Wal-Mart Sends in the Tanks

"As Wal-Mart Stores struggles to rebut criticism from unions and Democratic leaders, the company has discovered a reliable ally," report Michael Barbaro and Stephanie Strom: "prominent conservative research groups like the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation and the Manhattan Institute," as well as lesser-known think tanks such as the Pacific Research Institute. "Top policy analysts at these groups have written newspaper opinion pieces around the country supporting Wal-Mart, defended the company in interviews with reporters and testified on its behalf before government committees in Washington." What the think tanks haven't done is disclose the more than $2.5 million in funding they've received from Wal-Mart over the past six years. The National Committee on Responsive Philanthropy has compiled a report detailing the political objectives of Wal-Mart's charitable activities, titled "The Waltons and Wal-Mart: Self-Interested Philanthropy."