This one came over the transom from the mil email string…
Well worth paying attention to, as I’ve seen more and more calls from various ‘Pacs’ wanting donations for various things…
A web of new political action committees (PAC) raised nearly $6 million in recent months under the guise of supporting police, veterans and cancer research. But nearly
all the money has gone to their own vendors and staff, as opposed to those causes – hallmarks of so-called scam PACs. The web of seven spent heavily on fundraising and
consulting services – not political causes – during that time. Several of the people and entities involved in the new PACs have been investigated for alleged fraud and other
illegal practices in the charity sphere. But after coming under scrutiny, they have shifted recently into the much less regulated realm of politics, a POLITICO investigation has found.
The new PACs have feel-good names like Cops and Kids Together and Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer. They have succeeded in raising millions of dollars from
small donors in a matter of months – and spent most of it just as quickly, without supporting political candidates or making a mark on a policy issue. Altogether, the seven PACs spent nearly 85% of the $5.9 million they raised through March. All but one of the PACs, National Assistance Committee, sent at least 84% of its spending to
businesses at 1835 E. Charleston Blvd. A lot of money can be collected without a lot of regulation,” said FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub. “It’s like when they asked
Willie Sutton, ‘Why do you rob banks?’ He said, ‘Because that’s where the money is.’”
Full article HERE, at Politico.
For what it’s worth, I no longer give to ANYONE that calls me on the phone. EVER…
I never have given to phone solicitors. Whenever called, I would always interrupt their spiel and tell them so. I hold them in the same regard as Indian computer techs.
It’s like most charities. If people paid attention to how much of the donations pays salaries, bureaucracy, advertising, and political activities, they’d realize every dollar they contributed only yielded about 10 cents; if the charity is reputable.
Yup. I love telling the sad faces at the grocery store those facts when they are trying to collect for their favorite United March for UNICEF something, something.
It’s actually resulted in some very nice conversations with other people in line and the check-out staff.
And it’s worth the glares from the socialists/commies where I live. You know, the pretentious idiots who want you to donate but always have some excuse why their favorite illegal medicine is more important than ‘Tehh Childrunn.’
Salvation Army and any individual or family I recognize as needing help. Sometimes March of dimes at work. I don’t care about tax write off. I consider most other of these to be like the Clinton foundation, scams.
We get a lot of what I call “clipboard” people – who have a sign up sheet on a clipboard and a laminated copy of their charity logo, and some info about how your donation will help. Sometimes they’ll get ahold of a baseball cap with the name of a local rec center on it, and raise “funds” for them. It’s all a scam.
Two weeks ago, a kid was taking donations for a local arts TV station – one whose CEO makes $750K. I laughed and closed the door.
Hah! I love telling the PBS people that I already donated on April 15th. Unfortunately, too many don’t get it.
That’s a good one, especially when dealing with a government funded group!
We support our local symphony and a specific Catholic charity, nothing more. I even got my late father to stop sending money to the begging mailers that came to his house.
All- Thanks for the comments, and yes they do tend to pray on the elderly, sometimes for amazing amounts of money. There was one lady that I knew him in Virginia in her 80s who have donated most of her life savings over $100,000 to want turned out to be a scam to help the children overseas.
Posted from my iPhone.
Caveat Emptor – sounds to me like some of these ‘charities’ are tying to compete with the Clinton foundation for misuse of donations – or at least in terms of how little of the money is actually used for something besides overhead and administrative costs……………….
So one day I get this call from a lady soliciting for some charitable cause. In mid spiel, I interrupt her and state: “Ma’am, I am on the nationwide do-not-call list”
She responds: “Sir, we are a registered charity. We are exempt from the do-not-call list.”
I stopped her again and said: “Ma’am, stop and think for a minute. I went through the trouble of registering my desire to not be solicited over the telephone. You go against my explicit wishes because you say you are exempt, and then you want me to give you money! Does that make sense to you?”
I didn’t give her a chance to answer: “Good day Madam”. And then I hung up.
Yeah, I have done this a few times, but mostly I just hang up. The do-not-call list is a dead letter, universally ignored.
I have very few places I give to but it is a place that I checked out
False PACs are the same tactic they used to siphon off funds and mostly kill off the TEA party movement.
THOTpolice