From Conservative blogger DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/bio/
For the last several years, Sean Hannity and the Freedom Alliance âcharityâ have conducted âFreedom Concertsâ across America. Theyâve told you that they are raising money to pay for the college tuition of the children of fallen soldiers and to pay severely wounded war vets. And on Friday Night, Hannity will be honored with an award for this âOutstanding Community Service by a Radio Talk Show Hostâ at Talkers Magazineâs convention.
But itâs all a huge scam.
In fact, less than 20%âand in two recent years, less than 7% and 4%, respectivelyâof the money raised by Freedom Alliance went to these causes, while millions of dollars went to expenses, including consultants and apparently to ferry the Hannity posse of family and friends in high style. And, despite Hannityâs 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.
In February 2009, a well-known conservative writer sent me this, about a friend at FOX News:
The guy went on to tell me about Hannityâs âFreedom Concerts,â which are staged across the country with the proceeds going to children of slain soldiers. Of course, as the guy tells it, thereâd be a lot more money every concert to go to the cause if Hannity didnât demandâand getâuse of a Gulfstream 5 plane to fly him and his family/entourage to the concerts; a âfleetâ (thatâs the word the guy used) of either Cadillac or Lincoln SUVs for him and his family/entourage; and several suites at really expensive hotels for him and his family/entourage. The promoter apparently values Hannityâs star demands at well over $200,000 per event. The source says he heard that Oliver North pulled Hannity aside at one of the concerts and told him that this had to stop. But that may mean that, from now on, Hannity has to fly on a G4 instead of a G5, gets only a few luxury SUVs, and two or three suites.
North is the founder and honorary chairman of Freedom Alliance.
I began investigating these claims, and lo and behold, I discovered that Freedom Alliance gives very little money to the children of slain troops to pay for college and even less to wounded troops. The stories of injuries to troops and how much Freedom Alliance gives themâ$200 for a soldier from a poor neighborhood who lost three limbsâis heartbreaking. Soldiers with traumatic brain injuries, severe wounds to the face from disfiguring burns and explosions, and multiple amputations got $1,000 or less, with only a handful of exceptions.
According to its 2006 tax returns, Freedom Alliance reported revenue of $10, 822, 785, but only $397,900âor a beyond-measly 3.68%âof 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 âexpenses,â including $979,485 for âconsultantsâ and an âadvisor.â Yes, consultant/advisors got more than double what injured troops and the kids of fallen troops got. The tax forms show that âNew World Aviationâ got paid $60,601 for âair travel.â Was that for Hannityâs 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.
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/freedomalliancetaxes2006.pdf
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/6938...ps-kids-of-fallen-troops-g5s-g6s-for-vannity/
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/bio/
For the last several years, Sean Hannity and the Freedom Alliance âcharityâ have conducted âFreedom Concertsâ across America. Theyâve told you that they are raising money to pay for the college tuition of the children of fallen soldiers and to pay severely wounded war vets. And on Friday Night, Hannity will be honored with an award for this âOutstanding Community Service by a Radio Talk Show Hostâ at Talkers Magazineâs convention.
But itâs all a huge scam.
In fact, less than 20%âand in two recent years, less than 7% and 4%, respectivelyâof the money raised by Freedom Alliance went to these causes, while millions of dollars went to expenses, including consultants and apparently to ferry the Hannity posse of family and friends in high style. And, despite Hannityâs 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.
In February 2009, a well-known conservative writer sent me this, about a friend at FOX News:
The guy went on to tell me about Hannityâs âFreedom Concerts,â which are staged across the country with the proceeds going to children of slain soldiers. Of course, as the guy tells it, thereâd be a lot more money every concert to go to the cause if Hannity didnât demandâand getâuse of a Gulfstream 5 plane to fly him and his family/entourage to the concerts; a âfleetâ (thatâs the word the guy used) of either Cadillac or Lincoln SUVs for him and his family/entourage; and several suites at really expensive hotels for him and his family/entourage. The promoter apparently values Hannityâs star demands at well over $200,000 per event. The source says he heard that Oliver North pulled Hannity aside at one of the concerts and told him that this had to stop. But that may mean that, from now on, Hannity has to fly on a G4 instead of a G5, gets only a few luxury SUVs, and two or three suites.
North is the founder and honorary chairman of Freedom Alliance.
I began investigating these claims, and lo and behold, I discovered that Freedom Alliance gives very little money to the children of slain troops to pay for college and even less to wounded troops. The stories of injuries to troops and how much Freedom Alliance gives themâ$200 for a soldier from a poor neighborhood who lost three limbsâis heartbreaking. Soldiers with traumatic brain injuries, severe wounds to the face from disfiguring burns and explosions, and multiple amputations got $1,000 or less, with only a handful of exceptions.
According to its 2006 tax returns, Freedom Alliance reported revenue of $10, 822, 785, but only $397,900âor a beyond-measly 3.68%âof 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 âexpenses,â including $979,485 for âconsultantsâ and an âadvisor.â Yes, consultant/advisors got more than double what injured troops and the kids of fallen troops got. The tax forms show that âNew World Aviationâ got paid $60,601 for âair travel.â Was that for Hannityâs 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.
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/freedomalliancetaxes2006.pdf
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/6938...ps-kids-of-fallen-troops-g5s-g6s-for-vannity/
