Social Security "fright mail" targeting Srs helped fund GOP Leader's trips

[kpete]

Social Security "fright mail" targeting seniors helped fund GOP leader's trips to UK, Asia
Larisa Alexandrova and John Byrne
Published: January 25, 2006


A think tank which raised money by targeting elderly Americans with Social Security scare letters paid for more than $130,000 in travel expenses for the House Republican leader, his wife and his staff, RAW STORY has learned.

The National Center for Public Policy Research, a highly controversial and little-known conservative think tank which has been sending Social Security "fright mail" for years, paid for two posh trips for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) in 1996 and 2000, each at the cost of at least $64,000.

NCPPR also gave $1,000 to DeLay's legal defense fund in 2004.


While another conservative group stole the limelight for an ad linking the AARP to gay marriage, NCPPR has operated below the radar on controversial issues since its founding in the early 1980s.

The group's letters target seniors of both parties, aiming to convince them their Social Security benefits are in jeopardy and thereby induce them to donate money. The mailings also encourage seniors to keep the mailing secret from others, perhaps even from family members.

"Inside your sealed envelope is information regarding the potential collapse of the Social Security system – and how it can endanger you and the entire United States senior citizen population," NCPPR president Amy Ridenour writes in one such letter obtained by RAW STORY (Read the letter here). "It is also critical that you share this pertinent information ONLY with other trustworthy individuals."

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Social_Security_%E2%80%9Cfright_mail%E2%80%9D_targeting_seniors_0125.html

[CottonBear]

1. Those are sick, sick evil people. Damn.

Just when you think you've heard it all or it can't get worse you do and it does. :(

[TAPat]

2. Ah, yes...

One of the many Senior Scare letter operations! :grr:
Check out some info about the American Federation of Senior Citizens (run by CPAC biggie Gina - wife of Gary - Jarmon) at http://thecasablancatest.blogspot.com/

[starroute]

3. There's a brand-new follow-up to that

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/After_critical_article_conservative_nonprofit_accuses_0303.html

The National Center for Public Policy Research, the conservative nonprofit where fallen lobbyist Jack Abramoff served as a director, has instructed RAW STORY to remove a fundraising letter the group sent in 2004.

Noland MacKenzie Canter, III, a lawyer for the group, says the publication of the center’s fundraising letter violates their copyright. To many outside Washington, the center is known for being the group that Abramoff used to cover posh junkets for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX).

<snip>

Mackenzie says the letter came to his attention only after this site ran an article raising questions about Ridenour and her ties to an Abramoff client, the prime minister of Malaysia. When asked why the group declined to seek the letter’s removal when it was initially published, Mackenzie said, “I don’t have any comment.”

“The first it came to my attention was after that Feb. 21 article was published,” he added.

In his "cease and desist" email message, Mackenzie declared, "The Center is the exclusive owner of the copyright in and to this letter. The Center has not authorized Raw Story to reproduce this letter... Accordingly, Raw Story has infringed the copyright of the Center in and to this letter. You are instructed forthwith to delete this letter and all other copyrighted materials of the Center and to cease and desist from further infringements."

Attorneys say the claim is spurious.

[Hubert Flottz]

4. Extortion and Mail Fraud!

Damn that's a biggie!

PENAL CODE SECTION 518-527


518. Extortion is the obtaining of property from another, with his
consent, or the obtaining of an official act of a public officer,
induced by a wrongful use of force or fear, or under color of
official right.


519. Fear, such as will constitute extortion, may be induced by a
threat, either:
1. To do an unlawful injury to the person or property of the
individual threatened or of a third person; or,
2. To accuse the individual threatened, or any relative of his, or
member of his family, of any crime; or,
3. To expose, or to impute to him or them any deformity, disgrace
or crime; or,
4. To expose any secret affecting him or them.

520. Every person who extorts any money or other property from
another, under circumstances not amounting to robbery or carjacking,
by means of force, or any threat, such as is mentioned in Section
519, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for two,
three or four years.


snip>

523. Every person who, with intent to extort any money or other
property from another, sends or delivers to any person any letter or
other writing, whether subscribed or not, expressing or implying, or
adapted to imply, any threat such as is specified in Section 519, is
punishable in the same manner as if such money or property were
actually obtained by means of such threat.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cacodes/pen/518-527.html

EDIT...MAIL FRAUD - 18 U.S.C. 1341, makes it a Federal crime or offense for anyone to use the United States mails in carrying out a scheme to defraud.

A person can be found guilty of that offense only if all of the following facts are proved: First: That the person knowingly and willfully devised a scheme to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false pretenses, representations or promises; and Second: That the person used the United States Postal Service by mailing, or by causing to be mailed, some matter or thing for the purpose of executing the scheme to defraud.

http://www.lectlaw.com/def2/m001.htm