| This year, Connerly has targeted five states-- Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma -- with his divisive and misleadingly named "civil rights" initiatives. But, after spending nearly $3 million, Connerly failed to qualify for the ballot in Arizona, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Today, the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center is launching a new TV ad in Colorado, and Nebraska to reveal the truth about Connerly and his campaign, exposing both him and his efforts as a fraud.
We have also launched a new website that tells the story of Connerly's greed and corruption.
Based on available information from the 990 forms filed by Connerly with the IRS, between 1997 and 2006, Connerly has lined his own pockets with over $7.6 million from his two tax exempt, non-profit organizations; American Civil Rights Institute (ACRI), 501(c)3, and American Civil Rights Coalition (ACRC), 501(c)4.
This includes over $500,000 in salary from 2004 to mid-2006 and $2.2 million in payments that Connerly paid himself for "speaking fees and interviews."
Yes, Connerly may be the only person who profits from a non-profit to appear on "The View."
Connerly's excessive compensation levels from his tax-exempt, non-profit organizations have raised questions in Congress about their propriety and in 2006 the IRS was asked to investigate.
The most recent issue of The American Conservative recently revealed that, "In 1998, 22 percent of his nonprofits' revenue was paid to Connerly in salary or to his firm. By 2001, Connerly's salary and the fees charged by Connerly and Associates ate up 49 percent of the nonprofits' combined revenue. Most of the money paid to the firm was listed on tax forms as "speaking fees." In 2006, when Connerly took up a concrete goal in political activism-ending Michigan's affirmative-action policies-the cut of nonprofit revenue paid to him and his firm rose to 66 percent of total receipts, nearly $1.6 million."
The American Conservative also reported, "An IRS spokesman said that he could not comment on a case under investigation."
The TV ad and website also expose the hypocrisy of Connerly's campaign to outlaw equal opportunity programs. From 1989 to 1994 Connerly used his own race to land no bid contracts worth over a million dollars. Connerly repeatedly enlisted as a minority contractor with the California Energy Commission -- securing contracts for his Sacramento lobbying firm without having competitive bidding. By certifying with the commission's special race-based program, Connerly helped guarantee his firm three separate contracts -- one for $1.1 million in 1989, a second for $105,227 in 1992, and another for $35,000 in 1994, according to the records. The contracts were filed under the name of California Building Officials, an association that lists Connerly as its sole agent.
No matter how you cut it, Connerly's campaign to outlaw equal opportunity is a fraud and so is he.
Using non-profit slush funds as a personal ATM.
Priceless. |
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