Peggy Anderson. CC BY-SA 4.0.
