DeMint Exits Heritage Foundation Amid `Significant' Problems

(Bloomberg) -- Jim DeMint resigned as president of the Heritage Foundation Tuesday at the unanimous request of the organization's board, according to a statement posted on the conservative think tank's website.

“After a comprehensive and independent review of the entire Heritage organization, the Board determined there were significant and worsening management issues that led to a breakdown of internal communications and cooperation,” Thomas Saunders III, chairman of the group, said in the statement. “While the organization has seen many successes, Jim DeMint and a handful of his closest advisers failed to resolve these problems.”

Long influential among conservatives, Heritage played a key role in developing policies for President Ronald Reagan's administration, the GOP congressional majorities of the 1990s, and the Tea Party wave. Its experts have also helped President Donald Trump develop proposals, write a budget and staff administration positions.

Tensions between DeMint and other Heritage leaders surfaced in recent days in various media reports, which cited disagreements over the balance between political advocacy and policy research.

DeMint, a former member of the U.S. House and Senate from South Carolina, became president of Heritage in 2013. Ed Feulner, who founded the group, will serve as acting president, the group said Tuesday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ben Brody in Washington at btenerellabr@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joshua Gallu at jgallu@bloomberg.net, Alexis Leondis