Leaked Emails Show Inside Operations of Influential Think Tank

The founder of one of the US's most influential think tanks was recently hacked and thousands of his emails have been released to the public, with many more to come.

John Podesta, the founder of the liberal Center for American Progress (CAP), who sits on the think tanks Board of Directors, is the Chairman of Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Here is some recent coverage of the hack:

• Leaked emails highlight close ties between Clinton campaign and leading Democratic think tank. 
• Washington Post: CAP officials have played prominent behind-the-scenes role assisting Clinton; Tanden offered CAP's resources; says advising campaign in her personal capacity.
• Politico is liveblogging the email leaks.
• Podesta said Russian spies hacked his email to sway the election.
• Here is what CBS News has to say.
• Daily Caller says that the "liberal media" is ignoring the leaks.
• Washington Post reporter spiked info. about Podesta conflicts of interest.
• Here is The Hill coverage on the leaks.
• The Washington Examiner notes that John Podesta's brother, Tony Podesta, had special access to the White House.
• Politico reports that Podesta accused Roger Stone of colluding with WikiLeaks. 
• The Intercept: CAP advised Clinton team against $15 minimum wage. 
• Washington Examiner: CAP head faces liberal wrath after email leak.
• Daily Caller: ThinkProgress trashes a climate expert's career to appease a Hillary donor.
• The Weekly Standard: Liberal think tank freaks out.
• CNN's Jake Tapper rips into Podesta, ThinkProgress over "untrue" reporting.
• Washington Free Beacon: Liberal think tank freaked out at SNL's criticism of donors.
• Fox: Clinton think tank ally emerges in emails as scathing critic.
• Podesta on Nicki Minaj: "Booty Equity."
• Is the age of Neeras and Human upon us?
• Washington Post's Dan Zak refers to CAP as "brain box." 
• The Intercept: At Hillary's favorite think tank a doubling down on anti-Iran, pro-Saudi policy.
• Greenpeace sought Podesta's help to reach out to India's Modi.
• Leaks Lay Bare a Longtime Clinton Adviser's Unflinching Straight Talk.

The emails can be found on WikiLeaks, a number of which reference CAP.

Even with all the leaked emails, Politico said today that John Podesta still tops the list to be Clinton's chief of staff.  CAP's current president and CEO, Neera Tanden (described as Clinton's "go-to brain trust on domestic policy issues), is also near the top of the list for that position.

The First Rule of Getting a Job with Clinton: Know John Podesta

The first rule of getting a job in the Clinton Administration: Know John Podesta, the founder of the think tank Center for American Progress (CAP).

Here is more from Politico:

 If you're wondering how to get a job in a Hillary Clinton White House, start by reading campaign chairman John Podesta's hacked emails.

From a billionaire plugging a federal official for a cabinet appointment to Podesta himself plugging the daughter of a friend for an internship, the trove of Podesta’s correspondence posted by WikiLeaks is a portrait of Washington insiderism, showing powerful people turning into supplicants using connections and flattery.

A new president has 4,000 political appointments to dole out. And as Podesta went from running a think tank to serving as a counselor to Barack Obama to joining the Clinton campaign, everybody from high-ranking officials to college undergraduates jockeyed to get themselves or their friends onto his radar.

In 2014 Podesta himself appeared to put in a good word with his former Center for American Progress colleagues on behalf of the daughter of a friend who had recently applied to an internship at the think tank. She ended up getting the internship, according to the email.

As you can see, if also pays to know Mr. Podesta when you want to work at CAP, a think tank that houses many scholars who will likely soon be working in a Clinton Administration.