There’s a term among stalwart conservatives for lightweight Republicans: RINO — Republican In Name Only.
The same could be said for a fledgling organization by the name of Conservative Lighthouse — Conservative In Name Only — according to right-minded critics of the nonprofit in progress.
Creators of the organization say their mission is to bring Republicans into the quest to reform a broken campaign finance system.
“I have spoken with many conservatives who, like me, believe that our system of funding campaigns is completely out of whack and that our politics today are dominated by crony capitalism where public policy outcomes are not based on merit or representational principles, but on who can buy influence,” Mark McKinnon, a former adviser to President George W. Bush and president and board member of Conservative Lighthouse, told Watchdog.org in an email.
But a Watchdog.org investigation finds the nascent organization’s backers are heavily funded by some of the most prominent players in left-leaning initiatives, and fund some very liberal initiatives.