KRSO Radio Host's ‘Pro-Troop’ Charity A Money Laundering Scheme For Tea Party

[Agent Winston Smith]

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20 Conservative Media Figures Who Helped Shady "Pro-Troop" Charity Raise Money

by BEN DIMIERO

MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA

https://www.waccobb.net/forums/waccobb/keep90days/2014-08-05_20-55-03.pngNumerous conservative radio, cable news, and Internet media stars provided testimonials and other support to Move America Forward, a purported "pro-troop" charity that funneled money to the GOP consultants who run it.

In an exposé for ProPublica and The Daily Beast, reporter Kim Barker lays out (https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/05/exclusive-pro-troop-charity-pays-off-tea-party-cronies-instead.html) how Move America Forward (MAF), a charity that collects millions of dollars purportedly to send care packages to troops overseas, "has repeatedly misled donors and inflated its charitable accomplishments, while funneling millions of dollars in revenue to the men behind the group and their political consulting firms."

Various MAF transgressions highlighted by Barker include: claiming to send hundreds of care packages to a battalion fighting in Afghanistan while the battalion in question was actually deployed in Japan; misleading donors about a non-existent partnership between MAF and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center; appropriating "images and stories from other groups and from veterans themselves without permission to use in fundraising appeals"; and using group assets to apparently "subsidize three conservative political action committees."

As Barker explains, MAF has gotten a major fundraising boost from leading conservatives like George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and numerous conservative media figures like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Sarah Palin.

27576The group's ties to conservative media run deep. Move America Forward was co-founded (https://www.ksro.com/AirStaff/MelanieMorgan.aspx) by Melanie Morgan, a right-wing radio host [now hosting the Morning News at 1350 KSRO in Santa Rosa, CA]. And based on a review of MAF's website, YouTube page, and fundraising materials, the amount of support from conservative media figures for the group is staggering, particularly through its annual "Troopathon" fundraisers.

While the media figures who supported MAF undoubtedly thought they were aiding a legitimate group that was helping troops overseas, there were several warning signs surrounding Move America Forward.

Barker points out that MAF has "earned zero stars out of a potential four from the rating organization Charity Navigator" and notes that Republican consultant Sal Russo, the "driving force" behind the group, has previously come under criticism for shady use of political funds. Russo's Tea Party Express, which has also gotten a helping hand from numerous media outlets, has repeatedly been criticized (https://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/04/28/tea-party-scammers-have-media-accomplices/199051) for directing money to Russo-connected consulting firms. Questions about Russo's spending practices date back (https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/majority-of-tea-party-group-s-spending-went-to-gop-firm-that-created-it) to at least 2009.

MORE:

LINK: Local Radio Hosts and 20 Conservative Media Figures Who Helped Shady "Pro-Troop" Charity Raise Money (https://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/08/05/20-conservative-media-figures-who-helped-shady/200320[/URL)

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

LINK: New Local Radio Host's ‘Pro-Troop’ Charity Pays Off Tea Party Cronies Instead

(https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/05/exclusive-pro-troop-charity-pays-off-tea-party-cronies-instead.html)
" (https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/05/exclusive-pro-troop-charity-pays-off-tea-party-cronies-instead.html)Move America Forward has collected millions to send care packages to U.S. troops. But its assets have been used to benefit conservative political consulting firms close to its Tea Party founder."



Edit:
Here's Move America Forward's response. (https://hotair.com/archives/2014/08/05/move-america-forward-responds-to-pro-publica-report/)

[Barry]

Here's Move America Forward's response:

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See attached PDF.

[Roland Jacopetti]

Hi, Gang. I thought you might like to read an email I just wrote to the GM of KSRO:

"You guys have got to be kidding, putting a right-wing radio personality like Melanie Morgan on KSRO. Have you bothered to figure out who your core audience is? Do you really think there's a bunch of Tea Party people here in Sonoma County just dying to listen to its own home-grown Rush Limbaughs and Bill O'Reillys? Get real, folks.

Even though he was far from being a mathematically accurate cannon ball, I'm sure Jim Grady is whirling in his grave at this moment. (I went to high school with Jim in San Francisco until he left Saint Ignatius in his final year.) Doesn't Jaxon have anything to say about this? He's a highly experienced radio guy - has anyone bothered to ask his opinion?

Why does it seem so inevitable that people who have no understanding of how radio works get picked to make the decisions? I think it has to do with the ugly privatization that anyone thinks can be sold for a few bucks. Thus, the money guys take charge and the radio guys have to fight for a living wage. What a world.

You know, you might even consider asking your listeners what they'd like to hear. What a concept, huh? Give the people what they want. Try it!

Roland Jacopetti
KSAN, KSFX, KZST, KRCB and so forth."

If I don't get an answer from the GM, l'll try the Program Director, the New Director, the Sales Manager and so forth. Waccistas, you do it, too. Tell these people exactly what you think. I'd love to see their listenship plumit. I don't want to screw up Jaxon's gig, and I hope he replies to any criticism, too.


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20 Conservative Media Figures Who Helped Shady "Pro-Troop" Charity Raise Money

by BEN DIMIERO

MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA

27576...The group's ties to conservative media run deep. Move America Forward was co-founded (https://www.ksro.com/AirStaff/MelanieMorgan.aspx) by Melanie Morgan, a right-wing radio host [now hosting the Morning News at 1350 KSRO in Santa Rosa, CA]. And based on a review of MAF's website, YouTube page, and fundraising materials, the amount of support from conservative media figures for the group is staggering, particularly through its annual "Troopathon" fundraisers.

While the media figures who supported MAF undoubtedly thought they were aiding a legitimate group that was helping troops overseas, there were several warning signs surrounding Move America Forward.

LINK: Local Radio Hosts and 20 Conservative Media Figures Who Helped Shady "Pro-Troop" Charity Raise Money (https://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/08/05/20-conservative-media-figures-who-helped-shady/200320[/URL)

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

LINK: New Local Radio Host's ‘Pro-Troop’ Charity Pays Off Tea Party Cronies Instead

(https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/05/exclusive-pro-troop-charity-pays-off-tea-party-cronies-instead.html)
" (https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/05/exclusive-pro-troop-charity-pays-off-tea-party-cronies-instead.html)Move America Forward has collected millions to send care packages to U.S. troops. But its assets have been used to benefit conservative political consulting firms close to its Tea Party founder."