Sean Hannity's Freedom CONcert Scam: Almost None of Charity's $ Went to Injured Troops, Kids of Fall

reply to post by mishigas


No what I meant is that now I have read through tax reports and know the truth about the charity it self. I should have been clearer about that.

I can not say how much went to Hannity. The tax returns are too vauge for that. However, I can say Ollie and friends are misrepresenting what they do. They are not a charity set up to help veterans. The are a public policy organization that spends most of their money monitoring the UN and trying to "protect US Soverignty" by writing memos and editorials.

Page 2 of their 2000 990 form says their primary reason for exemption is "Public Policy." They are not primarily a charity designed to help veterans. They misrepresent who they are in order to gain money from people wishing to help troops.



[edit on 20-3-2010 by MikeNice81]

reply to post by MikeNice81

I can not say how much went to Hannity. The tax returns are too vauge for that.

I don't believe Hannity profited a single nickel from Freedom Alliance. So what is your beef with him? That he is a successful radio/TV personality?

However, I can say Ollie and friends are misrepresenting what they do. They are not a charity set up to help veterans. The are a public policy organization that spends most of their money monitoring the UN and trying to "protect US Soverignty" by writing memos and editorials.

Why do you say they misrepresent what they do? Can they not do more than one thing? Show me where they are deliberately misleading the people. Please...I'd like to see where.

Page 2 of their 2000 990 form says their primary reason for exemption is "Public Policy." They are not primarily a charity designed to help veterans. They misrepresent who they are in order to gain money from people wishing to help troops.

Unless and until you can show where they misrepresented who they are, I have to consider your allegations and accusations nothing more than partisan bickering.

While I'm not a fan of Sean Hannity, the OP's source claims seem to be a bit disingenuous in regards to accounting.

If there is still a 10-15 million dollar scholarship fund left, depending on who's number you believe, the money is still in an account and has not yet been dispersed. The blogger is including this number as if it has been spent - which according to the charity that money is in an account to be dispersed in the future.

So, in order for the OP's blogger scholarship dispersal percentage to be correct the charity would have to raid the 15 million dollar scholarship fund and spend it all without dispersing any more towards actual families & scholarships.

Only time will tell what happens with the remainder of the money in the charity's accounts. Thus, it appears like the blogger numbers are only a future prediction, not fact.




[edit on 20-3-2010 by verylowfrequency]

reply to post by mishigas


I'm going to make you real happy Mishigas. I am going to retract everything I have said so far with provision.

In the earlier years the Freedom Alliance spent substantially more on public policy. I do believe their early efforts were some what mis leading. However, this may have been more out of the slow nature of changing their structure.

Now that I have finished a cursory look through of their 990s through 2008 I am taking a different view. I should have not let my emotion over what I seen in early returns cloud my judgement. This will serve as a reminder to get all information first.

In 2008 the Freedom Allaince reported $8,781,431 in revenue.

$2,515,982 of that went in to troop apreciation events and the scholarship funds. Troop appreciation events include dinners, golf tournaments, family fun days and more activities. They held a total of 69 events during the fiscal year.

That means roughly 28% went to troop related events and scholarships.

Now if there is a problem here it doesn't seem to be with the Freedom Alliance. If Hannity is promoting these concerts as "a portion of the proceeds goes to the Freedom Alliance," then it is all above the board.

If somebody wants to post some links to the way shows are promoted I'll check it out later.

[edit on 20-3-2010 by MikeNice81]

reply to post by Happyfeet

People have the wrong idea about charities, whether it is the local police association calling you for a donation or a leading national cancer research outfit. MOST of the money collected goes to sustaining the gaining of that money and a far lesser amount goes to the actual cause.

My late wife, got ininvoked in collecting in our neighborhood for a cancer research outfit. After she passed, they hit on me to continue collecting. I went on line and discovered that only 18% went to research and the rest to operating cost. Further research showed that the heads of the outfit, one in the US and one in England, each made about $225,000/yr. for their work.

In essence, running a charity can be good for business, the operator's personal business.

Originally posted by MikeNice81

If somebody wants to post some links to the way shows are promoted I'll check it out later.

[edit on 20-3-2010 by MikeNice81]

Ask and ye shall receive.

I found the flier to their next show.

Freedom Alliance Golf Classic (pdf)

reply to post by nycfrog27


Well its not my opinion concerning Hanity and his charity. Its what the charity foundation is required to file with the IRS which is public record that makes it a public opinion..........

As a former Fox news watcher and believer............Its appalling to have watched over the years all of the marketing by Fox/Hanity for this foundation to only see on average per year 4 cents out of every dollar going to the vet or family.

I always did have a problem with North being associated with Fox/Hanity........and wonderd why Hanity always called North a "Great American".

The history of North and what he did is another thread......

reply to post by ZombieOctopus


*Sigh*, you know..i'm old enough to remember a time, back in the olden days, when charity fraud and tax fraud were punishable by a lengthy term in prison.

Ah well..

Apparently Freedom Alliance is fighting back ....with numbers.
Freedom Alliance response.

Clip:
"4. In 2008, Freedom Alliance spent a total of $6,745,717. Of that:

• • •

79 percent ($5,317,970) was spent on Program Activities 14 percent ($945,950) was spent on Fundraising 7 percent ($481,797) was spent on Management

In 2007, Freedom Alliance spent a total of $7,461,350. Of that:

• 81.5 percent ($6,084,474) was spent on Program Activities • 13.5 percent ($1,011,501) was spent on Fundraising • 5 percent ($365,375) was spent on Management

In 2006, Freedom Alliance spent a total of $7,064,839. Of that:

• 77 percent ($5,434,538) was spent on Program Activities • 18.5 percent ($1,308,414) was spent on Fundraising • 4.5 percent ($321,887) was spent on Management"

Freedom Alliance.org


[edit on 20-3-2010 by djvexd]

reply to post by MikeNice81


Compare the Freedom Concerts with the Farm Aid Concerts.

Does Freedom Concerts help raise money for Freedom Alliance for a scholarship trust fund? Yes. Is there a lot of money in the fund, for future use? Yes. Should FC and FA be thought of as an efficient charity fundraising organization? No!

Even the ribbons and stars on the site are from organizations that admit they don't look too deeply into the "charities, or confine their inspections to parameters that would put a good spin on the "charity".

Are there other organizations, that help veterans, that are not as INefficient at raising money? Yes!

The choice for those giving money directly (or even signing up for "charity" concerts or golf tournaments) is to give money to an organization that gets the most bang for the buck or one that gives more money to the raisers of money than the beneficiaries.

Many business people and celebrities often participate in the business of charity fun fundraisers (golf, ex) without necessarily caring about the efficiency. What is harmful is when organizations prey on individuals without the money or fame, individuals who really need to watch where their money goes.

Sean Hannity should know about all this. But he's a celebrity, along with Ollie North, so he probably doesn't mind the attention and self promotion. It's as American as P T Barnum, a fellow Republican, but of the old school who used govt for the good of the individual and community, and who became passionate about ferreting out frauds.

Originally posted by djvexd

In 2006, Freedom Alliance spent a total of $7,064,839. Of that:

• 77 percent ($5,434,538) was spent on Program Activities • 18.5 percent ($1,308,414) was spent on Fundraising • 4.5 percent ($321,887) was spent on Management"

That number is on Page 2, line item B ... 207.153.189.83...

What they term 'program activities is not what they disbursed to their cause, it is along with line items C and D what they spent on overheads ... including some 3.1 mil just on postage and printing.

So not really 'fighting back' there ... the only thing it shows is that this 'charity' is at the very least grossly mismanaged. Until someone has access to their receipts and all the people they gave money to for overheads we won't know if any fraud is going on, but the fact that this charity does little to nothing to help their stated cause seems to be beyond doubt.

reply to post by schrodingers dog
I meant the term fighting back becasue they issued a statement in the link provided refuting the blooger's accusations.

I have a solution for the whole problem. END THE WAR.

The article states that Hannity demanded Gulfstream G5 aircraft for him and his family and friends to travel on. The amount spent on aircraft rentals stated in the IRS filing as 60.000 spent on G5 for Hannity. At 8,000-9,000 per hour to lease a G5. that ain't much time for a plane of that caliber and not very many places you can go on a 12 city tour. Also, Hannity pays for all his own expenses and that of his family and friends he invites along. This friend of a friend's report is flawed and being used for no other reason but to denigrate Conservative talk radio. This so called conservative, lawyer blogger is going to get her head handed to her over this. I wonder how her clients feel about the fantastic research she did for the blog. I surely hope she and her staff do a better job when she is their advocate!

Zindo

[edit on 3/20/2010 by ZindoDoone]

How long do people have to be on this site and how many threads do they have to read until they realise that the world they think they know is nothing but an illusion based around MONEY - POWER and GREED.

All of these charities around the globe (the higher up you go) are corrupt to the core, when you donate your $10 to a charity phone in, do you honestly believe your money is going to go and help a starving kid in south africa or build a well in a developing country?

Pick one charity one and research that charity, look at where there main headquarters are look at the infrastructure around that charity, look at the famous people that promote that charity and then tell me that its not corrupt. Almost all of the money gets swallowed up by the very same greedy son of bitches that run these charities.

Don't take my word for it do your RESEARCH! look at how many NON PROFIT organisations paid themselves a fortune last year for just being the head of a NON PROFIT ORGANISATION -

RESEARCH and DENY IGNORANCE!

Edit: Just in case you cant be bothered to research I have done it for you:

Chief Executive's Salaries

CEO Salaries
Charitable Organizations are required to submit a Form 990 to the IRS and usually this form is on the charity's website. From the Form 990 you can find the CEO's salary. However, these forms are often 1-2 years old. Since CEOs usually receive hefty pay raises, this means some of the salaries you see below are probably considerably higher today.

www.squidoo.com...

reply to post by David9176


Right on David.

You're a cool dude.

Love the avatar, you have a beautiful son. Make the most of him at this age, man do they grow up fast.

I really dont like Hannity at all anyway. I think he is nothing more than a PUNK wearing a pink tie. He just comes off as a LIAR in my opinion.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


I agree, not really fighting back, so much as lying their asses off..again.

$3.1 million on postage etc? Boy oh boy, and i though the Royal mail was expensive!

reply to post by franspeakfree


u forgot ACORN

reply to post by Happyfeet


My question is...is Debbie Schlussel another Leftwing Liberal?

Another question would be...did anyone bother to check this story out to see if it's legit???

High profile characters like Hannity would be stupid to rape a charity as all the other networks would be all over this story and I have yet to see any on this. Hannity is not so stupid to endanger his career. I didn't check the story out but it just doesn't add up.