Edward H. Crane obit

Edward H. Crane

1944–2026

 

He was not on the list.

Ed Crane was the cofounder and president emeritus of the Cato Institute. Under his leadership, the Cato Institute grew to become one of the nation’s most prominent public policy research organizations.

When a young California investment manager named Ed Crane spent 1976 in Washington, he noticed how much influence a few think tanks had despite their relatively small budgets. He thought there ought to be a public policy research organization—a think tank—dedicated to the American principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. When he returned to San Francisco, he cofounded the Cato Institute, which opened its doors in January 1977. He served as President and CEO until October 2012.

Edward H. Crane was born in suburban Los Angeles on August 15, 1944. Once referred to by the Washington Post as “the lion king of button-down libertarianism,” Crane dedicated much of his life to guiding the Cato Institute from a three-person outfit in San Francisco to one of the most prominent public policy research organizations in the country. “Ed Crane has taken the different path, a single-minded free thinker whose life has been lived largely out of step with his times—or perhaps a step or two ahead of them,” the Post continued. From the beginning he insisted that Cato stick to firm libertarian principles and take on the big issues.

Ed Crane died on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Below is a remembrance of Ed from Robert A. Levy, chairman emeritus of Cato.

On the exclusive list of persons who have had the greatest impact on the pro-liberty movement, Ed Crane’s name is preeminent. He built the Cato Institute from an inconspicuous, small-scale operation into a public policy powerhouse—the world’s foremost proponent of individual liberty and limited government. Ed was a legend in the libertarian community. Even now, as we mourn his passing, he remains a legend for his enduring contributions in pursuit of human freedom.

I first met Ed in the early 1990s. I had become a Cato donor, sold my business, completed law school, and decided to enter the public policy arena. Using my modest leverage as a donor, I persuaded Ed to give me a job. I soon discovered two of his most distinctive characteristics: his finely honed sense of humor and his unswerving dedication to principle.

My first project at Cato involved the master tobacco settlement, which I characterized as a quarter-of-a-trillion-dollar sweetheart deal. One of the tobacco companies—a significant Cato donor—advised us to cease and desist. When Ed refused, the company ended its Cato donations. A little later, I defended Microsoft in its browser-wars litigation. A competing high-tech company, also a Cato donor, wasn’t pleased, and threatened to withdraw financial support if we released the study. Ed released it anyway. Understandably vexed about the depletion of our meager corporate donor base, Ed emailed me: “Bob, because of your work, two of our corporate sponsors have lowered their donations. So up yours.”

That was typical Ed Crane; but the more important takeaway from that story was his affirmation of Cato’s intellectual independence. The Institute’s reputation and effectiveness, which Ed ordained and enforced, is grounded on a wall of separation between our scholars and those special interests seeking to influence our work. From Cato’s founding in 1977 until Ed stepped down as CEO in 2012, he remained unalterably committed to preserving that independence.

Ed’s stewardship of Cato—as co-founder, visionary, energizer, policy expert, and source of inspiration—was flavored and enriched by his droll wit. No one but Ed could advise our donors to visit the Cato website to “greatly enhance the enjoyment of your otherwise drab lives.” And only Ed could recommend our Twitter feeds for those of our donors who have attention deficit disorder; or describe Wolfgang, the Crane family dog, as “a philosophical anarchist who believes there is no role for government in our dog-eat-dog world.”

On the other hand, when Ed wanted to make a serious point, he wasted no words. I recall a galling article some years ago in the New York Times admonishing Steve Jobs for not giving more of his money to charity. Ed’s caustic response: “Good point, what has Jobs ever done for mankind?” It’s that kind of trenchant commentary—coming from a truly talented writer—that was an Ed Crane trademark.

And yet style and delivery were just lubricants. Ed’s true legacy is his advocacy for a free society—from his days as a Berkeley student to his work on the Goldwater campaign, his efforts to reform Social Security and establish term limits, his voluminous writings and speeches and media appearances, and his prodigious fundraising capabilities, without which the success of the Cato Institute would not have been possible.

Here are just a few elements of Ed’s recipe for a fruitful life, from a 2008 interview with the Washington Examiner: (1) Be honest in everything you do and with yourself. (2) Give credit to others. (3) Know what you want to achieve and pursue that goal. (4) Work hard. I’d say Ed’s score was 4‑for‑4; and I’d add another to his list of accomplishments: Promote personal responsibility, the rule of law, and human flourishing. Ed’s legion of friends has been bereaved of its mentor and leader. We mark this otherwise sad occasion to proclaim our admiration and respect for a libertarian champion.

— Robert A. Levy

Chairman Emeritus, Cato Institute