Where Does Fred Phelps Get His Money? Anyone Know?

[KittyWampus]

He's not like the cult leaders who get money by constantly sucking new people in.

I've never heard where he gets the money to ship his followers around the country to protest all the time.

Is there some way to find out who is funding him?

[pinto]

1. And why hasn't his family cult been reported to Child Protective Services?

It's no church and the way he uses his family's kids ought to be given a second look, imho.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. They have been

I personally know people who have reported them. But I don't think anything ever happens.

[walnutpie]

5. Lawsuits

It has long been my suspicion that the entire point behind the Phelps protests is to goad attendees into assaulting them. Then they sue.

[Lenore]

18. One or more of the family ...

Have their law license. I recall reading some years back that they were a very litigious bunch, it's easy to 'sue' when you are your own attorney and don't have to actually pay thousands to hire one.

[MuseRider]

26. There are family members working

in the Child Protective Services. I think that might have a whole lot to do with it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. They do have a congregation at their church

And he and his kids are all attorneys. Some have been disbarred but they do still have somewhat of a family law practice.

[Maddy McCall]

21. I thought that the congregation IS is family.

I didn't know that they had very many members who weren't family.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. I think the majority are family

MuseRider knows. I am not sure.

[MuseRider]

27. Hey Maddy!

They do have members outside the family. I do not know how many, not a lot but he does get funding from others across the country. Apparently he is pretty connected to a bunch of others like him. I only know what I read and I do get info since I live here but as far as being able to confirm it, I can't.

:hi:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. He sues people who vandalize his stuff.

that's how he finances himself.

At least that's what I've heard. I'm not convinced.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Oh I believe it.

I don't know how much money he brings in through lawsuits but I do know that he does sue people - a lot.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. Oh, I'm sure he does.

But I'm not so sure that he makes a career out of it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. He doesn't; he is disbarred

But there are enough other attorneys in his family that they just might make enough money doing this.

[acmavm]

15. He has a history of filing false and frivolous lawsuits. In fact, that's pretty

much how he got disbarred:

<snip>
Disbarment
A formal complaint was filed against Fred W. Phelps, Sr. on November 8, 1977 by the Kansas State Board of Law Examiners for his conduct during a lawsuit against a court reporter named Carolene Brady. Brady had failed to have a court transcript ready for Phelps on the day he asked for it; though it did not affect the outcome of the case for which Phelps had requested the transcript, Phelps still requested $22,000 in damages from her. In the ensuing trial, Phelps called Brady to the stand, declared her a hostile witness, and then cross-examined her for nearly a week, during which he accused her of being a "slut," tried to introduce testimony from former boyfriends whom Phelps wanted to subpoena, and accused her of a variety of perverse sexual acts, ultimately reducing her to tears on the stand.<16> Phelps lost the case; according to the Kansas Supreme Court:

The trial became an exhibition of a personal vendetta by Phelps against Carolene Brady. His examination was replete with repetition, badgering, innuendo, belligerence, irrelevant and immaterial matter, evidencing only a desire to hurt and destroy the defendant. The jury verdict didn't stop the onslaught of Phelps. He was not satisfied with the hurt, pain, and damage he had visited on Carolene Brady.<16>

In an appeal, Phelps prepared affidavits swearing to the court that he had eight witnesses whose testimony would convince the court to rule in his favor. Brady, in turn, obtained sworn, signed affidavits from the eight people in question, all of whom said that Phelps had never contacted them and that they had no reason to testify against Brady; Phelps had committed perjury.<16>

On July 20, 1979, Fred Phelps was permanently disbarred from practicing law in the state of Kansas,<16> but continued to practice in the Federal courts.

In 1985, nine Federal judges filed a disciplinary complaint against Phelps and five of his children, alleging false accusations against the judges. In 1989, the complaint was settled, with Phelps agreeing to permanently stop practicing in Federal court, and two of his children suspended for periods of six months and one year.<17>


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps

[Richard Steele]

14. Nor am I. I believe he has a network of anonymous supporters.

How could he be making any money from lawsuits when his
cultists are always provided police protection? How often
do you HEAR that they were attacked? I only know of ONCE,
and it didn't look like the type of incident where they'd
be IDing anyone to sue.

He has groups of his cult members protesting SOMEWHERE
every week of the year. Have they EVER been spotted at
a Hotel or Motel? You know damn well people are looking
for them when they hear they're in town. Fred is pretty
distinctive-looking; back when he traveled personally,
was HE ever seen using any Public accommodations?

No, they're staying in people's HOMES. Lord help this country,
because the twisted sonovabitch has a NETWORK of SUPPORTERS
who help him do the sick shit he does.

That's my theory.

[Maddy McCall]

23. I am sure that you're right.

I'm pretty sure that he's financed by donors.

[pinto]

9. Weird stuff, all around.

[TlalocW]

8. His family members and lawsuits

His family members - who are the ones who make up his "church," own the entire block that his house/church is on - they have a communal backyard, and they have regular jobs. Every now and then they'll sue someone as well.

TlalocW

[BlueIris]

11. Yeah, aren't his kids almost all lawyers?

Except for the one who (thankfully) disowned her father, changed her name and moved way far away from that whole clan?

[TlalocW]

13. He and a lot of his kids are/were lawyers

So they know how to abuse the law pretty well.

TlalocW

[Speck Tater]

12. Fred Phelps is funded by wealthy atheists

who use him to discredit Christianity as whole with guilt by association. Give him rope, let him hang himself, show the American people what fools religious people are.

:tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat: That's my tinfoil hat theory anyway. :tinfoilhat::tinfoilhat:

[BlueIris]

17. Um...I recommend the Reynolds Wrap tin foil, FYI.

The generic stuff tends to chafe too much.

[IndianaJones]

16. God. nt.

[Greyskye]

19. Could it be....... SATAN?

:evilgrin:

[slowry]

20. Yeah, those fancy signs don't pay for themselves!

What are they, like 5 cents a pop :P? Seriously though, are they that rich? I think a lot of 'em live together, and don't have many hobbies.

Wait... it must be album sales!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mZ_yxionctY">http://youtube.com/watch?v=mZ_yxionctY

(warning: offensive, but uniquely American!)

[Warpy]

24. He got his original stash via lawsuits.

Westboro Baptist Church is nothing but a tax dodge, with only the Phelps clan as members. If we weren't stuck with the most corrupt government in history, their tax exempt status would have been challenged years ago and their funding examined.

My best guess is that they've got a sugar daddy with deep pockets, or even several. Since they're obviously trying to get anti free speech laws passed, my best guess is that their funders are anti Americans like Scaife and the Waltons, as examples.

[dkofos]

25. He sells children