The steady drip of departures from the Heritage Foundation turned into a cascade Monday as legal luminary Josh Blackman resigned and more than a dozen scholars and staff moved to a competing organization founded by former Vice President Mike Pence.
Advancing American Freedom announced the arrival of three former members of Heritage’s leadership and 10 former fellows and staff members, as well as the creation of the Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law.
The leaders include John Malcolm, former director of Heritage’s Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, who will launch the new Meese Institute. Four former Meese Center fellows and two employees will also work for the institute named for Mr. Meese, who served as attorney general in the Reagan administration.
Heritage responded Monday by defending its “strong” leadership and saying that two of those decamping for AAF were fired for “conduct inconsistent with Heritage’s mission and standards.”
Mr. Meese gave the newly launched institute his blessing, saying, “I am confident that the lawyers and staff in the Meese Institute will continue to play a leading role in advancing the conservative legal movement.”
The other major departures include Kevin Dayaratna, former director of Heritage’s Center for Data Analysis, and Richard Stern, former acting director of the foundation’s Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies.
Both will lead similar centers at AAF, a sign that the Pence-led group is positioning itself as the traditional conservative alternative to Heritage.
The exodus of leading foundation figures — and the decision by Mr. Meese to throw his support behind a second think-tank — shows that the uproar over President Kevin Roberts’ defense of Tucker Carlson isn’t over.
Mr. Roberts touched off an uproar on the right with his Oct. 30 video defending Israel critic Mr. Carlson’s chummy interview with pro-Hitler provocateur Nick Fuentes, a move that led to the resignations of three foundation board members.
Mr. Blackman, a professor at the South Texas School of Law, said in an open letter to Mr. Roberts that “Heritage came to a crashing halt after your infamous video.”
“Your initial remarks were indefensible. Your apology was underwhelming,” Mr. Blackman said in the letter posted on the Volokh Conspiracy website. “For reasons only you know, you aligned the Heritage Foundation with the rising tide of antisemitism on the right.”
He also offered a behind-the-scenes look at the anti-Heritage backlash since Mr. Roberts’ video.
Heritage was forced to cancel plans for a “massive book-signing” of the Heritage Guide to the Constitution at the Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention in November after some of the guide’s contributors refused to participate.
“Regrettably, your ill-timed remarks came only a few days before the Convention began,” Mr. Blackman said. “In short order, contributors told us that they could no longer autograph a book they already contributed to. The Heritage brand, once iconic, instantly became toxic. We made the difficult decision to cancel the book signing.”
In addition, Mr. Blackman said that some judges have cut ties with Heritage’s Meese Center, telling him that they will no longer work with the foundation or recommend that their clerks attend its Clerkship Academy.
“Scholars who won prizes from Heritage told me they would no longer contribute to any Heritage publications,” Mr. Blackman said.
I look forward to continue working with these great (ex-)Heritage Americans. https://t.co/DZ7pLa0iDz
— Ilya Shapiro (@ishapiro) December 22, 2025
At the same time, Heritage has its defenders, including Donald Trump Jr., who accused those exiting the think-tank of being anti-Make America Great Again.
“Personally, I think it’s great news for Heritage that a bunch of Trump-hating RINOs are leaving,” said the president’s son on X. “Anyone who would want to go work for Mike Pence’s globalist never-Trump organization isn’t MAGA and definitely doesn’t put America First!”
In a statement, Heritage Chief Advancement Officer Andy Olivastro named Mr. Malcolm and former Meese Center deputy director of programs Jessica Reinsch as the two employees who were terminated.
“Breach of fiduciary duty and intellectual property removal led to immediate actions,” said Mr. Olivastro. “Others who departed were closely aligned with them. Their departures clear the way for a stronger, more focused team.”
Heritage has long said that its employees speak with “one voice” on policy positions, as opposed to think-tanks housing independent voices under the same umbrella.
“Our mission is unchanged, and our leadership is strong and decisive,” Mr. Olivastro said. “Heritage has always welcomed debate, but alignment on mission and loyalty to the institution are non-negotiable. A handful of staff chose a different path — some through disruption, others through disloyalty.”
He also insisted that Heritage is stronger financially and more popular than ever.
“Major gift donors have grown 35%, contributions 57%, and we are investing millions annually in partnerships and innovation to strengthen the conservative movement nationwide,” he said.
He did not address the antisemitism issue, but Mr. Roberts has condemned antisemitism and denounced Mr. Fuentes for “fomenting Jew hatred.”
Mr. Olivastro concluded that “Heritage is building the team that will deliver — not for yesterday’s fights, but for tomorrow’s victories. We are united, disciplined, and ready.”
Mr. Blackman was far less optimistic about Heritage’s future under Mr. Roberts.
“The Heritage Foundation is greater than any single president. But one president has done what was once unthinkable,” said Mr. Blackman. “The Meese Center cannot survive under Heritage’s current leadership, and the damage to the Meese Center brand has been irreparable.”
