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In fact, less than 20%–and in two recent years, less than 7% and 4%, respectively–of the money raised by Freedom Alliance went to these causes, while millions of dollars went to expenses, including consultants and apparently to ferret the Hannity posse of family and friends in high style. And, despite Hannity’s statements to the contrary on his nationally syndicated radio show, few of the children of fallen soldiers got more than $1,000-$2,000, with apparently none getting more than $6,000, while Freedom Alliance appears to have spent tens of thousands of dollars for private planes. Moreover, despite written assurances to donors that all money raised would go directly to scholarships for kids of the fallen heroes and not to expenses, has begun charging expenses of nearly $500,000 to give out just over $800,000 in scholarships.
The tax forms available to the public for the Freedom Alliance–for the years 2006-2008–paint a tragic story, a story of a charity that makes gazillions and spends very little for the purposes it claims, a charity that spends millions more on its small staff and crony consultants than it ever gives in scholarships to the children of the fallen or severely injured troops or in aid to the injured troops themselves. While Hannity’s Freedom Concerts take in millions, only a few hundred thousand go to the claimed intended recipients.
Keep in mind that a charity is considered reputable if no more than 25% of its revenue goes to expenses and no less than 75% of it goes to the intended charity recipients. Given that, Freedom Alliance’s balance sheets are embarrassing in their shamelessness.
According to its 2006 tax returns, Freedom Alliance reported revenue of $10, 822, 785, but only $397,900–or a beyond-measly 3.68%–of that was given to the children of fallen troops as scholarships or as aid to severely injured soldiers.
On the other hand, 62% of the money went to “expenses,” including $979,485 for “consultants” and an “advisor.” Yes, consultant/advisors got more than double what injured troops and the kids of fallen troops got. The tax forms show that “New World Aviation” got paid $60,601 for “air travel.” Was that for Hannity’s G5? Like I said, neither the charity nor Hannity is talking. And finally, that year, Freedom Alliance spent $1,730,816 on postage and shipping and $1,414,215 on printing, for a total of $3,145,031, nearly half the revenue the charity spent that year and about eight times what the injured troops and the children of fallen ones received.
Freedom Alliance’s 2007 tax returns aren’t much better. Out of $12,459,317 it raised that year, only $895,347–or just 7%–went to seriously wounded troops and scholarships for fallen troops. 53% went to expenses, including $1,464,627 in postage and $1,151,428 in printing. $604,995 went to “professional fees” and “consultants.” Out of millions paid for Freedom Concert tickets and raised in fundraisers by Hannity listeners, only $596,500 went to college scholarships for soldiers who died in battle, and only $299,897 went to horribly injured troops. 208 student children of the fallen got an average of $2,868 apiece for tuition, though many got only $1,000 or less. 382 soldiers with serious injuries got an average of $785 each.
And then, there are the 2008 Freedom Alliance tax forms, which were signed in November 2009 and filed only recently. That year, Freedom Alliance took in $8,781,431 in revenue and gave $1,060,275.57 total–or just 12%–to seriously wounded soldiers and for scholarships to kids of the fallen. Remember, this is well below the 75% required to be considered a legitimate charity. And after claiming in written letters to donors that 100% of the money donated, via the Freedom Concerts or otherwise, to the scholarships would go directly to the scholarships and not to expenses, the Freedom Alliance decided to do the contrary and charge expenses anyway–charging a whopping $436,386 to give out $802,250 in scholarships. That means that 35% of the $1,238,636–all of which was supposed to go to scholarships for these kids of the fallen–went to Freedom Alliance.
I learned that the organizations which evaluate charities are entirely worthless. Freedom Alliance is certified as “Best in America” by the “Independent Charities of America.” It is also rated a “Four Star Charity” by “Charity Navigator.” Both of these “ratings” are posted prominently on Freedom Alliance’s website, misleading donors into believing they are donating to a worthy cause, when in fact they are mostly donating to a black hole of expenses. Even Charity Navigator notes in its strange, illogical, and mostly inaccurate Four Star rating that Freedom Alliance has a fund-raising “efficiency” of only nine cents on the dollar.
My guess is that the OP is total bullshit. Like I said, it's just a guess right now.
My guess is that the OP is total bullshit. Like I said, it's just a guess right now.
I just went through the tax returns, you're right it's despicable, just when I thought Libs could not get any lower.
Sean is going to eat Debbie Schussels guts for lunch tomorrow
You should probably apologize now Dog
I just went through the tax returns, you're right it's despicable, just when I thought Libs could not get any lower.
Sean is going to eat Debbie Schussels guts for lunch tomorrow
You should probably apologize now Dog
Give me a good reason why.
Did you look through the tax returns or are you just parroting Debbie Schussel's hate and venom? Be honest
Did you look through the tax returns or are you just parroting Debbie Schussel's hate and venom? Be honest
I looked through them and unless I missed something, they would be correct.
Where exactly do you assume she pulled these numbers out of by the way? Thin air?
2006 Tax Return:
Total Revenue: $10,822,785
Salaries and Wages: $604,310
Employee Benefits: $128,726
Postage and Shipping: $1,730,816
Printing & Publications: $1,414,215
Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings: $587,260
Consultants: $641,411
Now who am I going to believe? You? Or my own two eyes?
I'm trying as best I can to be a friend here, you are doubling down on a very bad, losing bet.
Like I said, you missed something out in the tens of millions column, but that's just because you don't know what you're looking at, that's not your fault, she just directed you to one part of the return
I'm trying as best I can to be a friend here, you are doubling down on a very bad, losing bet.
Like I said, you missed something out in the tens of millions column, but that's just because you don't know what you're looking at, that's not your fault, she just directed you to one part of the return
Which part am I suppose to be looking at then?
Usually when a blogger or internet columnist has links to documents which point to their own site, it's a red flag.I'm trying as best I can to be a friend here, you are doubling down on a very bad, losing bet.
Like I said, you missed something out in the tens of millions column, but that's just because you don't know what you're looking at, that's not your fault, she just directed you to one part of the return
Which part am I suppose to be looking at then?
Here's a hint: it's a fund for scholarships, it's not supposed to lay out 100% of its net collections every year
