Leonard Leo, a prominent conservative megadonor and key figure in the conservative legal movement, had plans to establish the Center for the Study of the Structural Constitution at his alma mater, Cornell Law School. However, the proposal faced opposition from Cornell professors who were concerned about Leo’s right-wing influence on academia. Despite the setback, Leo found a new home for his project at Texas A&M University School of Law, where he secretly donated $15 million for a research center with a similar name. Leo’s donations to various law schools, facilitated through his favorite dark-money funds, have raised concerns among professors who fear the incubation of fringe conservative scholarship at top programs.
Leo’s ties to Cornell run deep, as he is a double Cornellian and played a significant role in the conservative legal movement. He founded Cornell’s student chapter of the Federalist Society and went on to become its executive vice president and co-chair. Leo has advised on every conservative nomination to the Supreme Court since Chief Justice John Roberts and has been a major fundraiser for conservative legal causes. His efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade and stonewall the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court during the Obama administration are well-known. Leo’s influence in the conservative legal movement has earned him the title of the “Number Three most powerful person in the world” by Justice Clarence Thomas.
Leo’s philanthropic activities extend beyond his involvement in the conservative legal movement. In 2016, he helped broker a $20 million anonymous gift to George Mason University, which later led to a billion-dollar donation to Leo himself. Leo’s funding vehicles, including the Marble Freedom Trust and the 85 Fund, contribute significant amounts of dark money to conservative causes each year. These funds often flow through DonorsTrust, a favorite pass-through mechanism for Leo and other right-wing donors. Leo’s donations to law schools, including Yale, NYU, Stanford, and George Mason, have been channeled through DonorsTrust.
Leo’s involvement in funding law schools has raised concerns about the influence of his conservative agenda on legal education. Many professors worry that Leo is trying to promote fringe conservative scholarship at top programs and reshape the legal academy in his right-wing image. The donations often come with specific instructions on how the funds should be used, indicating Leo’s priorities. For example, Catholic University of America received a significant donation for a new research center and professorship focused on the intersection of the U.S. Constitution and the Catholic intellectual tradition. Leo’s involvement in funding this center was acknowledged publicly, unlike at Texas A&M, where his name is not explicitly attached to the Center on the Structural Constitution.
Leo’s funding of law schools extends beyond well-known programs to lesser-known schools like South Texas College of Law Houston and Ave Maria School of Law. These schools have received significant donations via DonorsTrust, with earmarks for specific purposes. For example, South Texas College of Law received $1 million for an endowed chair for Professor Josh Blackman, a prominent conservative legal scholar and Federalist Society member. These donations have raised questions about the potential influence of Leo’s dark money on legal education and scholarship.
In conclusion, Leonard Leo’s efforts to reshape academia in his right-wing image have faced opposition at Cornell Law School but found success at Texas A&M University School of Law and other law schools through his dark-money funds. His donations have raised concerns among professors about the promotion of fringe conservative scholarship and the potential distortion of legal education. Leo’s involvement in funding law schools highlights the influence of wealthy donors on higher education and the need for transparency in philanthropic activities.
