Friday, August 1, 2014

MI Politicos Keep Their Charities Opague

by Gary Snyder



There has been little interest or enforcement by the Internal Revenue Service or the Michigan Attorney General’s office to seek transparency of shadowy nonprofits set up by politicians.  

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick used his Kilpatrick Civic Fund (run by his highly paid sister) to pay for jets, golf clubs and personal travel. The money was to go toward the betterment of Detroit children. Not one penny was seen by the kids. Kilpatrick is currently serving a 28- year federal sentence after being convicted of corruption charges.

The current Wayne County Executive created his nonprofit, Wayne County Business Develop Corporation and solicited donations from businesses and contractors. The 501 (c) (6) ended up paying an insider a hefty bonus.

The current Michigan Governor took in more than $1 million from unnamed donors and paid an aide $100,000 on top of his regular salary. It seems that the rest of the money has not been publicly accounted for.

Now the newly elected Mayor of Detroit wants to follow in the foot steps of his predecessor and the Governor by starting a 501 (c) 4, the Detroit Progressive Fund. He has given assurances that it will operate under a set of voluntary restrictions.

Any thoughts? (source)








Nonprofit Imperative gathers its information principally from public documents...some of which are directly quoted. Virtually all cited are in some phase of criminal proceedings; some have not been charged, however. Cites in various media: Featured in print, broadcast, and online media outlets, including: Charity Navigator, Vermont Public Radio, Miami Herald, National Public Radio (NPR), Huffington Post, The Sun News, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Wall Street Journal (Profile, News and Photos), “Betrayal”, (a movie), NBC (on Charity Fraud…TBD), FOX2, ABC Spotlight on the News, WWJ Radio, Marie Claire, Ethics World, Aspen Philanthropy Newsletter, Harvard Business Review, Current Affairs, Charity Navigator, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, St. Petersburg Times, Board Room Insider, USA Today Topics, Accountants News, Newsweek.com, Responsive Philanthropy Magazine, New York Times, Portfolio Magazine, The Virgin Islands Daily News, NANKAI (China) BUSINESS REVIEW, National Religious Broadcasters newsletter, The Charity Governance Blog, American Chronicle, Palm Beach Post, Detroit Free Press, Oakland Press, Nonprofit World, Socially Responsible Business Forum, PNNOnline, Ohio Nonprofit Resources, Nonprofit Good Practice Guide, Nonprofit Startup Guide, Nonprofit Blog, National Coalition of Homeless Newsletter, Finance and Administration Roundtable Newsletter, MichiganNonprofit.com, CORP! Magazine, Crain’s Michigan Nonprofit, ncrp.org, PhilanTopic, Nashville Free Press, Nonprofit Law Blog, Seniors World Chronicle, Carnegie Reporter, Assoc. of Certified Fraud Examiners Examiner, msnbc.com, Worchester (MA) Telegram and Gazette, Carnegie Corporation of America, EO Tax Journal, Wikipedia: Non-profit Organizations; Parent: Wise Austin, Accountants News, Veterans Today, Answers.com, Far-roundtable, #Nonprofit Report, nonprofithelpnews, nonprofit news; National Enquirer, Northwest Herald, The HelpWise Daily, The #Nonprofit Report, Wikipedia (Nonprofit Organization), Answers.com, Nonprofits: On the Brink (2006) Silence: The Impending Threat to the Charitable Sector (2011)

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