Richard Mellon Scaife is U.S. billionaire and major funding source of right-wing causes through the Scaife Foundations, which he controls. Scaife’s early contributions to Heritage Foundation in 1976 were “absolutely critical” according to Heritage’s president, Ed Feulner. Scaife’s early support of American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) helped the influential grassroots policy organization get started. Scaife oversees four “Scaife Foundations” * Sarah Scaife Foundation * Carthage Foundation * Allegheny Foundation * Scaife Family Foundation.