Sean Hannity’s Freedom CONcert Scam

Debbie Schlussel Blog Post ^ | March 18, 2010 | Debbie Schlussel

[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.

[Fresh Wind]

He does not run a charity, he donates his profits to one.

That's an important distinction. It's great that Hannity wants to raise money for a charity, especially one that supports the troops, but it sounds like he needs to find another one to support. In other words, he is not the scammer. He's the victim of a scam.

[Tamar1973]

So my big problem is they have too much money in the bank and they are stingy about doling it out either get more recipients or cover more expense for your selected recipients.

Considering the fact that most of the eligible children are still in elementary school or highschool, why would you expect lots of pymts??!

[Cold Heat]

Call it a concert tour and give up the charity bit.

Gaawwd......These fundraiser non-profits can't win for losing....

He does not call it a charity. He calls the donations made a charitable donation because it is.

Most of these things don't make a nickle and like the Farm Aid concerts under the same organizing structure, some of them actually lose their butts.

It is what it is. a not for profit fund raising corporation for charities. In this case just one.

[doesnt suffer fools gladly]

The numbers are not too far off from the American Cancer Society. Sean will be fine.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=6495

[Persevero]

I “know” because the documents she cites are easily accessible.

I haven’t accessed them.

But if she is outright lying it would have been found out by now.

[Cold Heat]

No. the Alliance is a a legit operation. The money is in good hands, it's just that this shussel idiot is using the expense ratios from Sean's fundraisers, which are always very costly to put on, as the charity. The two are separate and the money is not disbursed until the kid goes to College. Also, Sean is but one of many fundraisers for this charity.

Hell, CNN shills for it as well, and lot's of people do.

Shussel, or whoever is making the case that only a small percentage of the tour take goes to charity, which is true. But she does not realize that the percentage is very high for the method of fund raising and Sean is very good at it.

[Tamar1973]

She’s a Liberal Troll/Mole.

I concur. She doesn't have 1/3 the brains of Sean Hannity, IMO.

[JimSEA]

Charitable organizations must file reports every year with the IRS even though they are tax exempt. The IRS Form 990 is available for public review. Links are provided in this article for Freedom Alliance"s Form 990 for several years. they show a pathetic pattern of low payments to the people for which the public donates through their ticket purchases and other means. When you take in 10mil and pay out less than 400,000, with expenses of 7mil. They paid consultants alone three times as much as they gave out as benefits.

You should go to the links provided or independently look up these tax returns and judge for yourself. Hannity would appear to have, at the very least, used these concerts to build his image.

You can disregard this, of course, because I am not a tax attorney or any such. Come to think of it, I am likely not qualified to have an opinion, informed or otherwise. I probably shouldn't vote.

[howkn]

Ms Leather should have used her ink to hi-light how Obama is on the verge of committing political suicide this weekend, but instead she drops a non-story about SH the Thursday before the worst weekend of Obama’s political career? Odd how she focuses on SH this upcoming weekend instead of Obama? Timing is very suspect.

[howkn]

Some of the negative responses against Mr Hannity are from liberal plants trolling FR.

[Cold Heat]

Ya know what?

I am 60 years old and have witnessed dozens of fund raising operations for charitable purposes be destroyed by a bunch of idiots who don't have a clue what they are attacking. These tour things don't make a lot of money after expenses because the tickets are fairly priced to get maximum attendance and the costs are hard to calculate because of idiots with lawyers in tow.

As long as Sean actually makes a profit on these things, that is a GOOD THING!!!!!!

But for some, it just is not enough is it.

Someone has to pour over the P&Ls and look at the write offs and make the grandiose claims that it could have been done better or cheaper or some stupid crap.

To them I say do it! Start your own non profit tours and show them how it's done..

[onyx]

I know Debbie doesn’t like Sean. I wish Sean would respond to this, or Mark Levin would respond to this. I happen to like Sean Hannity and I don’t think this is fair.

Ditto. Fair airing from Sean's side and then I'll respond.

Too busy with losing our liberty right now via 'health care reform' to concentrate on this right now.

[Cold Heat]

Yes it is......It is indeed.

[halo66]

Damn right! I love all of these hot shots on here that know how it should be done!

[raybbr]

I always thought the guy was just a phony clone who did nothing but copy Limbaugh word for word, even stealing his soundbites to use on his show right after.

Does anyone think that Hannity would be ANYWHERE if he hadn't been on right after Rush when he first started?

Hannity is such a bore. I stopped listening about five years ago.

[howkn]

Guess they were sitting on this one for awhile and called in what they thought was a topic changer on the Eve of Obama’s Worst Weekend EVER !!!!

She just exposed herself. The timing is calculated to take the spotlight of the Criminals in Charge. To bad for her, it brings the spotlight on her motives for planting a non-story on the Eve of the thugs trying to usher in the Illegal healthcare crap. Verrrrry interesting timing by the mole.

[machogirl]

It’s sickening. I just want to cry. (pillaging and destruction of America)

[dforest]

I do not know the truth here, I just hope Hannity ends up with enough to have that pen surgically removed from his fingers.

[Cold Heat]

Intellectually, he does not appeal to me. This is why he appears boring, but for the rank and file voter who is not a political junkie like me, I am sure they get a lot out of it.

Had to say something nice.....

[RaceBannon]

Hannity is such a bore. I stopped listening about five years ago.

You're a great American! LOL!