Nonpartisan watchdog downgrades Hannity charity

[babylonsister]

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joe_conason/2010/04/02/watchdog/index.html

Nonpartisan watchdog downgrades Hannity charity
Sean Hannity's Freedom Alliance used to boast of its four-star rating by Charity Navigator -- but not anymore
By Joe Conason
Salon


Patriotic donors cannot say they weren't warned: The four-star rating of Freedom Alliance by Charity Navigator, an independent and nonpartisan Web site that rates charitable organizations, has dropped precipitously from four stars to two stars. The abrupt downgrade occurred within two days after Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed complaints against the Freedom Alliance with the Federal Trade Commission and the Internal Revenue Service, alleging consumer fraud and abuse of tax-exempt status.

The complaints also named Fox News personalities Sean Hannity and Oliver North Jr., who run Freedom Alliance and the Freedom Concerts that have raised millions of dollars over the past decade.

Freedom Alliance has often boasted of its high ratings from charitable watchdog groups, specifically citing the four stars awarded by Charity Navigator to bolster its credentials as a benefactor of military veterans and their families. That generous assessment was particularly valuable because another major rating agency, the American Institute of Philanthropy, has long treated Freedom Alliance with deep skepticism.

The four-star rating that Freedom Alliance formerly enjoyed, according to Charity Navigator's Web site, indicates that a charity is "Exceptional" and "Exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause." By contrast, a two-star rating means that a charity "Needs Improvement" and "Meets or nearly meets industry standards but underperforms most charities in its Cause." The latter phrase, while far from glowing, may yet be rather charitable to Freedom Alliance. Naturally, the CREW Web site's blog noted the down-rating of its target and snarked:

Less than a week ago, Freedom Alliance proudly displayed Charity Navigator's logo on its website, boasting of its four-star rating. Now that logo has been removed.

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. I swear, the followers of the likes of Hannity and North should at least get a T-Shirt

from the Freedom Alliance that has the words "I'm with STUPID" and an arrow pointing to the neckhole.

Anyone that shows up the concerts scheduled by Freedom Alliance this summer after reading about the scam is a bona fide moron.

[babylonsister]

2. Loved this, from one of the 6 stages of

teabaggery. They seem to refuse to use their own brains, or burned them out somewhere. The facts just don't matter.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x527842

snip//

Chris Matthews says, "Democrats fall in love. Republicans fall in line," and in any initial questions of the 'bagger there will be some of the regurgitations he's seen on the F*x News. Something Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh said comes back to you as if you'd pulled the string on a Chatty Kathy doll. I don't know who the mastermind is who thinks up all of these zingers -- that everyone then immediately parrots as if it's the unquestionable truth.

[tanyev]

3. I was surprised to see a big poster in the lobby of the rec center this morning

advertising upcoming events at the event center and Hannity's concert is one of them. I was also suprised to see that Michael W. Smith is one of the performers (along w/ Lynrd Skynrd and Charlie Daniels Band. WTF?) Yeah, I know that Michael W. Smith is a fundie, but I thought he had higher standards than Hannity and Oliver North. I'm tempted to email him this article.