Richard Morrison is a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, where his work focuses on the relationship between economic and political freedom. He has been widely cited for his research on corporate governance and finance regulation, in particular environmental, social, and governance (ESG) theory. He is also the host of the Free the Economy podcast.
He was previously a senior editor at CEI and managing editor of the blog OpenMarket. He also served as the program manager of CEI’s Center for Advancing Capitalism, where he coordinated outreach to the business community, universities, and other key allies. Before re-joining CEI in 2014, he was manager of communications at the Tax Foundation, where he was also the host and producer of the weekly Tax Policy Podcast. Prior to that he served as CEI’s director of media relations and director of new media between 1999 and 2010, during which he hosted the podcast Liberty Week.
He received his Bachelor of Arts in Government from Claremont McKenna College.
Authored by Richard Morrison
News
BP embraces petroleum again
British Petroleum is reportedly reembracing its core mission of producing petroleum instead of ESG-related ventures it has been trumpeting and spending money on. CEI…
SEC’s climate disclosure rule is redundant and vulnerable to legal challenge
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released its final climate disclosure rule today, mandating public companies disclose information related to greenhouse gas emissions. The…
Leftwing conspiracy theories about 1971 “Powell memo” debunked in new CEI report
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report debunks a leftwing conspiracy theory that free market interests seek a “corporate domination of America” (as Greenpeace put…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Shareholders vs. stakeholders with Jerry Bowyer
- By: Richard Morrison
In this week’s episode we cover the failure of postal banking, Trump pausing the TikTok ban (again), and the political crack-up…
Free the Economy podcast: The Reagan legacy in the 21st century with Dan Rothschild
- By: Richard Morrison
In this week’s episode we cover FreedomFest 2025, the FDA’s war on effective sunblock, good news about critical minerals, and Walmart’s…
Free the Economy podcast: Drug costs and benefits with Sally Pipes
- By: Richard Morrison
In this week’s episode we cover reforms to the Endangered Species Act, attacks on US tech firms, nuclear power innovation,…
Op-Eds/Articles
The Daily Economy
Bud Light Returns to Merit, Profit After ESG Backlash Cost Billions
- By: Richard Morrison
Most Americans have heard about Bud Light’s controversial marketing collaboration with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April 2023 from the ensuing boycott against the brand, which tanked…
National Review
Time to End the ESG Shakedown
- By: Richard Morrison
When the debate over environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing and regulation started heating up around five years ago, most commenters had to describe what it…
National Review
How Partisan Bureaucrats Weaponized Financial Regulation
- By: Richard Morrison
The main goal of financial regulation in the United States is supposed to be the protection of consumers, investors, and their businesses from deception and fraud.
Studies
Threats Then and Threats Now
Executive summary In 1971 Lewis Powell, a prominent Republican lawyer who would go on to serve on the Supreme Court, wrote a memo warning about…
The SEC’s Costly Power Grab
- By: Richard Morrison
The concept known as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing has gained an increasingly high profile in recent years, with advocates producing a large volume…
Frequently Asked Questions on ESG Theory
- By: Richard Morrison
View Full Document as PDF Q: What does “ESG” stand for? A: ESG is short for “environmental, social, and governance.” It is a…
Citations
Big Business Took A Beating From Conservatives Over Woke Marketing In 2023, But Did It Change Anything?
- By: Richard Morrison
CEI’s Richard Morrison is cited in Daily Caller on ‘woke marketing:’ “Regardless of what InBev’s senior management or board members believe in their hearts about…
The Hill
The rise and fall of ESG investing
- By: Richard Morrison
The Hill cites CEI’s Richard Morrison on ESG investing: In response, influential free-market groups such as the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, the …
Ballotpedia
A look ahead at ESG in 2023
- By: Richard Morrison
Competitive Enterprise Institute senior fellow predicts larger government role in shaping ESG policies. Other 2023 forecast pieces have made predictions based not just on calendar…
Regulatory Comments
CEI Comment on SEC ‘Investment Company Names’ Rule
- By: Richard Morrison
Introduction The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) is pleased to have the opportunity to comment on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) current notice of proposed…
CEI Comments to SEC on Proposed Climate-Related Disclosures Rule
- By: Richard Morrison
Comment letter submitted by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, et al. June 2022 In the matter of the proposed rule “The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related…
Comment on Proposed Rule “Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights”
- By: Richard Morrison
Assistant Secretary Khawar: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Employee Benefits Security Administration’s recently proposed rule on the Investment Duties regulation under…
Podcast Episodes
Reforming Medicaid with Brian Blase
- By: Richard Morrison
This week we cover farm tariffs, the decline in green investing, and the effort to stop state governments from regulating AI. Our interview this week...
Dear Mr. President with Destry Edwards
This week we cover the economic slowdown from tariffs, more accountability for independent agencies in the federal government, and riding the rails with the Department...
Waste, Fraud, and Tax Hikes with Emily Ekins
- By: Richard Morrison
This week we cover workplace injuries, MAGA antitrust in theory and practice, portable benefits for gig workers, and the new book Crushing Capitalism: How Populist...