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If it quacks like a scam, then the AG needs to give back the $55,500 he received in campaign funds. The AG needs to investigate this ‘charity.’ Ticer and McDonnell both did the right thing. Cucinnelli needs to follow their lead. In a nutshell, from newsvine.com:
VA Attorney General Ken Cucinelli (R) Took $55,500 from what appears to be a charity scam that exploits veterans…. He refuses to investigate the group and plans to keep the money
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A big bear Hug to Bear for this one. I had missed it.
Ken Cuckoo shamelessly disrespects our veterans
I doubt that was his intension but he needs to not only investigate this ‘charity’ but to prosecute if his investigation discovers wrong-doing. He needs to give the money to charity. I expect MacGuire VA Hospital in Richmond could use an extra $55.500.
He just can’t keep tainted money. And legitimate fund raisers don’t just disappear.
From the WashPo:
Cuccinelli has pledged to donate the money if Thompson is convicted of a crime associated with misappropriating charity funds.
I don’t see the issue here.
@Marin, everyone else, including the governor has donated their money to charity. There is a missing person. What is Cucinelli doing to investigate? Nada. He would be all over his political enemies over such issues. He needs to step up to the plate and do the right thing. What’s good enough for Senator Ticer (D) and Governor McDonnell (R) should be good enough for Cucinnelli. If any campaign money seems fishy, no politician should tough it.
This is very much a scandal and I hope you saw the entire video.
The issue is that Mr. Cuccinelli appears quick to use his office to make his own political statements, such as attacking the climate change scientist. It makes my head spin to think how quickly he would have been on this had it been strictly related to Democrats. Since he paints himself as a morally superior being, I should think he’d be anxious not to appear like a hypocrite.
But, the scandal isn’t Cuccinelli’s – it’s of this charity group. And, Cuccinelli doesn’t have primary ability to investigate the charity group – “Cuccinelli has pledged to donate the money if Thompson is convicted of a crime associated with misappropriating charity funds. McEachin said the standard for donations should be “much higher than that.” Though noting that in Virginia, charities are monitored by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, McEachin said Cuccinelli could, and should, write a letter to the regulatory group and urge an investigation of the charity’s activities in Virginia.” – WashPo.
So, the Dems agree that he isn’t really on tap to ‘investigate’ this.
Now, wouldn’t the prudent answer be that the money be transfered to an escrow or other impound account and when guilt IS established that the monies could be transfered to the courts so that the swindled vets might get some restitution?
Instead, you want ill-gotten money to go to another charity. Do you not see how bad that plays out? Even if it’s a good play for the Gov, AG, etc.. The veterans still get screwed.
So, why not back up our AG and hold the money until the truth is determined?
I don’t back up the AG because I believe he is a charlatan. That should not come as a shock. The governor thinks it is a good idea. The speaker of the house of delegates thinks it is a good idea. A state senator thinks it is a good idea to not keep the money. Marin, you drank some strong kool aid.
Did you watch the video?
If he can sue the US government, he can certainly call for an investigation of fraudulent use of money. Good grief…especially when he is the recipient of such a large amount. Now instead of thinking he was a right wing wacko I think he is a crook.
I am sure MacGuire VA Hospital would welcome that kind of chump change.
Did I leave out that I am tired of this AG embarrassing my state?
Moon, this was a phantom charitable organization based in the state of Florida. Its “officials, save one, have been found to be fictitious. Its Washington D.C. office was a mailbox at the UPS shipping store. In the absence of legitimate state officials, the political donations were passed on by outsiders handpicked by Thompson as temporary “stand-ins.” There was allegedly a call center in Michigan; but it appears that, for a long tiime, the USNVA used another questionable outfit called Community Support Inc., which made calls on behalf of a number of non-existent or scam charities and is being closed down by the FTC. The Cooch, apparently believing USNVA was a legitimate organization, initated telephone contact with Thompson to seek a political donation, probably encouraged by Patsy Ticer’s misled efforts to legitimize USNVA soliciting in Virginia, truly a Navy state. In my opinion, both The Cooch and Ticer were victims of poor staff work. Staff must have misunderstood the fine print on the VA’s list of charitable organizations. They also failed to ask the Better Business Bureau or to look at websites dealing with suspected scams. Those websites have complaints and suspicions concerning USNVA going all the way back to 2007.
I have yet to see anything solid in Virginia on which to base a full fledged investigation. About the only thing I can think of at this point is the possibility of more of those UPS mailboxes and finding out whether they were rented locally or from the outside. Other than that, it seems to me that the wisest course is to await the results of the Florida investigation and see if there is anything pointing specifically to Virginia which can be investigated. New Mexico went ahead with an investigation. The two USNVA officials” listed for their locale were fictitious. New Mexico was reduced to sending an official letter to Thompson telling him that the USNA was no longer allowed to solicit in that state, although I wonder if that letter will ever actually reach him now that he has fled. North Carolina may find a little more since one of the “stand-ins” came from there. Tennessee and Missouri will probably run into the same sort of deadend as New Mexico. Why waste taxpayer funds on an investigation in the blind? Wait to see if we get some actual leads from Florida.
Campaign money landed in Virginia. Wolverine, do you honestly think Cucinelli should keep that money? I do not. I think he should do what the others are doing….giving it to a charity. I am not sure what this smacks of but I don’t like it.
Right now, perception is becoming reality. Why sue the federal government? Let others do it. At least they don’t believe it will only cost $350.
I don’t think that Senator Tice’s bill was just for that organization was it? I understood it was for all charities collecting for verterans groups.
I suspect that the donation made to the Cooch will eventually go into a charity at some point. Perhaps this doesn’t look very good right now; and it certainly has been fodder for Maddow. But, having worked over the years with a lot of people involved in such things, including the FBI and Justice, I have always felt more comfortable when such officials approached cases carefully and with a willingness to wait until actual evidence rolled in rather than jumped the gun because of anger or emotion or outside political criticism. In any case, this thing in Florida looks to me like it shouldn’t be too difficult for Florida investigators to wrap up soon in some concrete form, although I am right curious as to what charges could be or will be filed against Thompson. Whatever the outcome, this case should certainly teach a lot of people to be careful with their charitable giving and do some research before sending a check.
You’re right about Ticer’s bill. It appears to have exempted all veterans organizations from have to register as other charities do. Had the co-patronage of two Republicans, including our own Tom Rust. So, why would Ticer ask the Governor to veto an entire bill laudably intended to help all such organizations? Seems to me it would have been simpler to have the state authorities initiate an investigation of the USNVA and, if negative, have that particular organization banned from solicitation. In essence, that is what New Mexico just did: banned USNVA specifically from solicitation on their turf. This is getting curiouser and curiouser. Sounds like we should hear some details from Ticer as well.
I’m not sure why that’s unreasonable – for Cuccinelli to hold onto the money in the event that the charity’s assets are seized by the AGs of Florida or New Mexico and they seek to return money back to the veterans. I understand you want him to send it to another charity but if the AGs do set up a plan for money to be repaid back to the veterans would it not be a safer and better course of action to give the money back to them so that they can do as they deem fit with the money rather than letting Cuccinelli decide it for them?
Basically, if Cuccinelli gives that money to another charity aren’t the veterans that got screwed, getting screwed again?
Moon,
As long as the money is returned to the vets or to whomever the prosecuting and CONVICTING AGS determine, if and when the charity is investigated, THEN Cooch should give back the money. Marinm is right. If it turns out that the “charity” is a fraud, then those donations should go back to the originators.
Oh, and the way you feel about Cuccinelli? Take that feeling and apply it to Obama. Then, instead of charlatan, think manipulative con man, and then THAT FEELING is what I and many are feeling.
Why are we returning it to vets? I thought that the money was FOR vets, not FROM vets. If it is from vets and we don’t know who they are, then put the money in escrow.
There are plenty of vet charity groups out there to give to.
I understand how you feel about Obama. I am not trying to change your mind about him. I think that my feelings about Cuccinelli, who I really believe is the fringe, are always being challenged, like I don’t have the right to feel someone is not the right person for the job.