Posted on 07/20/2006 12:08:29 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps calls itself a "project of the Declaration Alliance," although few MCDC volunteers know what the alliance does or why Minuteman donations are routed through the charity founded and headed by conservative activist Alan Keyes.
Several Minuteman leaders and members questioned the wisdom of ceding control over fundraising to the Herndon-based Declaration Alliance, part of an intricate weave of conservative organizations founded and chaired by Mr. Keyes or tied to longtime Keyes associates working with MCDC.
MCDC President Chris Simcox told The Washington Times that the alliance offers "an experienced organization for mass mailings, advertising and public relations" and the ability to conduct a "fully accredited and independent audit" of MCDC finances.
Mr. Simcox said he "checked these people out very carefully before agreeing to work with them" and that he made the "correct decision" in hiring "clean professional consultants, accountants and media professionals." He did not, however, disclose during an interview last week or in a 3,961-word follow-up statement how much Declaration Alliance and its affiliated organizations have been paid for their services
During the interview, he said, "Not one cent of MCDC money has been spent on alliance projects." The statement, released on the MCDC Web page, www.minutemanhq.com/hq/, does not mention Declaration Alliance or Mr. Keyes. ...."
"..Diener Consultants first contacted the Minuteman organization in early 2005, said Ms. Hair, the MCDC spokeswoman who also was a top adviser to Mr. Keyes in his presidential and senatorial races. She said she called Mr. Simcox after the Minuteman group was created to ask whether he had a media plan. After being told no, she said, she met with Mr. Simcox and Minuteman co-founder James Gilchrist in Washington and signed an agreement...."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
95% is used for sustaining the organization, more fundraising, etc.
Amelia has some interesting links that back this up on post #48 of This Thread.
It keeps the anti-MM crowd happy.
Don't condemn all the border-watching groups just because of Simcox's apparent fraud.
The important thing is that Minuteman Project & Minuteman Civil Defense Corps are first-class guerilla theatre and were instrumental in giving voice to the anti-illegal silent majority. Civilians protecting the Border when our own government wouldn't sparked the revolt against what at the time seemed a relentless drive to amnesty for illegals.
Such results would be cheap at twice the price.
What Hairs around goes around.
*yawn* This article is just another political ploy to discredit these organizations in order to hinder the good work they're doing. There's no evidence of wrong doing.
I have a novel idea! How about we all join forces to save our national sovereignty--first, by protecting our borders? Let's quit tearing down and defaming those who are trying to save and protect our country, or else we deserve what we get--the invasion of millions of people with no allegiance to our self-governing form of government, which will be one factor in our eventual loss of it.
Founded in 1996 by Mr. Keyes, Declaration Alliance is a charity with tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Service guidelines. Along with its political action committee, DAPAC, it forms the "political counterpart" of Declaration Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization also founded by Mr. Keyes. According to its Web page (www.declarationalliance.org), the alliance seeks to influence policy and legislation, including initiatives to protect constitutional rights. Its 2006 political goals, through DAPAC, include overturning Roe v. Wade, replacing the income tax with a national sales tax, protecting the right to keep and bear arms, prosecuting the war on terrorism, and securing America's borders "against foreign invasion."The alliance also has targeted for defeat Democratic Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, whom it calls "hard-core, left-wing liberals," and Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Mike DeWine of Ohio and Rep. Christopher Shays, Connecticut Republican..."
Wow! Sounds like GREAT conservative goals. Where do I sign up? Such goals used to be shared by everyone on Free Republic. Now many here are attacking an organization and an individual just because they have ties with this CONSERVATIVE organization.
What have we become!!? Wait a minute. I look at the front page of FR and there's a link to the Declaration Foundation. Oh, and right there on the foundation's home page is a link right back to Free Republic. Does that surprise me? No. We're fellow conservative organizations prosecuting the war against liberalism in our own way. What surprises me is how quick some FReepers have jumped onto this to try to bring down the Minuteman Project, Alan Keyes, the Declaration Foundation, and anyone else peripherally involved and they're using leftist words, tools, and sources in their destructive effort.
ping
I don't, but the folks that like these articles do.
What surprises me is how quick some FReepers have jumped onto this to try to bring down the Minuteman Project,
The article is not talking about the Minuteman Project. It is revering to Minuteman Civil Defense Corps
I expect I'll keep forgetting to send money to the Minuteman Project until they disassociate themselves from Keyes & Co. I hadn't been aware of the connection.
Being an old timer, YOU should know exactly why that matters.
Please don't play the innocent.
Yes, it does.
Thanks for the link. We all need to connect the dots....which are about as confusing looking, as those children's connect the dot books.
Last time I checked, the Bill of Rights, which guarantees freedom of political association for all Americans, was still in effect.
Some would have it otherwise, it would seem.
L
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