ine ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁wealth ▁of ▁opportun ities ▁that ▁the ▁free ▁market ▁has ▁to ▁offer , ▁and ▁institutions ▁and ▁infrastr ucture ▁capable ▁of ▁facil it ating ▁and ▁taking ▁full ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁ing enu ity ▁and ▁determ ination ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁people ▁by ▁prom oting ▁private ▁sector ▁innov ation ." ▁ ▁The ▁Institute ▁was ▁critic ized ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁de cade ▁as ▁an ▁extension ▁of ▁Senator ▁John ▁McC ain ' s ▁political ▁amb itions . ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁described ▁the ▁Institute ▁in ▁this ▁fashion : ▁ ▁" In ▁a ▁small ▁office ▁a ▁few ▁miles ▁from ▁Capit ol ▁Hill , ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁top ▁advis ers ▁to ▁Senator ▁John ▁McC ain ▁run ▁a ▁quiet ▁campaign . ▁They ▁promote ▁his ▁cr us ade ▁against ▁special ▁interest ▁money ▁in ▁politics . ▁They ▁send ▁out ▁news ▁releases ▁prom oting ▁his ▁initi atives . ▁And ▁they ▁raise ▁money -- h undred s ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁dollars , ▁t apping ▁some ▁McC ain ▁back ers ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁$ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁each ." ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁Reform ▁Institute ▁was ▁launched ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁and ▁grew ▁from ▁the ▁movement ▁to ▁challenge ▁campaign ▁fin ance ▁practices ▁such ▁as ▁un limited ▁and ▁und is closed ▁" soft ▁money " ▁don ations . ▁The ▁initial ▁b ipart isan ▁honor ary ▁co - ch airs ▁of ▁the ▁inst itute ' s ▁Ad vis ory ▁Committee ▁were ▁Senator ▁John ▁McC ain ▁( R - A Z ) ▁and ▁former ▁Senator ▁Robert