The problem is, there's no clear dividing line between "scam" and "totally good", and this is probably why TD.win management has prohibited all fundraisers.
We tend to think of a fundraising "scam" as one where the operators are going to take most or all of the money for themselves. We also tend to think of a fundraising "scam" as one where the operators are doing something that is actually illegal. But our legal system and the details of IRS regulations make it perfectly legal for someone to set up a "charity" with 501c3 status and an associated tax ID number, and then have an affiliated entity (same operators, different corporation) charge the "charity" 95% of the donations for "professionals fees" and other charges for running the actual fundraising operation. 100% legal.
I'm comfortable calling this fundraiser by Lin Wood and John Pierce a "scam" because they are misleading people about their relationship with the Rittenhouse family. The very first time they posted that it was up (or about to be, I don't recall exactly), they warned readers to "be wary" of any other fundraisers for Kyle, and claimed to be in touch with the family (they'd been asking on Twitter are few hours earlier, when they were already mentioning that they would be setting up a fundraiser, for someone to please DM them contact information for the family).
There is nothing more "official" about their fundraiser than many of the others, and the fact that they have energetically tried to mislead people about that qualifies them as scammers in my book, even though a lot of the money raised will probably actually go to Kyle and his family in some way. A couple of apparently legit nonprofit RKBA organizations have also set up fundraisers "for Kyle". Pierce and Wood don't care about Kyle and his family getting as much money as possible or the best criminal defense representation as possible; they want their fundraiser to be the biggest, so the family will feel indebted to them and not sue their sorry asses for claiming to be leading the "legal team" that will defend Kyle, and will hopefully hire Pierce and Wood for any defamation case that may arise.
I made a lengthy comment yesterday on another thread, detailing some of the problems with Pierce's claim to be "leading the team". I think it's worth a read: https://thedonald.win/p/Gvd4yl2w/x/c/16ZXHRkhyS
Be well, fellow pede. We're all on the same team, just seeing different parts of things from different vantage points.
The problem is, there's no clear dividing line between "scam" and "totally good", and this is probably why TD.win management has prohibited all fundraisers.
We tend to think of a fundraising "scam" as one where the operators are going to take most or all of the money for themselves. We also tend to think of a fundraising "scam" as one where the operators are doing something that is actually illegal. But our legal system and the details of IRS regulations make it perfectly legal for someone to set up a "charity" with 501c3 status and an associated tax ID number, and then have an affiliated entity (same operators, different corporation) charge the "charity" 95% of the donations for "professionals fees" and other charges for running the actual fundraising operation. 100% legal.
I'm comfortable calling this fundraiser by Lin Wood and John Pierce a "scam" because they are misleading people about their relationship with the Rittenhouse family. The very first time they posted that it was up (or about to be, I don't recall exactly), they warned readers to "be wary" of any other fundraisers for Kyle, and claimed to be in touch with the family (they'd been asking on Twitter are few hours earlier, when they were already mentioning that they would be setting up a fundraiser, for someone to please DM them contact information for the family).
There is nothing more "official" about their fundraiser than many of the others, and the fact that they have energetically tried to mislead people about that qualifies them as scammers in my book, even though a lot of the money raised will probably actually go to Kyle and his family in some way. A couple of apparently legit nonprofit RKBA organizations have also set up fundraisers "for Kyle". Pierce and Wood don't care about Kyle and his family getting as much money as possible or the best criminal defense representation as possible; they want their fundraiser to be the biggest, so the family will feel indebted to them and not sue their sorry asses for claiming to be leading the "legal team" that will defend Kyle, and will hopefully hire Pierce and Wood for any defamation case that may arise.
I made a lengthy comment yesterday on another thread, detailing some of the problems with Pierce's claim to be "leading the team". I think it's worth a read: https://thedonald.win/p/Gvd4yl2w/x/c/16ZXHRkhyS
Be well, fellow pede. We're all on the same team, just seeing different parts of things from different vantage points.