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

Intern for Liberty: the IHS Summer Fellow Program

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 7, 2010

Are a student or do you know a student looking to advance their career while advancing liberty? The Charles G. Koch Summer Fellows Program provides summer internships at over…

Media

Read More: Intern for Liberty: the IHS Summer Fellow Program

Government Accountability

A Constitional Convention of Crazies?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 7, 2010

Political consultant Larry Ceisler penned an op-ed denouncing a Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention. (Hat Tip: GrassrootsPA) While there are legitimate concerns about a Con Con, Ceisler addresses none of those,…

Media

Read More: A Constitional Convention of Crazies?

CF Blog Roundup

  • January 6, 2010

What CF research are bloggers featuring this week? Well… The Mercury and the Pennsylvania Guardian blogged on Dick Thornburgh’s commentary advocating the abolishment of the Turnpike Commission. Pennsylvania…

Media

Read More: CF Blog Roundup

Regulation

Pennsylvania’s Gold Rush

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 6, 2010

In economically depressed Northeast Pennsylvania shale drilling has reinvigorated local economies creating thousands of jobs (29,000) last year. Yesterday, Fox News featured the region and the Marcellus Shale “gold rush”.

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania’s Gold Rush

Taxes & Economy

Still Movin’ Out

  • January 6, 2010

The Billy Joel song Movin’ Out sounds more eerie and more depressing every year that Pennsylvania continues to lose people. Allied Van Lines has released its 42nd Annual Magnet…

Media

Read More: Still Movin’ Out

Government Accountability

Right-to-Know Law Still on a Learning Curve

  • January 5, 2010

Since the new Open-Records law took effect last January, the number of requests for information have skyrocketed; increasing by as much as 130%, according to the Patriot News. The…

Media

Read More: Right-to-Know Law Still on a Learning Curve

State Budget

Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: January 2010

  • January 5, 2010

Six months through the 2009-10 fiscal year, state revenues are $254 million below budget expenditures, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Tax collections have been below estimate in…

Press Release

Read More: Pennsylvania Deficit Watch: January 2010

Taxes & Economy

Citizen’s Guide to Electric Choice & Competition

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • January 5, 2010

In the late 1990s, Pennsylvania's electricity rates were 15% above the national average, despite the abundance of low-cost coal generation in the Commonwealth. At that time, electricity was sold by…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Citizen’s Guide to Electric Choice & Competition

Regulation

Deal on Pennsylvania Table Games Appears Done

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2010

After Gov. Rendell threatened to lay off 1,000 state workers if he didn’t sign legislation to establish table games (and the licensing fee and tax) at Pennsylvania casinos by…

Media

Read More: Deal on Pennsylvania Table Games Appears Done

Taxes & Economy

Financial Crisis: What Went Wrong

  • January 5, 2010

In December, Big Think, an online global forum released its series ‘What Went Wrong’, an eight week web-based series examining the causes of the financial crisis. This series brings…

Media

Read More: Financial Crisis: What Went Wrong

State Budget

The Stimulus and State Budgets

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2010

The Wall Street Journal had a recent editorial on the impact of the stimulus on state budgets – noting that while the legislation create a one-time bailout to states,…

Media

Read More: The Stimulus and State Budgets

Government Accountability

Book Review: Liberal Fascism

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2010

I finally got around to finishing Jonah Goldberg’s 2007 tome, Liberal Fascism, a compelling and important read. Goldberg both attempts to make the case that fascism has always been…

Media

Read More: Book Review: Liberal Fascism

Taxes & Economy

Climategate Investigator Seeks Whistleblowers at Penn State

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 4, 2010

An investigator into the “climategate” controversy has emailed all of Penn State professor Michael Mann’s colleagues, highlighting the reward for those who blow the whistle on misuse of federal…

Media

Read More: Climategate Investigator Seeks Whistleblowers at Penn State