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AIR AMERICA: STEALING FROM POOR KIDS?!
Michelle Malkin's Blog ^ | July 27, 2005 | Michelle Malkin

Posted on 07/26/2005 9:51:36 PM PDT by FreedomCalls

Air America is being investigated in New York for diverting federal funds--possibly "hundreds of thousands of dollars"--meant for inner-city kids and senior into the station's coffers.

Um, why isn't the New York Times, which has spilled tons of adulatory ink on the liberal radio network, covering this scandal on its front page?

Radio blogger Brian Maloney has the lowdown. Read the whole thing. He sniffed out the story when he spotted this tidbit buried in the NY Daily News about Air America being targeted in a NYC Department of Investigation probe of kids' and seniors' programs being ripped off in the Bronx:

A Bronx congressman yesterday praised the smooth takeover of dozens of programs serving thousands of youngsters and seniors across the borough after the city yanked funding from two sponsoring agencies that have come under a cloud.

The nonprofit Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club and its affiliate Pathways for Youth found their city contracts, running into the millions of dollars, abruptly ended last month by the city Department of Investigation...

In its initial announcement, the DOI said it was probing allegations that program officials "approved significant inappropriate transactions and falsified documents that were submitted to various city agencies."

According to published reports, the allegations involve Charles Rosen, the founder of Gloria Wise who has stepped down as executive director, investing city contract funds in Air America Radio, the liberal talk radio network.

Evan Cohen, Air America's former chairman, had served as Gloria Wise's director of development.

A local community paper, The Bronx News, covers the Air America troubles ignored by the national press:

The Bronx News has learned, through informed sources, that the diversion of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club in Co-op City to the liberal Air America Radio is at the center of the city’s probe of corruption at the local club.

The money, which was reportedly paid to Air America as a loan, was supposed to be paid back with interest, two unidentified informed sources told the News. One source added that Air America officials, led by an official of the Gloria Wise Club, agreed to help the local club by publicizing its activities.

To date, no indictments have been handed down in the New York City Department of Investigation’s ongoing probe of the Gloria Wise Club’s reported transfer of funds to Air America...

Will Air America's self-proclaimed champions of the poor and downtrodden--Franken? Garafolo? Springer?--touch this story with a ten-foot pole? Will Randi Rhodes trot out her gunshot sound effects to blame the messenger? Or will the gabbers continue maintaining their radio silence?

Like they say: Stay tuned...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: airamerica; alfranken; blogs; brianmaloney; crookedrats; kleptodems; liberals; liberaltalk; liberaltalkradio; losers; malkin; michellemalkin; moonbats; nydailynews; radio; radioequalizer; talkradio; thieves
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Interesting, very interesting.
1 posted on 07/26/2005 9:51:37 PM PDT by FreedomCalls
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To: FreedomCalls
Air America is being investigated in New York for diverting federal funds--possibly "hundreds of thousands of dollars"--meant for inner-city kids and senior into the station's coffers.

I'm having trouble getting past this first sentence.
WHY and HOW is it that Air America gets federal funding?
2 posted on 07/26/2005 9:54:19 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Roll your own cigarettes! You'll save $$$ and smoke less!(Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name)
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To: FreedomCalls
Oh, and you forgot the rules. I got ya covered, though:

3 posted on 07/26/2005 9:56:11 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Roll your own cigarettes! You'll save $$$ and smoke less!(Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name)
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To: RandallFlagg
I'm having trouble getting past this first sentence. WHY and HOW is it that Air America gets federal funding?

I think it was referenced in this part:

According to published reports, the allegations involve Charles Rosen, the founder of Gloria Wise who has stepped down as executive director, investing city contract funds in Air America Radio, the liberal talk radio network.

4 posted on 07/26/2005 9:56:51 PM PDT by Prime Choice (Thanks to the Leftists, yesterday's deviants are today's "alternate lifestyles.")
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To: RandallFlagg
I'm having trouble getting past this first sentence. WHY and HOW is it that Air America gets federal funding?

I think that's the point -- they're NOT supposed to get it. It was given to a local charity, who rather than using it for its intended purpose, loaned it with interest to Air America.

5 posted on 07/26/2005 9:57:38 PM PDT by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: RandallFlagg

Thanks! I was looking on Google Images for an appropriate photo when I came back and saw you had me covered. Thanks again!


7 posted on 07/26/2005 9:58:42 PM PDT by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: FreedomCalls

Al, Al, Al,....


8 posted on 07/26/2005 10:00:31 PM PDT by mondonico
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To: RandallFlagg
Ok, in the next post you have her picture so I won't get grumpy. The whole story is about how they diverted the funds from programs meant for the children and others. The funds weren't meant to go to Air America. They stole them. That's the story.

See the WHY is because they stole it. The rest of the story is HOW. No, the NY Times doesn't cover facts, only leftist propaganda.
9 posted on 07/26/2005 10:01:23 PM PDT by IrishCatholic (No local communist or socialist party chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing.)
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To: FreedomCalls; Prime Choice

Well, wouldn't it be fair to get these same people to give money to Rush's radio show? Sean Hannity? I mean, that would be the non-partisan thing to do, right?

Oh yeah! I forgot!

Conservative talk radio has an audience with sponsors. They don't NEED to sponge off of others to succeed!

I LOVE being on the winning side!


10 posted on 07/26/2005 10:01:27 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Roll your own cigarettes! You'll save $$$ and smoke less!(Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name)
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To: FreedomCalls
...who rather than using it for its intended purpose, loaned it with interest to Air America.

On what collateral??

11 posted on 07/26/2005 10:02:06 PM PDT by yankeedame ("Oh, I can take it but I'd much rather dish it out.")
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To: yankeedame

I don't think I'd want to know (considering what they represent).


12 posted on 07/26/2005 10:08:20 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Roll your own cigarettes! You'll save $$$ and smoke less!(Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name)
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To: FreedomCalls

City funds yanked

2 programs called 'nonresponsible'

BY BOB KAPPSTATTER
DAILY NEWS BRONX BUREAU CHIEF

Two affiliated Bronx community programs serving thousands of youths and seniors have had their city funding yanked and their records reportedly seized amid an ongoing investigation.

Officials confirmed yesterday that the nonprofit Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club Inc., and its affiliate, Pathways for Youth Boys & Girls Club, have been determined to be "nonresponsible city contractors" in connection with several recently submitted contract proposals.

The city Department of Youth and Community Development said in a press release issued by Investigation Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn that its determinations were based on an ongoing DOI probe. The probe is investigating allegations that officials of the long-established community programs "approved significant inappropriate transactions and falsified documents that were submitted to various city agencies."

Last week, DOI investigators reportedly seized records from the two programs' offices at Co-op City.

DOI spokeswoman Emily Gest issued a terse "no comment" yesterday when asked if records had been seized and whether the probe rose to the level of a criminal investigation.

Local city, state and federal legislators involved in funding the programs met Sunday at the offices of Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley to discuss the situation, said Assemblyman Michael Benedetto (D-East Bronx).

He said it was his understanding that the city has brought in other nonprofit agencies, such as the Police Athletic League, to take over the various programs run by the two suspect groups, which have received $9.7 million in 19 contracts and one outright grant.

Benedetto said that workers at Gloria Wise have already been notified their last official day of work will be Thursday.

Besides the city Education Department and the Youth and Community Development Department, the DOI release stated that the Department for the Aging is terminating its contracts with Gloria Wise, and the city Housing Authority is terminating a grant agreement with Pathways for Youth. The Department for the Aging, according to a source, has contracted with the Jewish Association for the Aged to take over the senior center programs, starting July 5.

Calls yesterday to Charles Rosen, executive director of the organization, were not returned as of deadline.

Originally published on June 28, 2005


13 posted on 07/26/2005 10:09:07 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: RandallFlagg

I'd like to see Air Crapola off the air. The high and mighty libs who suck up that nonsense are too dumb to know they've been taken for a ride by those on air morons. Rhodes being worst of all. Listening to her is torture.


14 posted on 07/26/2005 10:09:52 PM PDT by Cougar66 (If Sonny had EZ Pass, "The Godfather" would have been a completely different movie)
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To: FreedomCalls
Randi Rhodes was heard murmuring, "it was like stealing candy from a baby" ...
15 posted on 07/26/2005 10:10:45 PM PDT by John Lenin (Hillary Clinton: Voted 6th most evil person of the last millennium)
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To: Cougar66

If there's a market for this madness, so be it.

True, they are the enemy.. It just makes them easier to recognize.

And really there's no way this stuff makes any money.. Socialism can't. They're supported by big money soros and other leftwing rich types.


16 posted on 07/26/2005 10:12:04 PM PDT by LAURENTIJ
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To: FreedomCalls



Youth funds diverted to liberal radio station
by Michael Horowitz
July 5, 2005
Bronx News

The Bronx News has learned, through informed sources, that the diversion of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club in Co-op City to the liberal Air America Radio is at the center of the city’s probe of corruption at the local club.

The money, which was reportedly paid to Air America as a loan, was supposed to be paid back with interest, two unidentified informed sources told the News. One source added that Air America officials, led by an official of the Gloria Wise Club, agreed to help the local club by publicizing its activities.

To date, no indictments have been handed down in the New York City Department of Investigation’s ongoing probe of the Gloria Wise Club’s reported transfer of funds to Air America.

Most of the Gloria Wise Club’s programs are for the Co-op City community, but the club also runs after-school programs in the Baychester/Edenwald and Soundview areas.

At the center of the investigation, in addition to Charles Rosen, the charismatic leader of the local club for the last 15 years, is Evan Cohen, who resigned, under fire, as chairman of Air America Radio shortly after its start as an alternative to conservative talk radio.

Cohen, at the time the alleged transfers of funds from the Gloria Wise Club to Air America took place, was also the director of Development for the local boys’ and girls’ club, the News has learned.

One source told the News that $480,000 in funds from the Gloria Wise Club is involved in the city’s investigation of illegal transfer of funds from the local club.

A second unidentified source stressed that Rosen never sought to profit personally from the reported loan that the Gloria Wise Club gave to Air America. The source emphasized that Rosen’s sole motive, even if it was a bit naïve, was to benefit the Gloria Wise Club with the interest that Air America would pay for its loan from the local club.

The city’s DOI is pursuing the probe because the Gloria Wise Club depends heavily on city funding for its operations. These funds are subject to extensive audits, as are funds received through the state and federal governments.

The Co-op City-based club, which Rosen has built into an empire in the Co-op City community, reportedly has 19 contracts and at least one grant with the city, worth a total of $9.7 million.

Over the last year, Rep. Joseph Crowley has secured two major federal grants for the Gloria Wise Club, one for a day-care program for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers and the other for the community’s NORC program for senior citizens. The grant for the program for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers was for $250,000, while the grant for the NORC program was for $99,410.

In 2003, Crowley secured a $218,500 grant for a mentoring program that the Gloria Wise Club runs.

Cohen, who is reportedly at the center of the Gloria Wise probe, is a Guam-based investors who was reportedly a key principal in the start-up of Air America, which has been billed as the liberals’ answer to conservative talk-show hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Shaun Hannity, Bob Grant, Michael Savage, and G. Gordon Liddy.


17 posted on 07/26/2005 10:12:51 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: FreedomCalls
Air America is being investigated in New York for diverting federal funds--possibly "hundreds of thousands of dollars"--meant for inner-city kids and senior into the station's coffers.

Well I guess now we know how they were about to pay their bills

18 posted on 07/26/2005 10:13:25 PM PDT by Mo1
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To: Cougar66

Oh, NO! I want them to stay for as long as they're able. If they go away, I wouldn't want it to be by some pressure or something similar that we could lay onto them. They're their own worst enemy.

It'd be much more satisfying to see them just slowly end their work due to lack of interest, funding, support, etc. Like a bad movie -it was good to laugh at, but now it's gone forever.

If they're removed from the airwaves because they went bankrupt from having to pay all the fines from criminal activities, all the better.


19 posted on 07/26/2005 10:15:37 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (Roll your own cigarettes! You'll save $$$ and smoke less!(Magnetic bumper stickers-click my name)
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To: FreedomCalls

Why don't they just take money from chinese communists like other liberals.


20 posted on 07/26/2005 10:21:27 PM PDT by ocr1
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