Piaro said his PACs will “support legislation on these causes by helping them with contributions for mailers, billboards, or anything like that,” and he plans to start spending $200,000 to $300,000 on political activity once the groups have raised sufficient funds and do a “sustained push” during the 2020 election. “Donor Relations does not now, nor has it ever, performed any type of fundraising services for PACs,” attorney Robert Bernhoft wrote in an email. Missing out on the latest scoops? Dierks and officers for the two PACs registered by him — Americans for Police and Trooper Safety and Cops and Kids Together — did not respond to requests for comment for this story. The Christmas spirit has long since passed, but Cody Deford of Bridge Creek is still waiting for his gift. Your guide to the permanent campaign — weekday mornings, in your inbox. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s Nowhere do they say where your donation dollars are actually going. That police officer obviously pretty smart right there. Contributions are non-charitable and not tax deductible. "We need to show our federal representatives that the people in our towns and cities support this legislation and our law enforcement officers," said CPOD President James Fotis. This company is not a charity. Representatives of National Assistance Committee, whose website says it does business under other names, including the National Veterans Committee and the National Firefighters Committee, also did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Contributions are non-charitable and not tax deductible. An organization collecting money for police officers may not be legitimate. Dierks received $8,000 for “research consulting” from the two PACs he formed — Americans for Police and Trooper Safety and Cops and Kids Together — in the first three months of 2018. He Still, a legitimate charity must be registered with both the state of Utah as well as the IRS, as is required by law. The Committee for Police Officers' Defense (CPOD) is a nonprofit political organization that works in the political process to take on elected officials with anti-police agendas. Here's what to do if it isn't, Muskogee man tracked down, arrested after allegedly breaching U.S. Capitol during attempted insurrection, More than 150 National Guard in Washington for inauguration test positive for coronavirus, Inauguration Day in Portland: Tear gas, arrests, demonstrations, Reaction from local leaders here at home after Biden’s inauguration, stark differences in responses from both GOP and OK Dems, Uniformed man seen kneeling at Beau Biden’s grave during inauguration. The complaint also alleged that Dierks and LeConte had filed inaccurate registration and IRS forms that made it appear they spent more money than they did on programming expenses to help police officers. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. BRIDGE CREEK, Okla. (KFOR) – Facebook is a prime spot for small businesses to advertise. All seven of the PACs paid businesses listing the same address as Donor Relations LLC — in a Las Vegas strip mall — and spent most of their money there, FEC spending records show. Most of the money from Dierks PACs’, though, flowed through the Charleston Boulevard building. The National Center for Police Defense, Inc. is dedicated to helping Law Enforcement Officers in their time of need. “They fundraise for me, that’s about all they do,” Piaro told POLITICO. Another disclosure locates Button Pusher Productions at the home of Jacob Parsons, who bought a house in Palm Springs from Dierks, according to LexisNexis property records. Several of the people and entities involved in the new PACs have been investigated for alleged fraud and other illegal practices in the charity sphere. But nearly all the money has gone to their own vendors and staff, as opposed to those causes — hallmarks of so-called scam PACs. After I hung up on the ‘billing person’, I looked them up (and here I am)… The original person I spoke to on the phone had a very ‘cop-sounding’ voice but it became pretty clear Altogether, the seven PACs raised $5.9 million and spent $5 million, without spending a dime on contributions or ads supporting candidates or other political groups, according to their FEC disclosures. No problem, Louisiana mom goes viral with ‘snow baths’, Norman Water Treatment Plant up and running after emergency repairs, UPDATE: Missing 72-year-old Norman man found safe, Homeowner suffers burns, cuts & smoke inhalation after house catches fire, To boil or not to boil? They lead you to believe that you're helping police officers. Zeitlin’s attorney declined to comment on the FTC action. This sign-up form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Committee for Police Officers’ Defense Launches Petition in Support of Pro-Police Legislation May 12th, 2020 FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA– The Committee for Police Officers’ Defense, the political arm of Police Officers’ Defense Coalition, launched a petition today to support new proposed legislation called the “Law Enforcement Officers Welfare and Defense Act.” Federal campaign finance watchdogs have flagged activity like this — “high operating expenses and/or large disbursements to entities associated with the managers of the PAC” — as indicators of “scam PAC” activity. National Police Defense Foundation receives 80.52 out of 100 for their Charity Navigator rating. Courtesy Call eventually reached a settlement agreement with the state, including a $30,000 fine. Ravel and Weintraub suggested in 2016 that the FEC should display campaign finance data in more useful ways to help root out scam PACs, and they recommended that Congress expand campaign finance laws to include new anti-fraud and “anti-self-dealing” provisions. You can unsubscribe at any time and you can contact us here. A web of new political action committees raised nearly $6 million in recent months under the guise of supporting police, veterans and cancer research. 91 reviews of American Police Officers Alliance "Just received a call on my cell from these folks seeking donations. “It’s easier for a scam PAC than it is for a charity,” Ravel, who left the commission in 2017, told POLITICO. American Police Officers Alliance is a 527 organization, meaning they are a political action committee, or PAC. 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Ted Cruz flies back to frozen Texas after criticism over Cancun trip, Texas food delivery driver finds home with couple during winter storms, Stimulus check update: Yellen warns shrinking $1.9T plan could cause economic ‘scarring’, Video shows deputies fatally shoot Black man they accuse of jaywalking, 6 children injured in gas explosion at Bronx home, Pair of Canadian researchers urge governments to hold off on second Pfizer dose, Ella Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter, makes runway debut at NY Fashion Week, No running water? The PAC’s goal is to advocate on behalf of the police and law enforcement that have done so much for our great country. “Most of these telemarketing companies take an overwhelming majority of the donations or contributions given, and very little of it actually goes to police or police organizations,” he said. Get Gephardt couldn’t find any records of the Police Officers … Yet more money flowed to another company with a connection to Dierks. We Fight to Ensure the Government is Supporting Our Police Officers Police Officers Defense Alliance PAC (PODA) has made it our mission to make sure our government is doing what it can to protect and promote Federal legislation that provides funding to better support the infrastructure our law enforcement agencies depend on – for their lives! I understood it was going to spend money to help police.”. Sign up for POLITICO Playbook and get the latest news, every morning — in your inbox. It does give money, albeit a relatively small amount, to charitable causes. The Veterans Assistance Foundation leased a Veterans Affairs dormitory to house homeless veterans in Tomah, Wisconsin. Fox said his office has received several complaints about the group and has opened an investigation. in Las Vegas — had provided services to federal campaigns or PACs, FEC records show. It turns out Police and Fire Retirees of Ohio is a legitimate non profit lobbying group, though it is not a charity under IRS rules. But in April, the seven new PACs disclosed spending $3.9 million with Donor Relations LLC and other vendors at the same address, according to FEC spending records. The IRS NTEE classification code is I12, Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution within the Crime, Legal-Related category. In 2016, Weintraub and fellow FEC Commissioner Ann Ravel wrote a memo imploring their fellow regulators to go after such groups, which “collect political contributions, frequently in the name of a candidate, but which spend little to none of the proceeds on political activity benefitting” that cause. The new PACs have feel-good names like Cops and Kids Together and Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer. “The person that I talked to made no mention of this being a political organization or any kind of advocacy organization that was going to spend money on politics or policy. Piaro said he left that charity when it lost its contract with the federal government. The initial paperwork for two of the PACs bears the name of a former charity operator, David Dierks, who has been sued by attorneys general in multiple states. Beloit Sergeant Ryan Flanagan says if you receive a call from the Police Defense Alliance asking for a donation, don’t send them your money. The call starts with “John” saying he is from the American Police Officers Alliance and asking for donations. She … The commission, she said, has “come to the conclusion that [it] didn’t have authority to actually go after the PACs that are essentially paying their administrators.”. But Donor Relations and its president, Richard Zeitlin, were already under investigation for actions while fundraising for charities. National Assistance Committee has paid $370,000 to businesses at Charleston Boulevard for services related to IT, compliance consulting and data. But Piaro confirmed in a previous interview that he had in fact hired Donor Relations to raise money for his PACs. The FTC has been investigating Donor Relations LLC, Zeitlin and a related company at Charleston Boulevard called Courtesy Call LLC, which shut down operations in May 2017, court records show. Police Officers Defense Alliance PAC uses the telephone as a form of Federal candidate fundraising. Button Pusher Productions’ address on one disclosure form is the same one listed as Dierks’ address. FAIRFAX, Va., July 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Committee for Police Officers' Defense, the political arm of Police Officers' Defense Coalition, recently launched a petition in support of police officers and their families in the midst of this tumultuous and dangerous time for law enforcement officers. The number they called from was 814-817-0868 and per the caller ID was located in Bradford, PA. The case eventually reached a settlement in which Dierks and LeConte did not admit any wrongdoing. Their activities highlight an unpleasant truth: Political groups often receive less oversight and get more leeway than charities, even though they have to disclose more details about their donations and spending. But the numbers show that you may just be helping line their pockets. The same address houses Donor Relations LLC, the fundraising firm used by the four PACs registered by Piaro. The charities claimed to help police and run educational programs. Before late 2017, no businesses at that address — 1835 E. Charleston Blvd. Don’t feel intimidated about declining to give. I just got a call today. The charity, the Veterans Assistance Foundation, for years provided housing and other programs for homeless veterans in Wisconsin. Our organization provides support during the legal process after traumatic and life-changing on-duty incidents, or when officers are severely injured and out on sick leave and need assistance until they are back on their feet. “It’s like when they asked Willie Sutton, ‘Why do you rob banks?’ He said, ‘Because that’s where the money is," FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub said of groups that raise money, but don't spent it on political activities. It is not the first time one of Zeitlin’s companies has come under regulatory scrutiny: In California, Courtesy Call was part of a 2009 lawsuit alleging misleading charitable fundraising practices. The two groups also paid $102,900 to Button Pusher Productions, a Southern California company, for “management” and “media” consulting. Most of the PACs have already burned through far more money. FEC records say the spending went toward technical/computer support, compliance services and database services. Piaro’s PACs — Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer, Association for Emergency Responders and Firefighters, Standing by Veterans PAC, Inc. and US Veterans Assistance Foundation — raised $2.6 million during the first three months of the year and spent $2.1 million. The nearly identical-sounding PAC started by Piaro has been “a real headache for the organization,” Hanson said. Here are the details. “It appears that the company hired to make and file various quarterly reports with the FEC mistakenly listed Donor Relations on those reports, in spite of the fact that Donor Relations doesn’t have anything to do with those PACs, or any other PACs, for that matter. Mark Nelson is with the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 123 tells the In Your Corner team his organization has absolutely zero affiliation with American Police Officers Alliance. Please enable Javascript to watch this video. The Reading Police Department in Massachusetts described the Police Officers Support Association as a "scam 'charity'" last year. “Any legitimate charity would take your address, and they would send you the literature,” Fox told POLITICO. For example, no legitimate fund-raiser would guarantee that you won’t be stopped for speeding if you have a police organization’s decal in your car window. Donations are tax-deductible. The charity has lodged complaints about the PAC with the Better Business Bureau, Hanson said, but other than that, “there’s nothing we can do.”. They paid the vast majority of that money, $1.9 million, to Donor Relations for fundraising expenses. A further $12,500 went to Phillip LeConte Photography for “internet consulting,” according to FEC records. While there are some legit local groups that will solicit donations over the phone, his organization will not. There is no record of Donor Relations or any other business at that address doing federal political work before 2017, according to the FEC. The “Committee for Police Officer’s Defense” (CPOD) was configured to help police officers fight against the continuing “War on Cops” by taking a varied political stance against politicians, activist judges, prosecutors, district attorneys and a host of others who try to bring police officers down by any means. But in 2016, the federal government terminated the lease, part of an effort to clean up troubled veterans services in the area, after a woman was found dead in one of the dorms at the facility. We lost that grant unfortunately,” current Veterans Assistance Foundation President Christopher Hanson said in an interview. The Committee for Police Officers’ Defense is a national political fund organized under Section 527 of IRS Tax Code. May 12th, 2020 FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA-- The Committee for Police Officers’ Defense, the political arm of Police Officers’ Defense Coalition, launched a petition today to support new proposed legislation called the “Law Enforcement Officers Welfare and Defense Act.” The goal of their newest initiative is to engage citizens around the country… *Based on data released by the Federal Election Commission on March 06, 2019 except for independent expenditure and communication cost, contributions to federal candidates, and contributions from individual donor data, which were released by the Federal Election … What’s inside President Biden’s Oval Office? So we can Verify, National Coalition for Police and Troopers is a site owned by a PAC, isn't a charitable organization. Altogether, the seven PACs spent nearly 85 percent of the $5.9 million they raised through March. © 1998 - 2021 Nexstar Inc. | All Rights Reserved. But one local boutique has caught the ire of customers, as folks say they wait way too long for products and refunds. Steve Clausen is familiar face at KFOR, keeping the News 4 fam fit for years. But after coming under scrutiny, they have shifted recently into the much less regulated realm of politics, a POLITICO investigation has found. Male police officers believe that female police officers cannot perform the job as well as they can In 1910, Alice Stebbins Wells was the first female police officer. The organization is run by Joseph Occhipinti and has an annual … Police Officers Defense Alliance raised $624,367 in the 2017-2018 election cycle. The FTC was probing whether telemarketers made “false or deceptive representations” during fundraising calls, and whether the telemarketers illegally used prerecorded “soundboarding” calls to solicit funds. The Police Officers’ Defense Coalition was developed in consort with the Committee for Police Officers’ Defense in order to help police officers, public safety officers, sheriffs, and all those who represent the law enforcement community fight against the “War on Cops”. The two groups spent 90 percent of their funds, nearly $1.7 million, with three businesses there: American Technology Service, Compliance Consultants LLC and Unified Data Services LLC. These scams happen all the time. 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But the California attorney general sued the charities, Dierks and LeConte in 2009, alleging, among other things, that donors were told their contributions would benefit their local police departments when they did not, and that potential donors were led to believe they were being solicited by current or retired police officers calling from inside their state, when that was not the case. The National Police Foundation, a national, Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization dedicated to advancing policing through science and innovation, has received information from several individuals who have been contacted by solicitors asking for donations in support of the “National Police Foundation,” or in some cases the “National Police Fund” in … Planetoid found to be most distant object ever observed in solar system, GameStop stock brings Robinhood, Reddit into spotlight during congressional hearing, US Citizenship Act is Biden’s plan for immigration reform, VP Harris says $1.9T COVID-19 relief bill critical for women, Stimulus checks: Your second payment should be there by now. The FEC has dismissed past complaints lodged by candidates who felt that PACs had misrepresented themselves to raise money using their names. 5 On Your Side can verify the National Police and Troopers Association is an actual charity. But it was criticized in 2013 for spending a low percentage of its proceeds on services for veterans in a Tampa Bay Times investigation of the “Worst Charities in America.”. Wendy is fine with that and will sleep better now.  The American Police Officers Alliance lists Arlington, Virginia as its home base and proclaims to be a "national political organization" that works to ensure “a unified voice in politics” fighting for those who protect our nation's citizens. When POLITICO called Americans for Police and Trooper Safety’s listed phone number, the person who answered said she represented multiple companies but declined to identify them. The biggest of Piaro’s PACs, US Veterans Assistance Foundation, bears an almost identical name to the charity that Piaro co-founded in 1994 and later left. Mark Nelson is with the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 123 tells the In Your Corner team his organization has absolutely zero affiliation with American Police Officers … Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Crews cleaning up after Oklahoma school cafeteria flooded, Florida commissioner apologizes for making vaccine ‘VIP’ list, adding her name to it, Harry and Meghan make split from royals official, Stay in the home of Buffalo Bill: ‘Silence of the Lambs’ house becoming a bed and breakfast. “With our homeless veterans, a lot of them have drug and alcohol issues. The casket of Jersey City Police Detective Joseph Seals is carried out of the church during his funeral in Jersey City, N.J., on Dec. 17, 2019. Definitely shady. “A lot of money can be collected without a lot of regulation,” said FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - As the pandemic rages on, businesses are trying to bounce back and a new round of federal loans are now up for grabs, with new restrictions. For the record, on their website, it never calls itself a … Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises area residents to be cautious of phone calls or mailers soliciting donations to the National Police Support Fund, an … A national police advocacy organization providing financial assistance to police officers wrongly charged with crimes for lawful actions taken in the line of duty. The seven new PACs identified by POLITICO don’t reference specific candidates, instead embracing popular-sounding causes: Americans for Police and Trooper Safety; Americans for the Cure of Breast Cancer; Association for Emergency Responders and Firefighters PAC, Inc.; Cops and Kids Together; National Assistance Committee; Standing by Veterans PAC, Inc.; and US Veterans Assistance Foundation. They have succeeded in raising millions of dollars from small donors in a matter of months — and spent most of it just as quickly, without supporting political candidates or making a mark on a policy issue. Beginning in 1990, according to court records, Dierks and another individual, named Phil LeConte, ran several charities, with names including the American Association of Police Officers Inc., Veteran Police Association Inc., Police Protective Fund Inc. and Junior Police Academy. Lewis said they called him from a local number, but that doesn't mean they're in Oklahoma, since caller ID spoofing apps let you make calls as anyone. Four other PACs were registered by Robert Piaro, another ex-charity operator who co-founded and formerly worked at a veterans nonprofit in Wisconsin that was criticized for spending an unusually high percentage of its money on fundraising and lost a lease with the federal government in Tomah, Wisconsin, after a veteran died on the property. It’s not the first time a David Dierks group has caught the eye of a state attorney general. But they did agree to terms including “ceas[ing] all current and future solicitation” in California and paying $60,000 to the state. I am advised that amended reports are being prepared for filing with the FEC that will correct these mistakes by removing Donor Relations.”. See the details. When it became clear that Fox wasn’t going to make a donation, the caller eventually told him to have a nice day and hung up the phone. A telemarketing firm used by several of the PACs for fundraising, Donor Relations LLC, is being probed by the Federal Trade Commission for alleged deceptive practices while raising money for charities in the past, according to federal court records. Thousands more went to Dierks and others involved with his PACs. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s OKLAHOMA CITY - There are unsolicited phone calls raising eyebrows around town. Sign up for KFOR’s daily headlines email! In an interview, Piaro said the high fundraising costs will help his PACs get off the ground. One of the groups’ expensive fundraising practices caught the attention of Montana Attorney General Tim Fox, who received a call in January from Americans for Police and Trooper Safety, asking for donations to help police. National Police Defense Foundation is a Multipurpose Human Service Organizations charity located in Morganville, NJ. Indeed, the Federal Election Commission has said it is all but powerless to crack down on scam PACs. Dierks and officers for the two PACs registered by him — Americans for Police and Trooper Safety and Cops and Kids Together — did not respond to … National Center for Police Defense Inc. is headquartered in Fairfax, VA, and is a 501(c)(3) organization.EIN: 47-3387615.. The “It’s like when they asked Willie Sutton, ‘Why do you rob banks?’ He said, ‘Because that’s where the money is.’”. According to its website, the Police Officer Defense Alliance is a Non-Partisan, federally registered Political Action Committee. It appears they’re using artificial intelligence and asking for money.
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