The Center for Renewing America (CRA) is an ultra-right-wing think tank launched by the Conservative Partnership Institute and run by Russ Vought, who was the director of the Office of Management and Budget during the Trump administration and is a “self-described Christian nationalist.” POLITICO reported that CRA “is developing plans to infuse Christian nationalist ideas” into a potential second Trump administration.
Mark Paoletta
Mark Paoletta is a senior fellow at the Center for Renewing America. He is a vocal defender and “longtime friend” of Clarence Thomas. He appeared in the infamous painting depicting Thomas, Leonard Leo, and Harlan Crow at Crow’s private resort. Paoletta also served as legal counsel for Ginni Thomas during her run-in with the House Select Committee on January 6th. Paoletta has been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars via Leo to run a public relations campaign for Clarence Thomas. Paoletta also sat in on most of the interviews that Michael Pack conducted with Thomas for his 2020 pro-Thomas documentary, which included Thomas’ claim to love parking his RV at Walmart more than beach vacations. That video was underwritten by billionaires like Crow, who secretly gave Thomas millions of dollars worth of gifts. Paoletta’s law firm has also been actively involved in aiding state Attorneys General in Texas, Indiana, Mississippi, and Georgia who are part of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), a 527 whose biggest funder has been Leonard Leo-tied groups; these AGs often submit amicus briefs to the Supreme Court.