(The Hill)
Chris Mills Rodrigo March 14, 2019 10:09 PM
The Sanders Institute, a think tank founded by the wife and son of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), is shutting down, The Associated Press reported Thursday.
The Vermont institute stopped accepting donations and will suspend all operations by the end of May "so there could not even be an appearance of impropriety," Jane Sanders told AP.
Critics have said the think tank blurs lines between family, fundraising and campaigns.
The Vermont senator criticized Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign for her family's nonprofit and is reportedly concerned he will be called hypocritical over the institute.
The 2020 Democratic candidate has no role in the institute, which was created after his failed 2016 push.
Speaking to AP, Jane Sanders kept the door open for the institute to begin taking donations again once Bernie Sanders is no longer running for president.
"I think that was the most important thing to do - to not accept donations, because nobody should think that they're giving money to an organization and that gains them access or favor to anybody else and anybody running for office," she said in an interview this week.
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