Do you smell it?
Share this story:
For decades, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office has enforced state charity laws. Now charities who want to hide what they do with your donations may have found a friend. Her name is Devon Anderson, Harris County District Attorney.
The Harris County District Attorney has asked the Texas Attorney General to weigh in on whether charities in Texas have to disclose the kind of financial records that let donors see how they spend every penny of donations, not just the stuff they want you to see. It has never been a question before, but when you hear who is involved you’ll know why this deal stinks, and why Anderson is proving her word to disabled veterans is meaningless.
In 2013, the records of the Houston based charity for disabled veterans Helping a Hero showed questionable spending, missing receipts, and a $100,000 payment to former President Bush to speak to the group. Disabled Veterans across the country have complained about the way Helping a Hero spent money, and whether the founder broke promises and misspent money. More than one veteran and their family have filed suit. The charity has refused to show the public all its financial records since then, and more than once has stalled the DA from acting. On August 26, 2015, nearly five months ago Anderson warned the charity of a deadline to comply with the law or else. The deadline was September 19, 2015.
Helping a Hero refused to comply. The District Attorney reneged on her word.
Is this Republican politics? The founder of Helping a Hero is a major Republican donor named Meredith Iler, the target of most of the veteran’s complaints.
This request will likely affect another criminal investigation by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. In October 2014 Anderson filed charges against the Cypress Creek Emergency Medical Service for violating the state charity laws. CCEMS boss Brad England is tight with Republican officeholders, so it was a hopeful sign.
The misdemeanor case has been postponed more than 14 times. CCEMS even ignored a subpoena from the District Attorney’s office for payroll records sent months ago, and Anderson hasn’t sent investigators to get them.
The Texas Attorney General may decide the way the law has been enforced for decades is right, or he might decide the public doesn’t have the right to see details of how their donations is spent.
A tough DA would have followed the law that has been used by the public and media for decades?
The only remaining question, is Devon Anderson a chicken or politically compromised, or both?
FILES:
DA.AG REQUEST 1.5.16
DA RESPONSE 8.26.15
