Posted on 04/25/2005 6:26:44 AM PDT by stevio
(CNSNews.com) - The Open Society Institute, a private foundation controlled by liberal billionaire and political activist George Soros, received more than $30 million from U.S. government agencies between 1998 and 2003. Last year, Soros donated at least $20 million of his own money to such liberal groups as Moveon.org, in a failed attempt to block the re-election of President George W. Bush.
Tax records the Open Society Institute (OSI) is required to file with the Internal Revenue Service list "FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES" as "Contributors" of amounts between $4.6 million and $8.9 million over a six year period:
* 1998 - $4,611,617
* 2000 - $4,934,678
* 2001 - $5,869,809
* 2002 - $6,138,125
* 2003 - $8,889,802
The amounts total $30,454,031. Records from 1999 and 2004 were not immediately available.
Cybercast News Service asked OSI to provide a detailed list of its funding from U.S. government agencies, the records from 1999 and 2004 and an explanation of how the money has been spent. The foundation did not reply to multiple requests for the information.
In an online document entitled Building Donor Partnerships, OSI explains how its various subsidiaries, called "national foundations," can get funding and other support from the governments in their home nations:
* Public financing can be used to co-fund, expand or ensure sustainability of programs initiated by the national foundation.
* When a government cannot provide funds, it can allocate land, use of facilities, media time or staff to a donor partnership.
* Governments can waive or reduce taxes and duties for efforts of the Soros foundations.
* Governments can publicize the programs or requests of the national foundation through official channels, often at no charge.
OSI has apparently applied this strategy in the U.S., as well. The foundation received 1.4 to 4.4 percent of its annual contributions between 1998 and 2003 from American taxpayer funding. Various State Department documents indicate that OSI has been paid to run what the department describes as "democratization programs" in a number of countries.
"The Open Society Institute receives funding from the United States," a State Department press statement declared, "and has spent close to $22 million in Uzbekistan in order to help build a vibrant civil society."
Another report explained that "The United States also supports organizations, such as ... the Open Society Institute ... working inside and outside the (Burmese) region on a broad range of democracy promotion activities."
A State Department Fact Sheet also described "an HIV/AIDS prevention program carried out jointly with the Open Society Institute and Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation that targets high-risk populations" in Central Asia. The website of the U.S. Agency for International Development also lists numerous projects conducted in cooperation with OSI.
On the "About Us" page of its website, the Soros-controlled foundation explains that it exists "to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights and economic, legal and social reform."
Ken Boehm, chairman of the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), told Cybercast News Service that any seemingly positive activities Soros-controlled groups engage in should be kept in perspective.
"Congress should keep in mind that this is the same organization that supports numerous hard-left radical activities in the United States and abroad," Boehm said. "The Open Society Institute gave $20,000 to the defense fund for Lynne Stewart, (who was) accused of working with the terrorists who planned the original World Trade Center attack."
Boehm said the numerous left of center political activities supported by OSI include "drug legalization efforts, pro-abortion policies and numerous other controversial causes." OSI tax records show contributions of:
* $4.41 million to the American Civil Liberties Union and its state affiliates,
* $500,000 to the Pro-Choice Education Project to launch a (pro-abortion rights) "public education and media strategy,"
* $100,000 to the Death Penalty Information Center, an organization that works against capital punishment,
* $100,000 to Catholics for a Free Choice, a religious group that advocates for abortion rights,
* $100,000 to the Pennsylvania Coalition to Save Lives Now "to support needle exchange programs,"
* $80,000 over three years to the Gay Straight Alliance Network, to promote "a traveling photo documentary exhibit by lesbian, gay, transgender, queer and questioning youth,"
* $45,000 to the Democracy Matters Institute "to bring the campaign finance reform movement to college campuses,"
* $50,000 to the Coalition for an International Criminal Court "to promote education, awareness and acceptance of the International Criminal Court," and
* $35,000 to the Abortion Access Project.
Boehm also criticized taxpayer dollars going to the Soros-controlled entity, because of the overt, partisan political activities Soros supports.
"George Soros also has been the 'Daddy Warbucks' of numerous left-wing political campaigns in the past year," Boehm said.
As Cybercast News Service previously reported, Soros pledged millions of dollars from his own estimated $7 billion personal fortune to the failed efforts to derail President Bush's re-election bid through various tax-exempt political action committees such as MoveOn.org. Boehm described the expenditures as "the height of hypocrisy.
"Soros has bankrolled the groups that have lobbied for limits on political giving and for disclosure," Boehm said. "But he apparently believes that the law should only apply to other people, and not to himself."
Asked about the seemingly contradictory spending, Soros was unapologetic.
"I am not violating either the letter of the law or the spirit," he said before the 2004 election in an interview with Time magazine. "The letter, because the institutions that I'm supporting were there before I started supporting them, the spirit, because campaign-finance regulation has been designed to deny access to special interests, and by supporting these organizations, I gain no access."
On Jan. 18, 2005, NLPC filed a 41-page complaint against Soros with the Federal Election Commission. Boehm said at the time that Soros' multi-city, anti-Bush media tour was "possibly the largest off-the-books independent expenditure ever run."
"It's especially important that the FEC look at it, because it occurred the month before a very close election in key swing states," Boehm said. "Disclosure is the absolute heart of campaign finance law, and Soros' anti-Bush campaign could have potentially shifted the outcome of the presidential election."
Neither that allegation, nor any other formal complaint has accused Soros' Open Society Institute of using taxpayer funding to pay for anti-Bush political activities. Soros continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Regardless, Boehm believes the combination of Soros' left leaning ideology and partisan political involvement should make the federal government reconsider funding any organization he controls.
"It's hard to believe the State Department couldn't find a more credible organization to carry out these projects. There usually is not a shortage of non-governmental institutions seeking taxpayer money," Boehm concluded. "Selecting a group led by someone with such a strong political agenda, and which funds so many controversial ideological activities, is, well, short sighted."
Multiple calls to the State Department and United States Agency for International Development, which have both funded OSI, were not returned.
It is unbelievable what Jim Robinson has done with FRee Republic, and he will probably never get the recognition he rightly deserves...........it is one of the best, if not the best, information/discussion/activism sites ever.............but, if you limit yourself to FR, well, then, you are limiting yourself. And, if Jersey is as bad off as you say it is, and I have no reason not to believe you.............then you shouldn't limit yourself..............just by your reply(s) alone, you seem much too smart for that.
Well congress has been funding them so yea, call and tell them to stop. Unbelievably they have increased funding over the years too. The Republicans are either too nice or too stupid. I lean more toward the latter.
Ping
How can we see that this does not happen again next year?
BTTT
Now THAT is interesting!
The feds moved in on the Lackawanna Six before they were ready because of the message that was intercepted about the watermelon being moved from Canada to here.
I wonder if they meant people vs. a bomb than.
They want to protect the environment, but their flag ship group of Watermelons, the Sierra Club has again voted not to take a stand against illegal aliens.
That stance is proof that they are not about the environment. They are just an elite and well funded anti American PR group.
Where did you learn of this second snub to sanity??? This isn't being covered as "news" anywhere I'm listening in the MSM!!!
I think this is FAR more newsworthy in CA than anything, except for how much deeper in debt we are than we were at the turn of the century!!!
http://forests.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=41209
Sierra Club Members Reject Policy Change Advocating Immigration Limits
Source: Copyright 2005, Associated Press
Date: April 26, 2005
Byline: Kim Curtis
SAN FRANCISCO — Sierra Club members Monday flatly rejected a change in the group's policies that would have advocated reducing immigration to the United States as a way to protect the environment.
The proposal was defeated by nearly 84 percent of the 122,308 members who voted, the club announced. About 16 percent of the club's more than 750,000 members cast ballots during voting that began in early March.
Members also elected five new members to the 15-member board of directors, which sets club policy and oversees the San Francisco-based organization's $100 million annual budget.
Sierrans for U.S. Population Stabilization, a network of club activists seeking stricter immigration limits, backed a "yes" vote and five of its own candidates; none won a board seat.
Advocates of stricter immigration said the U.S. population, now about 300 million, is expected to more than double this century if nothing is done to slow growth. They said overpopulation has led to a variety of environmental problems, including exploitation of resources, the erosion of wilderness areas and species extinction.
"I think there's a lack of understanding of the sheer magnitude of the problem," Dick Schneider, a supporter of the immigration proposal, said after its defeat. "The connection between population and environmental degradation is so clear-cut that it's a natural issue for the Sierra Club to be involved in."
Opponents, including many current and former club leaders, argued that wading into the politics of immigration would alienate allies such as labor unions and civil rights groups, and will not slow population growth worldwide.
"Our members have once again displayed great wisdom and made their views perfectly clear," Sierra Club president Larry Fahn said in a statement. "Now we can put our focus back where it is needed most, into strengthening communities and building alliances to protect our environment for our families and our future."
The vote against the immigration question was 102,455 to 18,998. Some members voted for directors but did not cast votes on the proposal.
The club, founded by famed conservationist John Muir in 1892, has debated its position on immigration for years and in 1998 voted to remain neutral.
Originally posted at: http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=7602
More Information on "population immigration" - Forests.org web page search results | Eco-Portal site link search results
Wull chit, mon! EnvionMental News Nutwork ain't no MSM!!! I wanna see this bilge in the MSM... BIGTIME!!! (as Cheney would say)
Instead of taxing income, we should be focusing on taxing wealth. That may shut-up this SOB and all the other rich, elite libs who want to tax the producers of this country while maintaining their own lofty perches. Let's start with Teddy Kennedy and this jerk, Soros! Move onto the Hollywood "elite" & then Teresa. They hide behind all their shelters. Percentage wise, I pay more taxes than Teresa - more than twice as much!
I really wish Bush had made his big push campaign about tax reform rather than social security! Whoever promotes tax reform in the next election will get my vote.
Really, most of these organizations should not be given tax exemptions - they are ALL political. Soros is obviously political - do you see one donation to a legitimate charity!!!
They should be saying no mas.
The Sierra Club has now come out of the closet as a racist org. Some intrepid newsFReeper needs to find out the percentages of ethnicity within the "Waspish" Sierra Club, so we can use it as a CLUB to destabilize and Gingrich and DeLay 'em.
If'n they think this anti-immigrant policy has no ramifications, wait'll we relay this to the Mexicans and other prominent immigration candidates lining up at the door.
First question on the immigration application should be: Do you agree with the anti-immigration policy of the revered Sierra Club, and if not......why not?
OK, now I am REALLY mad. This one's going to my Congressman.
Wull chit, mon! EnvionMental News Nutwork ain't no MSM!!!
The Sierra Club has now come out of the closet as a racist org. Some intrepid newsFReeper needs to find out the percentages of ethnicity within the "Waspish" Sierra Club, so we can use it as a CLUB to destabilize and Gingrich and DeLay 'em.
If'n they think this anti-immigrant policy has no ramifications, wait'll we relay this to the Mexicans and other prominent immigration candidates lining up at the door.
First question on the immigration application should be: Do you agree with the anti-immigration policy of the revered Sierra Club, and if not......why not?
Hay! I agrees wid everythang yew sayed, cept that!!!
Thay may be white anglo-saxons, but they ain't Cristshuns let alone ProtestANTS! They be's "Born Again Payguns!!!"
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