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Duke Panelists to Discuss Big Money's Influence on Democracy

New Yorker reporter Jane Mayer, philanthropist James Piereson and businessman J. Adam Abram will explore the influence of money on politics.

New Yorker investigative reporter Jane Mayer, philanthropist and political scientist James Piereson and businessman J. Adam Abram will discuss the impact of big money on American democracy and governance Thursday, Jan. 29 at Duke University. The Terry Sanford Distinguished Lecture begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Sanford School of Public Policy's Fleishman Commons, and is free and open to the public. The discussion will be followed by an audience Q & A. Parking is available in the Public Policy Lot.Duke Professor of Law and Public Policy Joel Fleishman will moderate the panel, which will examine how the influx of money is shaping policy agendas.  Mayer has written about money in politics for more than a decade, with articles covering spending by both liberals and conservatives, including George Soros, the Koch brothers and Art Pope. She received the Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting in 2012 for her article on North Carolina politics. Piereson is president of the William E. Simon Foundation, a private foundation that focuses on education, religion and the problems of youth. He is also a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.Abram is CEO of the James River Group, Inc. He also chairs the Sanford School Board of Visitors. The Terry Sanford Distinguished Lecture is presented by the Sanford School of Public Policy.  This event is co-sponsored by The Center for Strategic Philanthropy and Civil Society. The talk will be streamed live at http://sanford.duke.edu/policy-connect/events/money-talks-philanthropy-p... the talk on Twitter with @DukeSanford and #dukelive.