Our dedicated sleuths are hot on the trail of the missing $42,618.91. The game is afoot, and no challenge is too great for our premier detectives. Follow them on the journey to expose the truth.
“Holmes, do you remember Lobbyists for Citizens asking for our help to research Dan Troy’s campaign finance reports back in 2018? Remember they challenged good ole, ‘man of the people’ Dan at the commissioners’ meeting. It was quite the brouhaha at the 2018 meeting. If my memory serves me, Troy even threatened them with a lawsuit for asking questions. Quite, extraordinary, if I do say so myself….’man of the people’?….ha…balderdash, I say..”
“Right you are Watson, it was one of our first cases in Lake County. I am still trying to remove the muck from my boots wading through that swamp. Troy decided to run for a State Representative seat, and had to forfeit $42,618.91 from his campaign coffers. His lawyers squirreled it away in a non-profit corporation called the Lake County Governance Education Fund, Inc. Supposedly, one of those ‘for the betterment of mankind’ type of corporations. We tried to find out what he was going to do with the money…but…their lawyers said that the information was private, and we were basically shut down..”
“Damn lawyers, Holmes…Do you know what you have with 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?”
“Watson…that would be “a start”….”You are going to need some new material, that joke is getting old.”
“Didn’t Lobbyists for Citizens write some articles about the whole sordid affair.”
By jove, here are the articles Lobbyists wrote about Troy and his $42K.
https://lobbyistsforcitizens.com/2018/10/09/lake-county-governance-education-fund-a-pesky-little-detail-left/
https://lobbyistsforcitizens.com/2018/10/13/what-happened-to-42618-91-join-us-on-our-journey-to-pull-back-the-curtain/
https://lobbyistsforcitizens.com/2018/10/15/a-clue-to-the-missing-42618-91-dan-and-kip-can-you-hear-us-now/
“My goodness Watson, they were quite detailed in their research back then. I’ve done some research on my own with the Secretary of State’s corporation filings and have uncovered a very, very interesting detail that maybe, just maybe Watson, would be of interest to the Lake County taxpayers.”
“Here is a summary of the information on the website: “
“I see that the original articles of incorporation were filed on February 3, 2012, and they were revised on December 31, 2018.”
“Pray tell, what did they change Holmes?” “Don’t hold anything back, Holmes.” “I can handle it.” “Please don’t tell me that the non-profit is no longer used for the ‘betterment of mankind’.”
“Alas, my good friend, all is not as it appears in the world of politics.” “It can be bloodier than the hound that the Baskervilles used to unleash in the marsh…nasty business, Watson.”
“The non-profit’s articles of incorporation have been changed significantly from 2012 to 2018. I took the time to provide a side by side comparison of the changes for your review….Hold on to your shorts, Watson…your faith in mankind may take a hit…”
“Holmes, the corporation was organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, and now it is supposed to promote social welfare, and educate citizens on Lake County issues, and anything that is legal…say it isn’t so….Holmes.”
“Watson, if you think that was bad, wait until you read the next set of changes.”
“I guarantee your mood will not improve.” “This will knock your socks off.”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute, Holmes…I am starting to see some shenanigans here…’
“In 2012, the corporation was not to participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.”
“And in 2018, they deleted the whole damn article five!” “Completely gone, wiped from the face of the earth.”
“Blimey….I wonder if that means the $42K can be used as campaign contributions for Danny boy, or his friend Johnny Rogers?
“You do know that they are good friends? “Amigos, freunde, amici.” Correct?”
“Oh, Danny and Johnny go way back…here is a picture of them throwing candy to the people a couple of years ago in Mentor Headlands.”
“Do you have anything else up your sleeve, Holmes?’
“Well Watson, they made one more change to the articles of incorporation” It is a lot of legalese, Watson, but it just gives them more flexibility when the corporation spends all its money and then they dissolve it.”
“Homes, my head is about to explode.”
“Do you think that this is all done for a reason?”
“It seems that someone is blowing smoke up our kilts.”
“Of course, there is deception afoot here my friend. The lawyers, I am sure, have everything nice and legal, but is it ethical?”
“Let’s see…how could someone use $42K that is buried in a corporation that originally was established exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, or scientific purpose for some other purpose. It is a bit of a sticky wicket, I must say.”
“Upon analysis, it is really elementary my dear Watson…How would I do, you may ask?
“Well, first I would change the original rules under which the corporation was to operate. That would give me the flexibility to steer the money in another direction. Let’s say I send it to the political party headquarters. The party then could pay for television advertising or mailers as in-kind donations. All neat and clean, everyone is a happy camper, and Bob’s your uncle, no one is the wiser.”
*****
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