Posted on 02/08/2016 8:43:52 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
The Daily Beast is reporting that a small New Hampshire-based veterans charity has turned down a six figure check from Donald Trump. Liberty House turned Trump's money away because they objected to it being given to them in a public setting: a campaign rally for Trump.
The Beast's Tim Mak has more:
On Friday, Liberty House executive director Keith Howard received a call from a Trump campaign staffer, who conveyed that Trump would like to publicly present them with a six-figure check at a Londonderry rally on Monday, right before the Granite State primary.
It's an enormous amount of money for a small charity. But Howard said he wouldn't do it - risking the entire, substantial donation on a point of principle.
Howard, a 57-year-old Army vet, objected to the use of veterans for political purposes. He doesn't believe that his charity - which clothes the homeless, feeds the needy, and provides housing to 10 formerly homeless vets - should be presented with money by a political candidate at a political rally.
"This is not directed at the Trump campaign," Howard said. "This is about any campaign."
Plus, Howard believed appearing at a political rally could jeopardize his group's nonprofit status - something a call to an expert in the state attorney general's office confirmed. And he found it strange that the call was coming from a Trump campaign staffer, rather than someone related to the foundation that raised money for veterans.
The money generated from Trump's Iowa rally, as the Federalist reported, went to Trump's personal foundation first instead of going directly to the charities themselves. The rally was set up by Trump as an alternative to the Iowa Fox News debate he skipped out on.
Read the whole story at the Daily Beast.
I find it absurd that this would be an issue for any charity that truly puts the needs of veterans first. But Trump should thank the man for his opinion, which all veterans have fought for his right to hold, and move on to give the money to some other charity that feels otherwise and will be happy to accept it.
Freedom. It’s that simple.
You assume much.
I’ve not picked anyone to support yet.
Nice deflection thought, not sticking to my point.
Thanks for making sense of this.
Why did Trump stage his Trumpathon to begin with? Because he was in a snit with Fox over the debate, a political event.
Had Trump not thrown his hissy fit and gone to the debate then would he have held his Trumpaton? No.
Trump didn't do it for the vets, he did it for himself. The vets were a convenient tool to use to make political points. And they continue to be nothing but a tool for him to try and score points for the New Hampshire primary. I don't blame the vet organization for not wanting to be used for crass political purposes.
......ah but Trump is making a DEAL.. that is his method.
I did too and have no problem with the way Trump is giving the money away.
Who are *we* to tell someone else how and when *they* give money?
Oh, I see.
How convenient.
I thought Trump was a brilliant businessman.
But doesn't this put him in the same league as the Clintons and their Clinton Global Foundation?
Accepting a check from a candidate would in no way jeopardize a tax exempt status. Especially since Lois Lerner has resigned. The guy is putting his own political point of view before the vets. I don’t know why Cruz supporters thinks this makes The Donald look bad.
I promise this is a political rejection
Dig a bit on the refusnik
You’ll scratch off red eventually
No worries. Glad to be of some help. I'm astounded by some of the ad hominem comments on this thread. Not-for-profits get taken to task by the IRS for any mistakes they made. Getting political is a huge no-no and can cost them (all of them, not just ours) big time.
Liberty House probably is run by a bunch of left-wing America-Haters.
You really don't.
Of course, Trump can do however he wants.
No time for DT to set up an org because revenge at Megyn is what drove the fundraiser, not a charitable spirit. Art of the Deal.
Hold the PRESSES! The headline is SLIGHTLY misleading! They are GOING TO TAKE THE MONEY from Donald Trump. Does that make you hate Donald more, or less?
- - - -
Trump supporter and New Hampshire State Rep. Al Baldasaro called Howard, telling him the mogul would present the check to Baldasaro, himself a vet. The state representative would then deliver the check to Liberty House after the primary in a more subdued way.
“Liberty House was told by an attorney they could lose their nonprofit status it they are on the stage with Trump... I disagree but respect Keith’s wishes. The check will be presented to me on Monday at the event and I will set up a time to come to Liberty House or do it at the Hall of Flags on behalf of the Trump Foundation,” Baldasaro told The Daily Beast.
“Liberty House got the mountain to move to us, instead of us going to the mountain of cash,” Howard told The Daily Beast. “I can take pride that we maintained our position. I am glad that the Trump campaign has found a way to follow through on what it promised to do.”
Idiots.............
You think this was Trump's $$$?
Here Are The People Who Donated $6 Million To Donald Trump's Fundraiser For Vets
"..."The Donald J Trump Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. An email confirmation with a summary of your donation will be sent to the email address provided above," reads the site, which The Federalist reports was created by the same company that made Trump's presidential campaign website.
Routing the money through the Donald J. Trump Foundation is a curious choice since the charity has linked up with the charity of Trump's potential presidential competitor. The Donald J. Trump Foundation gave at least $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation between 2009 and 2013, according to a Forbes analysis. During that same period, Trump's charity gave only $57,000 to vet-related organizations."...
He was willing to accept the money, just not at a Teump campaign rally, which could threaten his organization’s tax exempt status. More relevant question is, why was Trump trying to give his check as part of a campaign rally?
My thinking too. However, it doesn’t pay to try and talk common sense to Cruzbots - they have none. Only what Cruz does is acceptable - you know - like voter intimidation, voter fraud, lying, etc.
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