How OC Weekly’s founding editor turned conservative libertarian firebrand
His fusillades drew the attention of Steve Greenhut, a former Orange County Register senior editorial writer and columnist who had been the frequent target of the Weekly. Greenhut served as vice president of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity and needed a managing editor when he hired Swaim.
“I don’t find [his political evolution] surprising, at all,” said Greenhut, now western director for the R Street Institute and an editorial board member for the Southern California News Group. “As I’ve seen over the years, he’s become more ideologically aligned where I have been but I think he’s always naturally been a libertarian.”
The two traveled the country discussing politics, free markets and unions. At one conference, copies of “I, Pencil” a pro-market essay by Leonard Reed circulated; Greenhut recalled it having a profound impact on Swaim.
“The common complaint from the left that the problem was about a business class,” Swaim said, “just started to strike me as hollow — an excuse.”
When Greenhut left for R Street, Swaim took his Franklin Center posts but tired of being away from family for work.
