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===Pay to Play===
====Tobacco Industry====
Over the years IWF has received funding from [[Altria]], [[Phillip Morris International]], and vaping giant [[Juul]]. Without disclosing its its tobacco funding, IWF has defended the vaping industry using Juul's own talking points.
As Evan Vorpahl and Lisa Graves documented in May 2019, "The Independent Women’s Forum has published more than a dozen posts advocating for deregulation of e-cigarettes and promoting the benefits of vaping since 2018. Those pieces downplay the adverse health effects of nicotine, an addictive substance derived from tobacco plants which has been linked to heart disease... Some of IWF’s claims backing e-cigs and attacking their regulation have appeared in USA Today, the Hill, and The Washington Examiner. Its representatives have also made such claims in media appearances on local radio stations and on the National Rifle Association’s video arm, NRATV. But in all of these outlets IWF has failed to disclose that it has been funded by tobacco and vaping companies determined to re-normalize the use of tobacco."<ref name="juul"> Evan Vorpahl and Lisa Graves, [http://independentwomensforum.org/news/pay-to-play-iwf-defends-juul-without-disclosing-juul-funding Pay-to-Play: IWF Defends e-Cigs without Disclosing Funding from e-Cig Industry], May 2019.</ref>
Julie Gunlock, the director of IWF's "Center for Progress and Innovation" has written extensively, echoing the corporate line in pushback to commonsense regulation of chemicals in products women, men, and children put on their skin, toxic pesticides sprayed on food, and e-cigs. "Earlier this year, while fighting off regulatory efforts to curb teen abuse of e-cigs, Gunlock wrote that 'teen vaping should also be kept in perspective, rather than positioned as a dire public health emergency' and claimed public health officials were misleading the public by calling the surge an epidemic. She did not disclose IWF’s funding from Altria. Gunlock has also echoed Juul’s exact talking points, such as the line that its products have 'helped millions switch from cigarettes.' What Gunlock does not mention is the number of teens who have become addicted to nicotine because of Juul, and the consequences that may have on their long-term health."
In addition to framing the teenage vaping epidemic as alarmist, Gunlock also downplayed health consequences of nicotine, comparing it to a cup of coffee, and IWF president Carrie Lukas compared vaping regulations to sex ed, writing in ''The Hill'' that "abstinence-only" was the wrong approach.
IWF has lobbied repeatedly against tobacco regulation. In February the group lobbied the FDA against banning e-cigarette flavors, which are widely popular among underage users and in 2017 IWF even claimed that regulating e-cigarettes would discriminate against women.
no edit summary
===Opening of the Independent Women's Law Center===
IWF announced the launch of a law center to "advocate [..] for equal opportunity, individual liberty, and freedom of association" and "push back against attempts to convince the public that constitutionalist, originalist judges are a threat to women's rights." The "Independent Women's Law Center" (IWLC) is lead by Jennifer C. Braceras and Erin Hawley.<ref>PR Newswire [https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iwf-launches-independent-womens-law-center-300927092.html IWF Launches Independent Women's Law Center] IWF Press Release, Sept. 30, 2019</ref> Hawley is IWLC's senior legal fellow, a former clerk to Chief Justice [[John G. Roberts, Jr.]], and senior fellow at the University of Missouri's [[Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy]]. Baracus is the director of IWLC, former Staff Assistant in the Office of Vice President Dan Quayle and former law clerk to conservative judges.<ref>IWF [http://iwf.org/about About] organization website, accessed Oct 2. 2019</ref> In a promotional video, IWLC claims that "left-leaning feminist groups" are attempting to "politicize the federal judiciary" by "smearing" conservative justices, such as [[Robert Bork]], Justices [[Clarence Thomas]] and [[Brett Kavanaugh]]. In the video, IWLC declares itself a "voice" for women who "support the nomination of justices who will stay in their constitutionally prescribed lanes." Additionally, IWLC says it was launched in light of renewed calls for judicial reform and the abolition of the electoral college.<ref>IWF [http://iwf.org/blog/2810700/Video:-Introducing-Independent-Women's-Law-Center Introducing IWLC] organizational site, accessed Oct 2. 2019</ref>
==Pay to Play==
====Tobacco Industry====
Over the years IWF has received funding from [[Altria]], [[Phillip Morris International]], and vaping giant [[Juul]]. Without disclosing its its tobacco funding, IWF has defended the vaping industry using Juul's own talking points.
As Evan Vorpahl and Lisa Graves documented in May 2019, "The Independent Women’s Forum has published more than a dozen posts advocating for deregulation of e-cigarettes and promoting the benefits of vaping since 2018. Those pieces downplay the adverse health effects of nicotine, an addictive substance derived from tobacco plants which has been linked to heart disease... Some of IWF’s claims backing e-cigs and attacking their regulation have appeared in USA Today, the Hill, and The Washington Examiner. Its representatives have also made such claims in media appearances on local radio stations and on the National Rifle Association’s video arm, NRATV. But in all of these outlets IWF has failed to disclose that it has been funded by tobacco and vaping companies determined to re-normalize the use of tobacco."<ref name="juul"> Evan Vorpahl and Lisa Graves, [http://independentwomensforum.org/news/pay-to-play-iwf-defends-juul-without-disclosing-juul-funding Pay-to-Play: IWF Defends e-Cigs without Disclosing Funding from e-Cig Industry], May 2019.</ref>
Julie Gunlock, the director of IWF's "Center for Progress and Innovation" has written extensively, echoing the corporate line in pushback to commonsense regulation of chemicals in products women, men, and children put on their skin, toxic pesticides sprayed on food, and e-cigs. "Earlier this year, while fighting off regulatory efforts to curb teen abuse of e-cigs, Gunlock wrote that 'teen vaping should also be kept in perspective, rather than positioned as a dire public health emergency' and claimed public health officials were misleading the public by calling the surge an epidemic. She did not disclose IWF’s funding from Altria. Gunlock has also echoed Juul’s exact talking points, such as the line that its products have 'helped millions switch from cigarettes.' What Gunlock does not mention is the number of teens who have become addicted to nicotine because of Juul, and the consequences that may have on their long-term health."
In addition to framing the teenage vaping epidemic as alarmist, Gunlock also downplayed health consequences of nicotine, comparing it to a cup of coffee, and IWF president Carrie Lukas compared vaping regulations to sex ed, writing in ''The Hill'' that "abstinence-only" was the wrong approach.
IWF has lobbied repeatedly against tobacco regulation. In February the group lobbied the FDA against banning e-cigarette flavors, which are widely popular among underage users and in 2017 IWF even claimed that regulating e-cigarettes would discriminate against women.
===IWF and IWV Market Right-Wing Ideas to Reach Independent Women Voters Under the Guise of Neutrality===
==Funding==
===2011-2018===
Although IWF is not required to disclose its funders by law, The Center for Media and Democracy uncovered over $8,011,869 to IWF between 2011 and 2018 through an analysis of IRS filings.<ref name="DAIWF">David Armiak, [https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2020/02/24/dark-money-womens-group-claims-pivotal-role-2016-presidential-election/ Dark Money “Women’s” Group Claims Pivotal Role in 2016 Presidential Election], ''ExposedbyCMD'', February 24, 2020.</ref>
*[[Adolph Coors Foundation]]: $165,000
*[[Bradley Foundation]]: $875,000
*[[Bradley Impact Fund]]: $40,000
*[[Bochnowski Family Foundation]]: $57,500
*[[Castle Rock Foundation] $50,000
*[[Charles Koch Foundation]]: $9,115
*[[Chase Foundation of Virginia]]: $31,000
*[[Diana Davis Spencer Foundation]]: $90,000
*[[Donors Capital Fund]]: $1,665,000
*[[DonorsTrust]]: $2,547,254
*[[Einhorn Family Foundation]]: $10,000
*[[Helen Diller Family Foundation]]: $10,000
*[[Holman Foundation]]: $115,000
*[[JM Foundation]]: $40,000
*[[John William Pope Foundation]]: $75,000
*[[Judicial Education Project]]: $300,000
*MyWirelessOrg: $20,000
*[[National Christian Charitable Foundation]]: $217,500
*[[Randolph Foundation]]: $682,500
*[[Richard J & Vicoria T Agnich Foundation]]: $48,500
*Salt Institute: $38,000
*[[Sarah Scaife Foundation]]: $350,000
*The Personal Care Products Council: $20,000
*[[Thomas D Klingenstein Fund]]: $25,000
*[[US Chamber of Commerce Foundation]]: $2,500
*[[Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program]]: $380,000
*[[Walton Family Foundation]]: $125,000
*[[William H. Donner Foundation]]: $15,000
*[[Windway Foundation]]: $8,000
===1994-2013===
IWF received $16,234,294 in foundation grants between 1994 and 2013 from the following organizations, according to data compiled by the American Bridge 21st Century Foundation's ''Conservative Transparency'' database:<ref name="funding">American Bridge 21st Century Foundation, [http://conservativetransparency.org/recipient/independent-womens-forum/ Independent Women's Forum], ''Conservative Transparency'' recipient profile, accessed April 2015.</ref>
At the time of its resource sharing announcement with Americans for Prosperity in October 2003, IWF stated that "we had come through a difficult transition a few years ago and were really hitting our stride after getting a major, million-dollar grant."<ref name="Partnership"/>
===$2.6 Million in Federal Grants===
