Isn't it about time some Red Cross people went to jail for fraud?
Yes but they didn't even go to jail for killing and sickening many thousands of people in Canada with HIV and Hepatitis C tainted blood. Bill Clinton was involved to some extent in that scandal back in the 80's when he was Gov. of Arkansas and (ref: http://www.wnd.com/? pageId=30570) evidently awarded a prison care contract to Health Management Associates that was headed by a political ally who isn't named in that article. WND reported there in 2005 that the Red Cross was found guilty and fined $4000.00. Not 4 million or 4 billion -- 4 thousand dollars for over 20,000 injured and killed. Nothing mentioned about the Health Management Associates official being fined anything.
There was a long document on the Communist roots of the Red Cross at another forum. I think this might be it:
Recall all the money that poured into the 9/11 Fund out of the kindness of people's hearts that the Bush admin treated as hush-money bribery to prevent lawsuits from being filed by victim survivors or families of victims? CNSNews.com reported extensively at the time on scandalous withholding and mismanagement of the funds by the Red Cross and United Way. A legal defense fund was even set up with some of the money for terror suspect detainees and their immigration issues -- unclear if it was the Israeli art students or not but I can't find the info archived there anymore. Here's a link that does reference the CNSNews,com site and asks some questions about WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MONEY? then and for other disasters too. Scrolling to December 2001 on the page, this is a printout of that section:
CNSNEWS.COM reported on November 19, 2001 that the United Way 9-11 fund which received donor pledges totaling $334 million, with $250 million already collected and $47 million distributed has been making grants totaling more than $1 million to a variety of left-wing political groups.
Critics say many of the groups receiving charitable contributions from the fund have little or nothing to do with helping the victims of the attacks.
Children's Defense Fund received $31,000. It has been at the forefront in lobbying for "children's rights", gun control and expanded welfare programs.
Asian American Legal Defense & Educational Fund received $30,000 to provide "legal help and preventative measures against hate violence." It is also a member of the Alliance for Justice, a consortium of left-of-center groups including the National Organization for Women Legal Defense Fund, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, Planned Parenthood, and the Earth Justice Legal Defense Fund.
The Independent Press Association received $81,150 "to use community and ethnic newspapers to distribute information about victim assistance to immigrants and non-English speaking people and to prevent bias-relation violence."
Legal Services of New York received $40,000 "to replace phones, computers and other office equipment destroyed in the attack."
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, a "disability rights" and "environmental justice" organization received $57,575.
New York Immigration Coalition collected $450,000 to help "access relief assistance to immigrants harmed by the disaster." The group's stated purpose is to secure "immigrant rights."
The Olive Leaf Wholeness Center received $100,000 to provide "massage therapy to rescue workers, medical examiners, staff and victims' family members at various relief locations." Its goals include creating "an enriching, humane, and ecologically sound healing environment" to "start people on their journey toward wholeness."
The September 11th Fund was previously criticized for a $171,000 grant it gave to the Legal Aid Society, a group fighting for expanded government programs and welfare rights in New York City. It is also defending a number of detainees held on immigration charges in connection with the terror rights.
The criticism which has been directed at the Red Cross in handling this disaster is just the latest in a long string, according to Mary Pat Flaherty and Gilbert M. Gaul, in an article in the November 19, 2001, Washington Post.
In Oklahoma City, it spent only 25% of the $13 million it had collected for victims and families.
When the Red River flooded in 1997, nearly $16 million was collected for the victims in North Dakota and Minnesota. The Minnesota attorney general had to resort to stinging public hearings and a 40-page report to prod the release of nearly $4 million in unspent victim funds.
After January wildfires in the San Diego, the Red Cross improperly used money for vehicles and a telephone system upgrade while burned-out families waited for money earmarked for them.
It seems to your editor that almost every week we read in the local paper about a spaghetti dinner or other event to help a local family or other local cause. These are all done by volunteers with no "overhead" costs. The next time you feel generous, why not look around for a local cause where you know your money will be well-spent.