Posted on 03/18/2010 12:54:44 PM PDT by TRY ONE
For the last several years, Sean Hannity and the Freedom Alliance “charity” have conducted “Freedom Concerts” across America. They’ve told you that they are raising money to pay for the college tuition of the children of fallen soldiers and to pay severely wounded war vets. And on Friday Night, Hannity will be honored with an award for this “Outstanding Community Service by a Radio Talk Show Host” at Talkers Magazine’s convention.
But it’s all a huge scam.
(Excerpt) Read more at debbieschlussel.com ...
According to their 2008 tax return, they spent $802K for 167 scholarships. That is an average of $4800/student.
http://www.freedomalliance.org/images/pdf_and_largepics/2008_990.pdf
I have the same reaction. But I also am not willing to jump to the conclusion that she is totally off-base here.
I think it would have been better for Hannity to do his Freedom Concerts to honor the troops and give conservatives and fans a great way to get together and enjoy themselves in the summer. Then if he wanted to afterward announce a donation to the Freedom Alliance scholarship program, fine.
But if you bill it as “help raise money for the troops,” you better be raising money for the troops.
Schlussel has a history of her “venomous” dislike for Hannity. I’d like to “fact check” what she wrote, to be fair. The reader does NOT know that Debbie has a strong dislike for Hannity. Not shooting the messenger, but as we all know from the MSM, their “bias” turns the news into opinion-hit-pieces.
I don’t think that Hannity should get his expenses paid for this. He could write it off on his taxes.
Hmm, maybe I’ll invite her over for a big daddy at my local watering hole.
HE DID RAISE MONEY!!!!! for cryin out loud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They do reflect assets. They require a balance sheet.
I’m no expert, but this sounds like a lot of BS to me.
The charity was started by Oliver North, not Sean. I doubt that Sean has that much control over it. Charity Navigator gives them 4 out of 5 stars, so they can’t be that bad. Maybe someone who is an accountant can shoot down some of her accusations.
I’ve been wondering where you have been!!! And now I find out you are retired from FR? Dangit Scyth, you have got to find a way to come back!
(Seriously, I have noticed your absence)
Ping for later.
Dims do not eat their own. But it would seem that we are very quick to do so.Finding someone guilty without one shred of real proof is just wrong. Do your own research before throwing the 1st stone.
“specificity. ;)”
LMAO!!
You sound like a liberal....Sorry, but you do!
Yep. that's 4% of their total expenditures on one person. I don't want to begrudge him his livelihood, after all the Senate Parlimentarian makes $167,000 (after 33 years on the job). But it does seem like a lot for what they do. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council makes 189,000, but he is TV and radio nearly every day, writes columns, creates advocacy ads, and runs a vastly larger enterprise. I have never seen this guy except once--on Hannity.
For charities, nothing matters but that % that actually goes to the charitable cause. That is proven by tax records. End of discussion.
Many, many charities stumble over letting expenses get out of hand, particularly when they deal with celebrities and professional big-shots.
I know what you are saying about the honor of the people behind the Freedom Alliance. I agree. However, people are people and they make mistakes. If this is one of those times, this needs to be addressed and redressed immediately. For example, Hannity could cough up a very large amount out of his own pockets to make up for the apparently meager pass-through of Freedom Alliance.
welcome
He has to respond in some way. Responding does give the accusations more exposure, but Schlussel is linked to a lot of conservative blogs.
Sean seems to be a nice, average guy. Not quick witted and sometimes I catch myself speaking back to Sean about what he should be saying.
No one is as quick witted and good as his job as Rush.
I’m sorry, but to scam people out of money they think are going for wounded vets and orphaned soldier’s children is a bit bigger than ‘well, nobody’s perfect.’
The reason I'm asking what her position on HCR is is because that will be the end of the Republic if it passes. It's at the critical point where it may just pass. Anything that takes the oxygen out of that news is suspicious to me.
From my talks with others in parts of the industry, not many conservatives are gung ho about Hannity. He is an intellectual lightweight who likes to repeat talking points.
That is as irrelevant as Algore's opinion about this morning's dew point.
It’s not a question of whether Hannity gets money out of the deal. It’s a question of whether a charity is legitimate when only 4-12% of the income goes to the specified charity.
I hope he isn’t taking Jet Blue when he has to pay for the trip and Gulfstream charter when a charity picks up the tab! Yikes.
That said, to me it’s not so much what they expensed, it’s how much they expensed compared to what they gave out in charity.
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