Leading the same congregation for over 30 years, Pastor Star R. Scott left the Assemblies of God, dismissed the church board, and brooks no dissent among his shrunken but still substantial fellowship.
Pulled down by an embezzlement scandal and a lightning rod for right-wing attacks, the deeper tragedy at Acorn is how Wade Rathke turned community organizing into a personality cult that prevented the emergence of a new generation of leadership.
An investigative report suggests that the high-profile charity event, a favorite of its golf-addicted CEO Thomas Ryan, provides a way for suppliers to skirt ethics rules against expensive
favors to company employees. Meanwhile, the charity itself spends most
of its income putting on the event rather than giving.
At least one group of watchdog organizations are looking past the arbitrary divisions between for-profit, nonprofit, faith-based, and governmental organizations.
Thousands of nonprofit organizations owe nearly a billion in payroll taxes? Truth is, a few multi-million-dollar scofflaws will account for most of the problem.
The organization takes advantage of a little-known provision in the tax code to exempt over half of its executive director's salary from Federal income taxes.
Reporter loses his temper when spokesman for the group just won't stop speaking. But these days, Scientology is hardly the worst offender among religions (or would-be religions). They all need to be more transparent and financially accountable.
The board consists of Don Imus, his wife, and principals in a company that the ranch pays for management services. The ranch currently sits on $6 million cash—with not a single independent director.
High court rejected the idea of defining charity by the numbers, so health care facilities are charities even when they provide very little charity care. What's important is access to all.
