The crooks SHOULD NOT be allowed to give their money to charity...

[Atman]

...and also get to take the tax deduction for charitable donations! I've addressed this several times, and no one seems to have any comment on it, but it really toasts my cookies. This is a classic case of being able to "profit" from illegal activity, which they certainly wouldn't be able to do if they were locked up for their dealings with Abramoff -- which should be the case!

Any of our "representatives" (LOL! That's a good one!) have any interest in taking this up? It'd score some big political points with us groundlings!

[Saturday]

1. You are right,

I've been wondering from the get go why the money wasn't returned to the tribes. In the case of a direct contribution from Abramoff and his wife I guess that is not possible. You don't commit a robbery and then give the money away for good causes and wipe the slate clean. You make good points. And they get a tax deduction for this? Unbelievable.

[Atman]

2. I admit, I don't know for sure about the tax deduction, but why not?

I don't know of any law forbidding it. They haven't been charged with anything, so there is no formal "crime" involved. So what would stop them from taking the deduction? Nothing I can think of.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. IMO, it should be returned to the donor

otherwise, it's similar to a convicted criminal profiting from his/her crime through books, art, etc. True, they have not been formally convicted...at least not yet. But the public perception holds a lot of sway when it comes to politics. That's why I'm disappointed to see Democrats (other than Reid and Kennedy) make donations.

[skids]

11. Frankly in some cases it's better to donate than return.

For example, I think the folks that are taking the tribal money and giving it to Native American charities have got it right -- I mean obviously some of those tribal councils don't have the best interest of their people in mind, or are pretty bad at pursuing that interest.

And do you really want Marianas sweatshop money going back to Marianas sweatshop owners? It would be better spent on a pro-human-rights charity.

Mysterious undisclosed "charities" though, are NOT cool.

Not sure there's any tax writeoff for campaign money.

[bryant69]

3. Is there a real expectation that they will be required to return the money

?

Is that why they are doing this, to destroy the money so they don't have to return it?

Because if this is strictly a public relations thing (they are giving away money because they don't want to look bad, than I'm not sure how you stop them from doing it in this case, while continuing to reward others who make charitable contributions.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[laylah]

5. Those funds

should be returned to their rightful owners! The Native American tribes that were bilked :mad:

Jenn

[TahitiNut]

6. I don't believe PACs and campaign funds are taxable.

I believe they're not-for-profit and (largely) tax-exempt. As such, I'm dubious that charitable contributions are deductible in the sense that we think of our own charitable contributions.

Our 'world' is 'populated' with a wide variety of 'persons' both artificial and biological. It's hard to keep track as our Frankenstein 'representatives' keep going back in to their legislative laboratory and playing with the DNA and breeding more varieties of 'persons.'

[Atman]

7. Thank you, that is a good point about the PACS.

I'm sure they managed to make themselves exempt from the laws governing us mere mortals.

[Acryliccalico]

8. The money should be given back........n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. ALL Abramoff money should go back to the TRIBES he stole it from. n/t

[EFerrari]

10. Bad Reporter on the Abramoff Scandal

[malaise]

12. But several of the charities

are right wing crooks.