Posted on 04/23/2016 6:35:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
One of Trump’s most enduring and arguably most endearing campaign lines has been his promise to treat American vets better. When Trump dropped out of a Fox News debate in January he held a separate event at which he raised money for veterans. But three months later, Trump’s campaign adviser for veterans, Al Baldasaro, doesn’t seem too concerned about it. He told the Daily Beast, “I’m not concerned about it, because I know [Trump is] an honorable, honest guy… you guys just want to say, ‘gotcha.’”
To be fair, Baldasaro is not a Trump staffer. The real problem is that anyone who has attempted to track down the $6 million raised has been unable to find more than about half that amount that was actually delivered to veterans’ groups. From the Daily Beast:
Since the fundraiser, numerous media organizations have investigated whether the charities have received the $6 million. The investigations span the ideological spectrum: the progressive MSNBC and the conservative Weekly Standard have been unable to find all the funds; as have The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and The Daily Beast.
The money simply hasn’t been found.
In early March, CNN was able to track down $2.9 million, citing the Trump campaign. In early April, The Wall Street Journal traced $2.4 million of the promised funds.
That CNN total of $2.9 million was based on a list of 29 veterans organizations shown to the network by a Trump spokesperson, so that seems to be the best case scenario. However, when CNN checked with those organizations one of them said they had not seen any money yet and the majority refused to comment:
When contacted by CNN, only nine groups confirmed they had received payments totaling $800,000, one group said no payment had yet been made, and the rest either refused to disclose contributions or did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment.
A Trump spokesperson told CNN contributions would continue as money came in from donors, but why wait for money to come in?
Trump made a big point of raising this money for veterans. That was an honorable thing to do. He could do vets another solid (and maybe gain a little of his declining favorability back) by stepping up and advancing the money from his own bank account if necessary. Doing so would be a win for his campaign and a win for veterans.
That amount the veterans are being stiffed is yuuuuuuuuuge.
How much of what Cruz raised for vets has been delivered to charities??
Excuse me.
This is ridiculous. He’ll send the other half soon.
Believe me.
Very, very, very.
I guess it was 6 million PLEDGED, yes? Is there evidence that it isn’t being dispersed as it is received? Or do you expect Trump to use his own money while waiting? Just curious.
Er, no. Really are you that hateful you have lost all perspective?
If so, I’ll clue you in: ONE YEAR after 9/11, the American Red Cross had only distributed 10%. . . get that? 10% . . . of the funds it took in for 9/11 to the people who needed it.
Trump is so far ahead on this stuff it’s funny. We’re talking three months to distribute 50%?
Wow you haters are just pitiful and getting worse by the day.
And how much has the Cruz campaign raised for and delivered to Vets?
How much pledged has been collected? Then of the collected amount how much has not been paid?
And just FYI, if a ‘journalist’ uses the phrase ‘do a solid’, I know exactly how mature the ‘journalist’ is......reminds me too much of Anthony Weiner.
This keeps getting posted over and over.
Half of the PLEDGED money has been given out. No on addresses how much was actually collected. Moreover they are still finding places to donate the money.
Just how much did you give? I am betting nothing.
So glad I deleted that bookmark.
I heard he also likes to crush kittens barefoot. :>) If folks would take a closer look at all these “charitable” orgs they would find that a lot of the ones we think are helpful are mostly helping the upper brackets of said orgs. I think charitywatch or something like that is a decent source of info on the efficiency of them.
BTW, delivering 50% in ANY charity is considered amazing return. But I bet Trump will eventually dole out 90% or more.
The veterans are not being stiffed.
You have no idea of what actually came in. All these stories cite is what was pledged. In under six months close to three million has found a home. They re doing due diligence to see that the obey is well spent.
So just how much did you give? I will bet you gave nothing and neither did Ted
I think the pledges of donors will be forthcoming. You know this is not all TRUMP money. He gave a one million and the rest was pledged and collected.
There are also sour military who are not for TRUMP and will chew on any sour grape to prove it.
Sounds like the pledges are slow, the charities are quiet and there is not enough information on the donors.
TRUMP has had a shoe string staffed campaign. He is not personally able to do distribution. Maybe a little publicity will start the end of this story.
Plenty of ungratefulness seems to abound among the demanding. They need to chill.
“A Trump spokesperson told CNN contributions would continue as money came in from donors, but why wait for money to come in?”
Maybe because they can’t give the groups money they don’t have yet. I guess the brain trust at the ever so aptly named Hot Air thinks Trump should just cut a check. I thought conservatism wasn’t about telling private individuals how to spend their money.
But if we’re going to do that, has Hot Air written an article about Cruz’s lack of charitable giving? 1% from a professed Christian isn’t exactly impressive.
Or any other charity?
For an event that was organized in five days, it seems they are ahead of schedule.
Wow, you Cruzers are getting more pathetic by the day, aren’t you? There is a difference between pledged and collected, or have you people gone so far over the edge in your hatred that this fact escapes you? Just another pathetic attempt by the Cruz-Loonies to smear Trump I guess.
It just ain’t gonna wash, Cruz people....
Why don’t you just accept reality?
Trump has blown away Cruz for all intents and purposes.
None of your contrived digs at Trump have worked or will work...
>>I guess it was 6 million PLEDGED, yes? Is there evidence that it isn’t being dispersed as it is received? Or do you expect Trump to use his own money while waiting? Just curious.
There ya go thinking again. You must go on faith, brother. FAITH, I say! Faith in Ted the Cruz, the messiah, the very FACE of Godddddd. Amen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.