Buyer Has Close Ties To Questionable Charity

[704wipes]

Despite Denials, Buyer Has Close Ties To Questionable Charity...

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/rep_steve_buyer_frontier_foundation_many_links.php

As we've been reporting, Buyer, Republican of Indiana, is closely affiliated with the Frontier Foundation, an organization that has taken in over $800,000 from industry groups who Buyer is in a position to help. Despite its stated mission, the foundation hasn't given out a single scholarship, but has spent $258,136 over six years on salary, meals, travel, and "fundraising expenses."

Nearly $400,000 in donations to the foundation came from the pharmaceutical industry, and Buyer has worked on health care issues for years, USA Today noted in June. Buyer sits on the House Energy Subcommittee on Health.

Lobbyists and company executives use donations to foundations associated with members of Congress to woo the lawmakers and gain valuable access at fundraisers and receptions. Campaign finance limits do not apply.

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And from Masson's blog in Indiana:

http://www.masson.us/blog/?p=5746

..."One of the amazing things is just how little effort Buyer has made to dress this foundation up into something that looks vaguely above board. It would take very little to put a veneer of plausible deniability on this thing. Get a P.O. Box. Sign up for a different phone number. Give out a couple of scholarships. Do that, and suddenly you’re in the gray areas of how close a relationship is “too close” and how little scholarship money is “too little.”

((-note: The foundation has NEVER given a scholarship to an Indiana senior high student for college as it claims for its' main purpose.))

"At the moment, he looks like he is being just a little too greedy and a little too brazen for his own good."

[caraher]

1. The Indy Star ran the story today

The Star's coverage makes a mighty effort to portray this as normal for a "new" charity. Buyer says he needs $1 million before they can award a scholarship and that golfing with lobbyists is not fun - just another day of hard work. They also found it in their hearts to donate money from the fund to the NRA Foundation.

By far the worst congressman I've ever had the misfortune to be "represented" by. He's not even good at pulling pork into the district...

[bluhoodie]

2. This story just ran on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric

Wow, Buyer tried to dodge EVERY question/accusation that was raised or implied and always with an innocent smile. Final explanation about the scholarship fund? They're waiting till it gets to $1 million before they start awarding scholarships - "so it will be self-sustaining." Hmm... looks REALLY REALLY fishy to me!

[IndianaGreen]

3. The man is clearly a crook, and he should be investigated

and indicted.

[caraher]

4. The purpose of the charity is transparent...

selling access.

I was amazed by the writer to a local paper who echoed Buyer's "no good deed goes unpunished" lament. What good deed? The whole point is the paucity of good deeds!