NationStates Jolt Archive

Stories like this do make you wonder...

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0805maceachern05.html

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/005134.php

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003179.htm


I suppose that good Democrats could argue that the apparent embezzlement from money earmarked for children is in the finest traditions of Tammany Hall if they wish. :rolleyes:


BTW, Should we take a moment to congratulate the New York Times on being scooped on a story *in its own backyard* by the Arizona Republic? :p

Stories like this do make you wonder...

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0805maceachern05.html

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/005134.php

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003179.htm


I suppose that good Democrats could argue that the apparent embezzlement from money earmarked for children is in the finest traditions of Tammany Hall if they wish. :rollseyes:


BTW, Should we take a moment to congratulate the New York Times on being scooped on a story *in its own backyard* by the Arizona Republic? :p

let me get this straight. A Republican (though one who has admitted to becoming more liberal as time passes,) improperly uses funds. A new company takes over. Even though they had no knowledge of the improper loan, and the fellow who did it is long gone, they decide to pay the money back.

Get a rope. Stupidest scandal ever.

Sounds

I think that Cohen guy is a national hero. Those kids were going to undermine our national security.

let me get this straight. A Republican (though one who has admitted to becoming more liberal as time passes,) improperly uses funds. A new company takes over. Even though they had no knowledge of the improper loan, and the fellow who did it is long gone, they decide to pay the money back.

Get a rope. Stupidest scandal ever.

Sounds

New company, eh? o_O

Let's see...

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003182.htm

"5. Press implies that Piquant-owned Air America is completely distinct from pre-Piquant Air America, *but there is apparently considerable overlap between the two groups. For example, the current president and director of programming, Jon Sinton, was president while Cohen was chairman.*" (Emphasis mine).

Doesn't look all that new a company on closer examination, does it?
:rolleyes:

Air America is paying the money back. This isn't a scandal.
http://www.nysun.com/article/18148
Boys & Girls Club May Vote To Drop Bronx's Gloria Wise Club Next Month

BY DAVID LOMBINO - Special to the Sun
August 5, 2005


Boys & Girls Club May Vote To Drop Bronx's Gloria Wise Club Next Month
Roberts Helped Block Colorado's Anti-Gay Measure
An Iraq Strategy
AIPAC Lobbyists Charged With Conspiracy
U.N. Oil-for-Food Head To Be Accused of Taking Kickbacks; Denies Charges



The Boys & Girls Club of America, a federation of nearly 1,200 affiliates across the country, may drop the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx from its ranks at a vote next month.

Gloria Wise is under investigation by the city's Department of Investigation for matters that include transferring $875,000 to Progress Media, former parent company of the Air America radio network, and to the club's director of development, Evan Montvel Cohen, who headed Progress Media.

A recommendation to the national organization's board of governors came out of a months-long investigation by the group, which a spokesman said was initiated before the city probe was announced in June. The spokesman, Evan McElroy, would not detail the findings of the federation's investigation but said yesterday, "We do not drop an organization lightly. It's very, very rare that it happens."

A spokeswoman for Gloria Wise, Marta Rose of Rubenstein Public Relations, said the Bronx club's board found out about the national group's recommendation yesterday and will meet soon to discuss how to preserve its affiliation.

Piquant LLC, which acquired Air America from Mr. Cohen's Progress Media in May 2004, has agreed to pay $875,000 to Gloria Wise, without interest, in installments over the next two years.

An employee of Air America, who requested anonymity, said yesterday that it received a letter from the city Department of Investigation recommending that the network set up an attorney-managed escrow account for the payments, rather than pay Gloria Wise directly or wait until the department's investigation concludes. The employee said the network made its first payment, of an unknown amount, yesterday.

An official of the city agency, who asked not to be named, said later that the letter asked that the radio network put the entire $875,000 in an escrow account.

According to Mr. McElroy of the national association, Gloria Wise's membership was placed on provisional status June 28 because of its failure to meet several membership requirements. After an internal investigation turned up more information, the association initiated the process for dropping the Bronx club from the membership rolls July 19. On September 19, the recommendation to rescind their membership is to be presented to the board and put to a vote.

Should Gloria Wise lose its membership, it will have to surrender the Boys & Girls Club name and logo and will lose access to some capital funds disbursed from association headquarters in Atlanta. That money does not make up a significant percentage of Gloria Wise's annual budget.

Stories like this do make you wonder...

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0805maceachern05.html

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/005134.php

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003179.htm


I suppose that good Democrats could argue that the apparent embezzlement from money earmarked for children is in the finest traditions of Tammany Hall if they wish. :rolleyes:


BTW, Should we take a moment to congratulate the New York Times on being scooped on a story *in its own backyard* by the Arizona Republic? :p
This isn't a "liberal," issue. The I.R.S. listed what you just mentioned as one of the top means of tax evasion in the United States.

In case anyone doesn't understand, I'll explain:
A lot of politicians and wealthy people (both liberals and conservative) are friends with owners of non-profit organizations and churches, which are tax-free. If Air America put their money into a bank account or stock, they would be taxed on it. However, you can dodge taxes by "donating," money to non-profit organizations and churches. After you do that, it's untaxed income (you even get a small deduction for it). However, if you're friends with the owners of churches and non-profit organizations, you can pretend to give donations to them, and in return, they'll "loan," you money every time you need it.

In other words, apparently, Air America was using the non-profit organization as their own, tax-free bank. Tax evasion not a liberal-only crime, however, as many other non-liberals have been convicted of it. "Tax shelters," are one major problem that the I.R.S. is trying to deal with, in general, not just with Air America.

http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=111208,00.html

Furthermore, because churches are not required to keep accounting records or file with the I.R.S., it is highly likely that many church organizations are being used to dodge taxes as well. Also, the actions of Air America's owners do not, in any way, reflect the views of all liberals, in general or those who speak on their show.

In addition, radio shows are corrupt, overall, in that the government has been trying to stop "payola," (radio stations illegally accepting money to play songs).

http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/hcooper/2005/hc_08031.shtml

And finally, calling it "Air Enron," is stupid.

Enron = Insider trading, abusing investors' funds and employees' 401(K)s. Caused many people to lose their retirement funds.

Air America = Accepted illegal loans from a non-profit organization. Pissed of the I.R.S., but it didn't hurt anybody.

There's a world of difference in there. That's writers' title was over dramatic and inappropriate. I'm surprised his editor didn't make him change it.

EDIT: And as others have said, there haven't been any indictments for illegal activity, unlike Enron. If the I.R.S. had anything against them (as they did with Ken-Lay), they would've brought it forth by now. Any speculations on it are about as valid as speculations about the ties between the Bush administration and the original Enron.

Air America is paying the money back. This isn't a scandal.
http://www.nysun.com/article/18148

<snip>



Well, 15 days have now gone by and no sign of Air America paying anybody back. Indeed, it looks as though they've stiffed some other people as well. :mad:

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003291.htm

"The lawsuit filed by MultiCultural in May charges that the transfer of ownership of Air America to Piquant LLC from Progress Media in May 2004 was illegal and was intended only to maintain the network's assets while abandoning its creditors.

"It's called a fraudulent conveyance - same people, same assets, they are just trying to avoid their liabilities," Mr. Mastro said yesterday. "A company that has debts can't just change its name, assume all the assets, and refuse to pay its liabilities. ... The same individuals who contacted us and described themselves as Piquant were also part of the management and ownership of Air America."

Last November, a court ordered Air America to pay MultiCultural more than $255,000, and the suit filed in May seeks to claim that money."



Air Enron they remain. :p

Airlandia, you remind me of me. You want to make a lasting impression, and you do a good job of it, but nobody wants to admit you're right.

Heh. Thanks for the compliment! ^_~

Update and a bump! ;)

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/003487.htm

It'll be interesting to see how Mr. Franken explains some of those signatures. Maybe he'll respond by chanting about Space Spiders? ^O^

Stay tuned for the next chapter in our exciting soap opera of "As the Air Enron Turns"! :)

And finally, calling it "Air Enron," is stupid.

Enron = Insider trading, abusing investors' funds and employees' 401(K)s. Caused many people to lose their retirement funds.

And it looks like Air America also equals Insider trading, abusing investor' funds and employees as well.

http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2005/09/air-americas-odd-pledge-drive.html

This is peripheral to the scandal but it does help establish their motivation for having embezzled from Gloria Wise in the first place. So much for the claims that they were a successful radio show. It looks as though their investors and fans are going to get burned. ^_^;