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.”
The Gospel of Paul
Wall Street Journal’s Kimberley Strassell on the lessons of Ron Paul. Take note: “Compassionate conservatism” was a smart move on George W. Bush’s part, maybe even…
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REJECTED: Application to Toll I-80
Federal government sends Turnpike proposal to tax I-80 drivers back to the drawing board HARRISBURG, PA — Today, in response to the federal government’s rejection of plans to…
Press Release
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Feds Decline I-80 Toll Application (Told you so)
The FHWA has declined the state’s application to toll I-80. Paul Nussbuam in the Inquirer reports: Pennsylvania is seeking authority to toll I-80 under a federal pilot program…
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Taxpayer money for soccer?
Its looking more likely that taxpayers will buy a new soccer stadium. Paris Hilton Gov. Rendell, who never has enough money to hand out: “It seems to me there…
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Pa. Senate approves “Rendell Lite”
With an easy 44-5 vote, the PA Senate approved spending $650M over 10 years on alternative energy. With this vote, Senate Republicans have drawn a line in the sand:…
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The Freshman Earmarkers
I’ve heard of the “freshmen fifteen”, but how about the freshmen $70 million? The six freshmen members of congress who have delivered the most in “earmarks” all hail from PA,…
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Turnpike Bond Attorney defends Turnpike Bonding
The Patriot News ran Tim Carson’s defense of Act 44 today. I pointed out his six inaccurate claims in an earlier blog post, including the hilarious knee-slapper “I…
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Congressman wants probe of Fumo link to I-80 toll bid
Congressman Peterson has asked the Inspector General at US DOT to look into the Sen. Fumo-Turnpike Commission connection, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Apparently he thinks that when an indicted…
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A Health-Insurance Solution
Merrill Matthews in the Wall Street Journal on John Shadegg’s Congressional proposal to allow individuals to purchase health insurance from any state. He uses the example of New Jersey…
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Descendant of Davy Crockett, 5, kills bear
Unbelievable news story of the day from ESPN Topics on this page ESPN…
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Legislators Seek ‘Accountability’ For Cyber Charters
Article in today’s Evening Bulletin on the battle over cyber schools. Karen Beyer claims that “school choice proponents have paid lobbyists a sizeable amount to argue against HB 446:…
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More I-80 Tolling Opposition
Another letter from state lawmakers to US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters on I-80 tolling. This one from the “I-80 House Coalition” – twelve Republican House members with I-80 running…
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Supreme Court Fight Club
The state Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a grand jury could continue investigate Louis DeNaples, owner of Mount Airy Casino. Of course, John Baer broke this story over…
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Calendar Update
Our first batch of Capitol Calendars for Property Tax Relief are now for sale on eBay.(Click here for details). The latest Democracy Rising newsletter features a…
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Uninsured will grow under RendellCare
Pop quiz: The Rendell administration has estimated that 800,000 Pennsylvania adults are currently uninsured. If Governor Rendell’s “Cover All Pennsylvanians” were implemented as designed – costing up to $1.4 billion…
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The (Tax) War Between the States
Art Laffer and Steven Moore in today’s Wall Street Journal look at how tax competitiveness between states (i.e. lower taxes) results in greater population and economic growth: Of…
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Calendars for Property Tax Relief
ave your Capitol Calendars! You know those calendars you get from state legislators, which come with “Compliments of [Your Legislator]”, though they were paid with…
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Rolling out all the reasons against tolling I-80
Post-Gazette article reviews all the reasons to oppose I-80 tolls (or at least many of them). Topics on this page Pittsburgh Post-Gazette…
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Arthur Laffer on taxes
Interesting conversation with Arthur Laffer on the effect of tax cuts in The Curious Capitalist blog. Also check out Laffer’s response to “Crackpot Economics” Topics on this…
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A Zero-Sum Wealth Quiz
Coyote Blog takes on the zero-sum game myth of wealth and the economy, with a simple comparison of the rich of 100 years ago and the middle class of…
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All’s good, according to Bill DeWeese
Pennsyltucky Politics gets a positive prognosis from Bill DeWeese (along with some choice words about Patriot News reporter Charlie Thompson, “slithering around in his usual unkempt reptilian fashion.”) DeWeese…
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