Posted on 03/25/2005 5:31:21 AM PST by Liz
Radio's irascible Don Imus went on the warpath yesterday over questions being raised about the charity he runs for sick children at his New Mexico ranch.
Investigators from the NY Attorney General's Office have been reviewing allegations that the cranky talk-show host has been using the 4,000-acre ranch for personal getaways.
Although he took issue with the inquiry, Imus aimed his angriest venom at The Wall Street Journal for a story he described as "a hatchet job" and its author, whom he called "a dishonest punk."
Expenses at the ranch totaled nearly $2.6 million, according to tax papers, but the ranch hosted only about 100 children, the Journal said.
Imus and his family, meanwhile, stay at the ranch for weeks at a time — he was broadcasting from there yesterday — without reimbursing the charity for the visits.
Imus maintained that he runs the ranch while he is there and saves money by not paying a director. As for using the ranch as a vacation spot, Imus says he has a $24 million waterfront estate in Westport, Conn., that suits his vacation needs just fine.
Imus' charity drew the attention of New York investigators when the organization failed to file its income-tax exemption forms on time........
Sources said such delays, while routine, are often red flags, as was the anonymous letter Spitzer's office received about Imus' ranch visits and the charity's high dollar-to-child ratio.
Dopp said that the review was not an investigation and that Imus and his associates had been cooperative and answered every question. Dopp said there had been no finding of any wrongdoing.
Critics, including rival radio jock Howard Stern, accuse Imus of exploiting his listeners who donate to his ranch, which features sweeping vistas, a rodeo arena and a "Bonanza"- inspired hacienda with crystal chandeliers.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Is Imus actually a living breathing person? Whenever I watch him in the morning he never moves, blinks or breathes, and it is his partner sitting across the table who grunts for him. I think Imus is a bigger hoax played on the American people than the missing money.
I have a relative who has worked at a non-profit facility for children for 30yrs, and after reading the original Wall St Journal article, said the expenses didn't sound out of line at all. And they don't have horses or helicopters.
Well, a multi-decade coke habit will do that to you. Ol' Leatherface is still the same jerk he was during his WNBC hey day.
People forget that this ranch, which lies out in the middle of nowhere, must maintain a clinic/hospital for the kids (imagine the cost of doctors, equipment, etc.) and maintain medivac facilities as well. This is clearly a unique charitable operation to which people donate voluntarily.
" The big problem here is Imus himself. No one will ever accuse him of being "humble." Gratuitous insults and tricky multilevel commentary are his trademarks.
"Looking at the ranch as a business, I am willing to bet he is right--a majority of the alleged expenses is a result of accrual based depreciation. It would be best if he summarized a cash income statement, a cash flow statement and an assets determination.
"All he has to do to correct this matter is when there are no children at the ranch, pay some nominal sum for his own stay at the ranch.
"In the meantime, the money is privately obtained, it is a charity and who the hell cares?
"Finally, Imus may lack humility but no one ever accused a newspaper reporter as lacking in "envy" when it came to debunking real or imagined celebrities.
This imbroglio was about nothing. As I suspected, the problem was the Government requiring the Imus Ranch to do their financial report on an accrual basis with depreciation. Like most charities with real estate holdings this results in a false sense of expenses since the actual charity is usually ran on a cash basis--that is, money in and money out for the year.
The WSJ reporter was operating on "class envy" and assuming wrong doing when none was there. The WSJ should apologize and Imus should apologize for being such a suck up to the liberal esthetes who listen to him.
Part of what you said could be true, but what harm is done to let the guy run a ranch for kids that are dying. Sure, it's operation is influenced by some of the weird causes his wife has adopted, but overall, I'm sure more good than harm is done on that ranch.
Is yours a gross, or net benefit computation. The free PR, in addition to his own contribution of labor and funds (the food profits from his salasa deal and his wife's cookbook) make it clear he contribute much more to the ranch than the fair market value of what he may receive.
I agree and I was surprised that the "class envy" showed up on the front page of a premier business newspaper.
I'm even more surprised at the "class envy" showing up on this conservative forum.
This is the most interesting thing to happen on his show in ...... well actually ever.
I suspect that this is nothing more than the WSJ intimidating Imus into backing off on his pursuing the Timerosol in vaccines as a cause of autism issue. Big Pharmaceutical want the mercury issue hushed up.
Mine is a man wallowing in the lap of luxury while positioning himself for credit. Not a pretty picture.
The few times I see him on MSNBC in the pre-dawn hours out west, he has that one-step-away from the aged hippie look...... ponytail with napkin ring.
Some old folks have a harder time than others in learning how to give up the look they had 30 years before.
You are without a clue.
Rich people KNOW how to hide money and not pay tazes and actually make money from doing charitable works, don't they. I'm not saying what he's doind is wrong, I'm just saying it seems like a Ranch that was built specifically to help poor kids should help more kids. Is that wrong?
My statement just dealt with Imus and motive; I certainly did not say that he was harming these unfortunate kids. Usually, charitable acts are done quietly; this guy never lets his listeners forget FOR ONE MINUTE how wonderful he is for giving his time and money for these kids. That's why I said what I did--it's always all about HIM.
Concur...I believe a child cancer sufferer would be safer at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch than at old "Pruneface's" slave labor camp!
Hell, he can burn it if he wishes... it's his fer crissakes.
Imus lost his appeal for me when he got married and had a kid and lost his anger. He still soes some of the best interviews, but you gotta be able to make it through the rest to enjoy them. But this whole issue is bogus. Anyone who gives him money knows exactly where it is going and is beeter spent than 90% of the money going to tv preachers like Benny Hinn. Personally, I don't think Imus or Hinn or anybody else should be tax exempt. Nationwide sales tax and let all participate.
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.