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Liberal Aid to Kids Diverted to Air America!

by John F. Tamburo, Editor in Chief, Publisher
Originally Posted: 7/27/2005 5:01:39 PM
Last Updated: 7/27/2005 5:33:58 PM

When Air America, the liberal talk radio network designed to unseat Rush Limbaugh (ha!) debuted, I thought to myself that these people were desperate and out of touch with both the American people and with reality.  Today, evidence of the desperation of the socialists has come to light.  And what they allegedly did was sickening, even by the heavily-diluted moral standards of the left.  Michelle Malkin, true friend to anyone who loves America, has repeated a story from The Bronx News about Air America’s alleged diversion of "hundreds of thousands of dollars" from programs designed to aid inner-city kids and senior citizens into the privately-owned network’s coffers.

Here’s an excerpt of the Bronx News story:

"...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...

"...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."

"Not surprisingly, this obvious misdirection of Federal aid has not made it to the front page  of any New York citywide newspaper.  New York Times?  Buried; no mention of Air America in abbreviated report."

Not surprisingly, this obvious misdirection of Federal aid has not made it to the front page  of any New York citywide newspaper.  New York Times?  Buried; no mention of Air America in abbreviated report.  New York Daily News? minor ink, buried.  New York Post?  Nada.  I guess these papers employ the "filters" that the liberals complain that people like Drudge and Michelle Malkin lack.  Isn’t it amazing how these filters manage to strain out every story that makes liberals look bad, but manage to let through every story -- true or not -- that makes conservatives or our President look bad!

The leftists will say: "It was a loan, designed to increase the amount of money that Gloria Wise would have to spend on the kids."  That argument is a shameful red herring.  Isn’t it unlawful to use Federal aid money for speculative investment?  Moreover, even if it were not unlawful, isn’t it wrong and stupid to make a loan with Federal Aid money to a company in poor financial condition, that has been sued and taken off the air over unpaid bills?  This money was targeted, by liberals, to give aid to inner-city kids and seniors.  Instead, regardless of the terms imposed on Air America, it was redirected to spread an anti-conservative hate message over private airwaves.

"Aid to help Alzheimer’s patients has been rerouted to pay Al Franken to demoralize our troops, and to enable Randi Rhodes to air spoof commercials that advocate gunning down President Bush."

Aid to help Alzheimer’s patients has been rerouted to pay Al Franken to demoralize our troops, and to enable Randi Rhodes to air spoof commercials that advocate gunning down President Bush.  More news: "[Evan] Cohen, who is reportedly at the center of the Gloria Wise probe, is a Guam-based investor, who was reportedly a key principal in the start-up of Air America..."  Mr. Cohen had also served as Gloria Wise’s director of development.  So there’s the link, and there is the reason for the investigation.

If the facts of the Bronx News story are accurate, Air America has stolen the safety net out from under the most vulnerable among us in order to fund the operations of its left-wing propaganda network.  Every time that the left advocates throwing more federal money at a problem, remember this story.  This is what happens.  The leftists don’t really want to provide a safety net; they want an additional line of credit. 

This is by far the most shameful thing I’ve heard of since Conservativity has come into being. Air America, Evan Cohen and the Gloria Wise Center are inducted into our Hall of Shame.