Justin Rood at the TPM Muckraker reported that a lobbying firm with ties to Rep. Jerry Lewis, Copeland Lowery, reported $2 million in previously undisclosed income from clients after it learned it was a target of a federal investigation last year.

According to Justin, Bill Lowery personally signed six consecutive disclosures that omitted $225k in lobbying fees from the Foundation For The Improvement in Mathematics and Science Educaton in San Diego. I can understand why - there weren't any or, at least, any recorded on the foundation's books.

I took a look at the foundation's 990s, available at Guidestar and the Foundation Center's 990 Finder, and I just don't see when the foundation ever even had $225k to pay Copeland Lowery. Besides, the foundation did not disclose any payments to lobbyists.

The foundation was only founded sometime after July 2001. Its fiscal year runs from Jul 1 to June 30.

The foundation was inactive and had no revenue between July 2001 and June 2002, according to its fiscal 2001 990.

In fiscal 2002, the foundation took in $148k in contributions and paid $42k in salary expense, $49k in travel expense and $50k in supplies expense.

In fiscal 2003, the foundation took in $223k in contributions and paid $167k in salary and salary-related expenses and $48k in operating expenses.

Between July 1, 2001 and June 30, 2004, the foundation received a total of $371k in contributions and paid a total of $356k in salary and operating expenses. No room there for lobbying fees.

The Foundation For the Improvement Of Mathematics and Science Education directors and officers between July 1, 2001 and June 30, 2004 were (Names of directors at June 30, 2002 were not disclosed.):

Alan D. Bersin, Former Superintendent of San Diego Schools - President
Dr. Lionel Meno, Dean, SDSU College of Education, San Diego - Treasurer
Al Panico, Director of Grants, Waitt Family Foundation, San Diego - Secretary
Daniel Sullivan, Executive Vice-President, Qualcomm, San Diego - Director (2003 only)
Candace Kilburn, Vice-President, AMCC, San Diego - Director

Looks like someone has some 'splaining to do.

Small nations are like indecently-dressed women. They tempt the evil-minded. - Julius Nyerere, President of Tanganyika, 1964

Not exactly but longtime treasurer and director of the Waterfall Committee is John H. Moseman, CIA Chief of Staff. The Waterfall Committee is a Virginia charity which raises money primarily for breast cancer screening for women in rural Alaska.

The address of the Waterfall Comittee is 20809 Confidence Court, Ashburn VA 20147-3924 which apparently is Mr. Moseman's home. I found that out when I called the number for the Waterfall Committee, thinking I'd get the CIA. (Sorry, Mrs. M, for the little white lie!) Moseman, LLC, registered in April 2005, is at the same address.

First Lady Nancy Murkowski, wife of Governor Frank Murkowski of Alaska is chairman of the Waterfall Committee. I read about the Waterfall Committee's famous annual fishing trip at a luxury resort in Alaska today on the American Radio website via TPM Muckraker. The photos of Representative Dennis Hastert, Senator Trent Lott, Senator Kit Bond and former Senator Phil Gramm are a must-see!

The following people are or have been directors or officers of the Waterfall Committee:

Gregg D. Renkes c/o John Moseman
John H. Moseman, Ashburn VA
Janet Klinger, Vienna VA
Nancy Murkowski, Juneau AK
Malcom Roberts, Anchorage AK
Mary Jane Fate, Juneau AK
Sam Kito, Juneau AK

I only have access to the 2002-2004 990s filed by the Waterfall Committee so I don't know how much was raised for charity before 2002. Grants in 2002 were $450K compared to grants of $245k in 2003 and $221K in 2004. A press release on Governor Murkowski's website reported that the Waterfall Committee raised $300k in 2005.

I have a couple of questions for the Waterfall Committee's accountants, Cocke, Szpanka & Taylor of 1800 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston VA. (I wonder if Cocke et al are the CIA's accountants of choice?)

In 2002, the financial results were:

Contributions received - $530k
Grants - $450k
Conference, meetings etc - $212K
Travel - $4k
Consulting - $42K
Events - $11K

2003 financial results were:

Contributions received - $537K
Grants - $245k
Conference, meetings etc - $213K
Consulting fees - $42k
Events - $12K

2004 financial results were accounted for differently. It appears that all of the expenses such as consulting fees were rolled up into "events":

Contributions received - $221K
Grants - $225k
Events gross receipts - $389k
Event expense - $318K
Event income - $51K

It also appears that in 2002 and 2003 that the donors' costs for the big fishing soiree were accounted for as "contributions". Did the donors account for the trip costs as charitable contributions and take tax deductions for the full amounts?

Any chance that the consulting fees are paid to John H. Moseman or someone connected politically?

Just asking.

Waterfall Committee's 990s are available online at Guidestar and the Foundation Center's 990 Finder and a salute and word of thanks from me to those two organizations for providing an invaluable public service!

Justin Rood at the TPM Muckraker wrote about "Vets For Freedom" today. Vets For Freedom, a supposedly "non-partisan" organization made up of Iraq War vets, is on the offensive against Rep. John Murtha. The Center for Democracy is asking if Vets For Freedom is Republican front group and the Buffalo News has a terrific story about members of the group wanting to "embed" with a news organization.

I did a little digging around and found out that widely-quoted Vets For Freedom executive director, William Wade Denham Zirkle, was not your average GI. My guess is that Mr. Zirkle has his own political ambitions and he has some money behind him.

In 2003, Rush and his then wife, Marta, registered the Sunrise Foundation Inc. with the Florida secretary of state, online at sunbiz.org.

The Limbaughs contributed $350k and donated $260k, mostly to individuals "in need". The 2003 990 is online at the Foundation Center's 990 Finder.

The Limbaughs donated a whopping $40,691 worth of ceramic heaters and air conditioners to the troops in Iraq. Seeing as the Limbaughs were renovating their multi-million dollar Palm Beach estate at the time, I'm sure they got a really good deal on those heaters and a.c. units.

Gee, who knew Rush Limbaugh so generously supported the troops as early as 2003? And how did he know the Defense Department wasn't supplying our men and women in uniform with even the most basic needs for living in Iraq? Did he pass this information on to his fans?

Hard to tell what he did for them the following year because the foundation's 2004 990 is not available online. Either the Limbaughs failed to file one or the amounts were so small that Guidestar and the Foundation Center didn't pick up the 2004 990.

Julia Barnett of Boynton Beach was the recipient of $23k in funding from the Sunrise Foundation. Seeing as Boynton Beach is not known to be an especially impoverished neighborhood, what could have made Ms. Barnett eligible for more than 50% of the total amount donated to the troops in Iraq? I wonder if she is one of Marta's relatives or if she is one of Rush's dope dealers.

Juan Erazo of West Palm Beach, recipient of $17k from the Sunrise Foundation, actually sounds more like he could be Rush's connection. I don't have access but I'm sure someone else can check Erazo's criminal background.

Noemi Arencicia bagged $11k. I'd put her on the list of potential suppliers along with Jestine and Larry Matthews of Lake Worth who also took home $11k

The list goes on and on.

After looking at the 990s filed by many of these so-called philanthropists, I am certainly not surprised when I find questionable donations or expenses but laundering money through your charitable foundation and taking a tax deduction to finance your drug habit and pay off your dope dealers takes the cake.

Rush Limbaugh has brass balls, I'll say that for him.

Dear Ms. Amanda P. Doss:

I learned about your involvement with the Murtha Lied, Boot Murtha and Operation Street Corner websites through an article in Raw Story via the TPM Muckraker.

On Operation Street Corner, you urge visitors to donate to:

Vietnam Vets for the Truth
PO Box 458
Nash,TX 75569

Vietnam Vets for the Truth is not registered with the IRS as a tax-exempt organization nor does Vietnam Vets for the Truth appear to be registered in any state.

Is Vietnam Vets for the Truth registered under a different name with the IRS? If not, would you mind terribly telling me what the hell you did with the donations sent to you by well-meaning and sincere people?

You apparently operate a business named "Web Design By Amanda's Pages". I cannot find the corporate registration for that business either in Lexis-Nexis.

You are declaring all of your taxable income, dear, aren't you?

Sincerely,

Mrs. Panstreppon, a very polite liberal