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Reason / Volokh Conspiracy

U.S. libertarian

Owned byReason Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) libertarian think tank based in Los Angeles, California
FundingPrivate donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations; notable funders include DonorsTrust, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, and the Searle Freedom Trust; no government funding
On the administrationbroadly critical

Background

Reason magazine was founded in 1968 by Lanny Friedlander as a mimeographed student newsletter at Boston University, reflecting his interest in individual liberty and skepticism of authority. In 1970, Robert W. Poole Jr., Manuel Klausner, and Tibor Machan purchased it and professionalized it; in 1978 they established the Reason Foundation as a nonprofit to extend the magazine's libertarian ideas into policy research. The magazine has operated under the motto 'Free Minds and Free Markets,' consistently advocating for civil liberties alongside economic deregulation — a combination that sets it apart from mainstream conservative outlets. The Volokh Conspiracy was founded in April 2002 by Eugene Volokh, a UCLA law professor and First Amendment scholar, as an independent legal blog; it moved to The Washington Post in January 2014 before relocating to Reason.com in December 2017, with Volokh citing a desire for broader reader access and greater editorial independence. At Reason, the Volokh Conspiracy continues to operate with editorial independence and is written primarily by law professors covering constitutional and legal issues. Both outlets have criticized the Trump administration's second term — Reason described it as a 'libertarian's nightmare' — pointing to executive power grabs, trade protectionism via tariffs, immigration enforcement practices, and what they characterize as erosion of constitutional norms, objections rooted in libertarian principle rather than partisan alignment. Reason's funding comes entirely from private donors and foundations, with no government support; major donors have included donor-advised funds such as DonorsTrust and several large philanthropic foundations.

Sources

  1. Reason (magazine) — Wikipedia
  2. Reason Foundation — Wikipedia
  3. The Volokh Conspiracy — Wikipedia
  4. Year 1 of Trump's second term was a libertarian's nightmare — Reason
  5. Trump's 'Emergencies' Are Pretexts for Undermining the Constitution — Volokh Conspiracy at Reason
  6. Many thanks, and our move from The Post to Reason — Washington Post
  7. Reason Foundation — InfluenceWatch

Profile compiled 2026-06-26; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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