Erik Telford

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Erik Telford

Senior Vice President of Public Affairs

Erik Telford is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Foundation.

Erik is a senior public affairs and communications executive with more than 15 years of diverse experience across public policy, advocacy, and public affairs institutions. Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, Erik served as the senior vice president at Stand Together Communications, the Koch network’s marketing and communications capability. Erik has also served as the president of the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, a state-based watchdog journalism organization. And at Americans for Prosperity, he was the executive director of RightOnline (an initiative he founded) and the director of membership and online strategy. He is currently on the board of the American Commitment Foundation.

In 2013, Campaigns & Elections Magazine honored Erik as an “Advocacy Innovator” and in 2011 as a “Rising Star in American Politics.”  Politics Online named him one of the “Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics.” 

Government Accountability

PennFuture’s Hypocritcal, Unethical, and Possibly Illegal Lobbying

  • July 8, 2010

Harrisburg, PA – The Commonwealth Foundation today released a report on the activities and claims of PennFuture (a.k.a. Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future), the organization founded by current Pennsylvania Secretary…

Press Release

Read More: PennFuture’s Hypocritcal, Unethical, and Possibly Illegal Lobbying

Taxes & Economy

New EPA Rules Will Increase Electricity Costs

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 8, 2010

Only a few weeks after the failure of the Murkowski resolution to block the EPA’s power grab, the agency is seeking approval of a new regulation that could significantly increase…

Media

Read More: New EPA Rules Will Increase Electricity Costs

Taxes & Economy

PennFuture’s Lobbying

  • July 8, 2010

PennFuture (a.k.a. Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future), the organization founded by Pennsylvania Secretary of Environmental Protection John Hanger over 10 years ago, frequently criticizes the lobbying by traditional energy industries. But…

Fact Sheet

Read More: PennFuture’s Lobbying

Taxes & Economy

Continued Hypocrisy of “Conservation” Groups

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 8, 2010

Previously, we highlighted how the group Conservation Voters of PA lambasted Tom Corbett for receiving campaign contributions from the Anadarko company PAC – but failing to note Gov. Rendell…

Media

Read More: Continued Hypocrisy of “Conservation” Groups

Taxes & Economy

Pennsylvania Doesn’t Have a Tax on Porn Either

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 7, 2010

Paul Carpenter writes a piece in the Morning Call arguing that Pennsylvania, by not passing a cigar tax, is subsidizing the industry – and (sarcastically) we should do the…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Doesn’t Have a Tax on Porn Either

Government Accountability

CF Blog Roundup

  • July 7, 2010

Here’s some recent blog posts citing CF research and analysis: The Conservative Reform Network Blog highlighted some CF stats about the PA budget, deficit, and big government spending and…

Media

Read More: CF Blog Roundup

Taxes & Economy

Tioga Cattle Quaratine Shows DEP Inspections Working

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 7, 2010

The Department of Agriculture quarantined 28 cows on a farm in Tioga county near a natural gas well in early May. Department officials report the cows are suspected of…

Media

Read More: Tioga Cattle Quaratine Shows DEP Inspections Working

Taxes & Economy

EPA Seeks Comments on Gas Fracking in Pittsburgh

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • July 6, 2010

On July 22nd, the EPA will hold a 6:00pm public meeting in Canonsburg to gather input for a upcoming study on hydraulic fracturing. The EPA’s 2004 study on the drilling techinque concluded…

Media

Read More: EPA Seeks Comments on Gas Fracking in Pittsburgh