Debra J. Saunders

Debra J. Saunders is a nationally syndicated conservative U.S. columnist and global warming doubter whose early career included employment at two Republican political advocacy firms. She has written for the San Francisco Chronicle since 1992 and her column has been published in a range of other mainstream publications and conservative websites.

Bio
Debra Saunders is married to Wesley J. Smith, a Senior Fellow (or "senior fellow on animal-rights issues" ) at the Discovery Institute (D.I.), a think tank and conservative political, policy, economic, religious and industry lobbying organization best known as the driving force behind the Intelligent design movement.

According to GOPUSA.com, Saunders graduated magna cum laude from the University of Massachusetts in 1980 with a BA in Greek and Latin.

She was employed as a writer, researcher and account executive for Sacramento Republican political advocacy firm Russo Watts & Rollins between 1985-1986, and Todd Domke Associates, a Republican consulting firm in Boston. She participated in U.S. senate and congressional races elections with both firms. She also worked for the Republican leader of the California assembly. She was a columnist with the Los Angeles Daily News between 1988 and 1992.

Animal rights
The SourceWatch page Debra Saunders/Animal rights documents attacks on animal rights activism that Saunders - whose husband is "a senior fellow on animal-rights issues" at the Discovery Institute - has made in her column.

Saunders' columns addressing issues which overlap with the Discovery Institute's agenda have sometimes - but not always, - disclosed her relationship with Smith and his role with D.I.

SourceWatch articles

 * Debra Saunders/Animal rights
 * Encounter Books
 * Russo Watts & Rollins

External resources

 * Debra J. Saunders Archive of SF Chronicle articles by Debra J. Saunders, San Francisco Chronicle, accessed May 2009
 * Debra J. Saunders The World According to Gore, Encounter Books, San Francisco, California, 2000. ISBN 1893554147