The Koch Cabal now has its very own, non-profit "news bureau" across the country. From 2009 - 2011, $12,633,760 has been granted to the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity which is also a non-profit organization. Franklin's EIN # is 26-4066298 for those wanting to scour its tax returns found here.
While newspapers are laying off journalists by the truck load, the Koch Cabal has spent $Millions creating their very own media. This should raise the hair on the back of your neck. Using Franklin's tax exempt, non-profit vehicle there is no limit on how much those who seem hell bent of taking over our democracy will spend to write their own version of the news.
Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity was founded in 2009 to address falling standards in the media as well as a steep fall off in reporting on state government and provides professional training; research, editorial, multimedia and technical support; and assistance with marketing and promoting the work of a nationwide network of nonprofit reporters.
Supplementing these efforts is our newly launched Citizen Watchdog program that trains ordinary citizens to report from local communities.
Franklin Center is dedicated to preserving and strengthening democracy through promoting citizen journalism and engaging the stakeholders of America’s future to serve as watchdogs at the local, state, and federal level.
Citizen Watchdog Well, this sounds wonderful. Citizens being watchdogs. Any goosebumps yet?
Imagine that. And here we are working long hours, day after day for free because the thought of the Koch Cabal/PNAC/Dominionists taking control of this country is terrifying while the Koch Cabal is buying their very own news bureau and citizen watchdogs to man twitter, facebook, even join Daily Kos.
So how does this all work?
Before mincing through the details, you might want to read the Source Watch run down for the Freedom Center. The founders mentioned at Source Watch are Koch people. There's already a lot of controversy (disinformation), no surprise.
Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity won't show on the chart below (Muckety needs to add on); however, tax returns show that the Koch Cabal is funding Freedom Center.
This is how the chart is arranged:
At the top are the FUNDERS of the Donors Trust. With the exception o the Rauner Family and Knowledge and Progress Fund located at the very top, the other FUNDERS also donate to the organizations listed on the right hand side of the screen.
The Rauner Family and Knowledge and Progress Fund only FUND Donors Trust on this chart. You would have to go this interactive chart and double click to see what other associations each has.
The Searle Freedom Trust donates to most of the organizations listed on the lower right side of the screen, beneath the FUNDER Foundations and Trusts.
The the incredibly rich non-profit foundations listed above, pour money into the incredibly rich Koch backed non-profits and then the incredibly huge number of $Millions are then funneled to the right wing non-profits both BY the foundations directly and through both the Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund.
As an amusing aside, and I will spare you the details here, Donors Trust and Donors Capital Fund, Inc actually funnel money back and forth, but that's another diary.
So just how much money has been funneled from billion and millionaires to the newly launched Franklin Center News Service, also a non-profit organization.
Here's Freedom Center's stated Mission Statement from the 2009 Tax Return
The mission of Franklin Center is to promote social welfare and civil-betterment by undertaking programs that promote journalism and the education of the public about corruptions imcompetence, fraud or taxpayer abuse by elected officials at all levels of government.
May we suggest Spell Check right off the bat. INcompetence is mispelled twice in the tax return. Too ironic.
In 2009, the year of being launched, the Freedom Center tax return says it received $2,378,965. The tax return was signed in 2011 and received and scanned by Ogden IRS on December 05, 2011.
The following are extracted from the 2009, 990 non-profit tax returns for Donors Capital Fund, Inc. and Donors Trust. Both are Koch Cabal funded as you can see in this chart. You can click here for the interactive map link.
Donors Capital Fund Tax Returns are signed only by Whitney L Ball, listed as founder and CEO. No Tax Preparer name is given.
In 2009, Donors Capital granted Franklin $2,245,500 (See Sch A Part l - Line 1.h Page 4 of 4). More than half was allocated to, copied from the tax return: "2009 news bureau project"
In 2009, Donors Trust granted Franklin Center $16,050 to experiment with achieving growth and $17,750 forgeneral operations for a total of $33,800.
These two donors granted Franklin Center $2,279,300 in 2009.
The Franklin Center, a national news bureau, received most of its money from the Koch Cabal.
In 2010, the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity tax return shows its income: $3,776,997.
In 2010, Donors Capital granted Franklin Center $10,000.
Donors Fund gave Franklin Center $15,000.
These two donors granted Franklin Center $25,000 in 2010.
Where did Franklin get approximately $3,750,000?
In 2011, Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity received $6,611,263 according to its
tax return. Franklin has also managed to accumulate $526,338 in assets.
In 2011, Donors Capital granted Franklin Center $5,210,115
In 2011, Donors Fund made three grants to the Franklin Center:
$ 110,000 for general operations
$ 350,000 for general operations
$ 644,000 for general operations
$1,104,000 total
These two donors granted Franklin Center news bureau $6,314,115 in 2011. $435,885 must have been donated from other donors.
No compensation was recorded for the Officers/Directors and no key employees were listed.
However, the three member board listed above voted for Contract Payroll, but only Jason received compensation.
According to the tax returns, Jason received
$67,459 Contracted Payroll in 2009,
$101,333. Contracted Payroll in 2010, and
$135,000 Contracted Payroll in 2011.
So how did Franklin Center spend $6,314,115 in 2011. Here's the Statement of Functional Expenses from the
2011 tax return.
And here is the statement of Grants give to others for 2011, a total of $1,115,500 for 2011.
TAKE NOTE of Cause of Action. There is no EIN# provided. Cause for Action's EIN# is 45-2805977.
You might recall that Call for Action initiated an IRS Complaint against Enroll America whose mission statement from its 2011 Tax Returnis:
TO ENSURE THAT ALL AMERICANS ARE ENROLLED IN AND RETAIN HEALTH COVERAGE
Here's an analysis of the probe by Law360.com
IRS Asked To Review Enroll America's Nonprofit Status
Cause of Action filed a complaint with the IRS on Monday, alleging Enroll America's primary focus is funneling new clients to health insurance companies by encouraging them to sign up for Medicaid and other insurance options created by the ACA. It noted in its cover letter to the IRS that Enroll America's stated mission is to maximize the number of participants in ACA insurance exchanges and Medicaid.
This above a great example of how the Koch Cabal News Bureau is using its $12Million.
Statement of Grants given to others for 2010, a total of $289,600 for 2011.
And statement of Grants given to others for 2009, a total of $95,913. Notice "Wiki general s" I wonder if maintaining Wiki is journalism?
Not all that generous. Perhaps we should all apply for grants.
OK dkos team
Your thoughts? Suggestions? Insights?
Did I miss any typos? math?
Thanks.