Monday, May 03, 2004
Praying isn't always free
Governor Pataki's Prayer Breakfast Trust Fund, was selling VIP tables for up to $1,000 each for a May 11 prayer breakfast featuring Laura Bush as the star attraction. The sale was denounced by good-government groups as "pay for pray," an attempt to solicit money from high-rolling lobbyists who already give large contributions as part of Albany's "pay to play" culture. State law says all charitable organizations that "solicit contributions" from the public must register, and make a series of public financial disclosures, with Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's office. The Governor's Fund was never registered as a charity and has never made a public accounting of how the money was spent, the fund may therefore have to shell out for some fines. I wonder if selling Aliyas are also a problem.
Governor Pataki's Prayer Breakfast Trust Fund, was selling VIP tables for up to $1,000 each for a May 11 prayer breakfast featuring Laura Bush as the star attraction. The sale was denounced by good-government groups as "pay for pray," an attempt to solicit money from high-rolling lobbyists who already give large contributions as part of Albany's "pay to play" culture. State law says all charitable organizations that "solicit contributions" from the public must register, and make a series of public financial disclosures, with Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's office. The Governor's Fund was never registered as a charity and has never made a public accounting of how the money was spent, the fund may therefore have to shell out for some fines. I wonder if selling Aliyas are also a problem.
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