Exodus from Heritage Foundation think tank after president defends Tucker Carlson interview with neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes

The Heritage Foundation told JNS that two of those staffers at the Meese centre – its director, John Malcolm, and deputy director of programmes, Jessica Reinsch – had been fired.

“John Malcolm and Jessica Reinsch were terminated for conduct inconsistent with Heritage's mission and standards,” Andrew Olivastro, Heritage’s chief advancement officer, told JNS. “Breach of fiduciary duty and intellectual property removal led to immediate actions. Others who departed were closely aligned with them. Their departures clear the way for a stronger, more focused team.

“Heritage has always welcomed debate, but alignment on mission and loyalty to the institution are non-negotiable,” he added. “A handful of staff chose a different path – some through disruption, others through disloyalty.”

JNS sought comment from Advancing American Freedom.

Many of those who have resigned from Heritage have accused the organisation of failing to stand against Jew-hatred.

Josh Blackman, a professor of constitutional law at South Texas College of Law Houston, wrote in his resignation letter as senior editor of the “Heritage Guide to the Constitution” on Sunday that Roberts’ actions had made his position “untenable.”

“Heritage came to a crashing halt after your infamous video,” Blackman said. “Your initial remarks were indefensible. Your apology was underwhelming, and the lack of any meaningful follow-up over the past three months has been telling. For reasons only you know, you aligned the Heritage Foundation with the rising tide of antisemitism on the right.”

Blackman, who is Jewish, told JNS on Sunday that it’s regrettable that “it falls to Jewish people to speak up against antisemitism.

“I wish more people in the conservative movement took action and spoke up,” Blackman said. “But given there was no change at Heritage, I felt compelled to step down. On this final night of Hanukkah, may light spread where there is darkness.”

Amy Swearer, who is one of the senior legal fellows departing Heritage for Advancing American Freedom, delivered one of the most blistering criticisms of Roberts at the November town hall.

“Dr Roberts, over the last week, you have shown a stunning lack of both courage and judgment,” Swearer said. “There’s nothing ambiguous about what we saw happen. Tucker Carlson invited a Holocaust-denying neo-Nazi onto his show and then spent roughly two hours doing little more than flirting with him.”

Other members of Heritage who have resigned in recent weeks include three of its trustees, Shane McCullar, Abby Spencer Moffat and Robert George, professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University. Heritage’s antisemitism task force has also separated from the conservative think tank “for a season”.

A source at the Heritage Foundation told JNS that Roberts has “lost control of the organisation.

“The Heritage board of trustees under Barb Van Andel-Gaby has failed in their fiduciary obligation to protect the staff from harm, and they should all be sued in a massive class-action lawsuit and we are in discussions with lawyers about that now.”