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Jeffrey Bell

Project for the New American Century: Signatory
American Conservative Union: Board member
Manhattan Institute: Former president

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last updated: November 20, 2003

Highlights & Quotes

Bell, the former president of the rightwing Manhattan Institute (called by one writer a "launch pad for conservative writers"), is a long time Republican Party operative. He is associated with several rightwing outfits, including the Project for the New American Century, the American Conservative Union, and the Council for National Policy. Bell has twice run for the U.S. Senate, in 1978 and 1982 (he lost both times), and he worked as a campagin aide to former presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. (8)

Regarding Bell's organization Of The People (OTP) and its proposed Parental Rights Amendment (PRA), People for the American Way opines: "[Greg Erken, OTP executive director] and Jeffrey Bell -- Of The People founder and chairman, anti-abortion activist and former strategist for both President Ronald Reagan and former Congressman (and now vice presidential candidate) Jack Kemp -- generally stick to their claim that the PRA is a simple affirmation of parental rights and responsibilities unconnected to a right-wing agenda. OTP's second national conference in December 1995, featuring speakers from the Family Research Council, National Center for Home Education and the Free Congress Foundation, belied that assertion. OTP's editorial board includes such notable conservatives as William Kristol, former Vice President Dan Quayle's chief of staff and editor of the Weekly Standard, and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and a leader of the effort to 'defund the left.'" (2)

Bell has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, and The Weekly Standard. He also wrote a book in 1992 entitled Populism and Elitism: Politics in the Age of Equality . (1)

Institutional Affiliations

  • Project for the New American Century: Signatory to 2002 letter to President George W. Bush on Israel, Arafat and the War on Terrorism; Signatory to 2001 letter to Bush on the War on Terrorism (9), (10)
  • Of The People (parental rights organization): Co-founder and Chairman (1), (2)
  • Campaign Finance Institute: Board of Trustees; Member, Task Force on Financing Presidential Nominations (3), (4)
  • Foundation for Community and Faith Centered Enterprise: Research Associate; also was former lobbyist for the foundation through his Capital City Partners (1), (5)
  • American Conservative Union: Board of Directors (6)
  • Council for National Policy: Former member
  • Bauer for President 2000 Campaign: Senior Consultant (3)
  • Ronald Reagan Presidential Campaign: Wrote and produced TV commercials, 1980 (1)
  • Richard Nixon Presidential Campaign: Campaign Aide (8)
  • Citizens For America: Member, emphasis on Tax Reform Act, 1986 (1)
  • Manhattan Institute: former President (1)
  • Corporate Connections/Business Interests

  • Capital City Partners: Principal (1)

  • Sources

    (1) Jeffrey Bell http://www.fcfe.org/jeffrey_bell.htm

    (2) People for the American Way http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=1999

    (3) CFI Leadership and Staff http://www.cfinst.org/about/leadership.html

    (4) CFI Task Force on Presidential Nomination Process http://www.cfinst.org/presidential/members.html

    (5) Political Money Line http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/cgi-win/lb_findclients.exe?DoFn=Bell,_Jeffrey&SenID=65613-12

    (6) American Conservative Union http://www.conservative.org/about/directors.asp

    (7) Jeffrey Bell http://www.namebase.org/xbeb/Jeffrey-Bell.html

    (8) Caral Limbacher, "Jeff Bell: House Races Trending GOP, Senate Unclear," NewsMax.com, October 29, 2002 http://www.newsmax.com/showinside.shtml?a=2002/10/29/233006

    (9) Letter to President Bush on the War on Terrorism http://www.newamericancentury.org/Bushletter.htm

    (10) Letter to President Bush on Israel, Arafat and the War on Terrorism http://www.newamericancentury.org/Bushletter-040302.htm


     

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    Published by the International Relations Center (IRC, online at www.irc-online.org). Copyright © 2007, International Relations Center. All rights reserved.

    Recommended citation:
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