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02/04/2009
FOF, LDS: Who was bigger anti-M4M ATM?
In terms of who convinced more followers to donate more Prop 8 money, it's debatable if the LDS church or Focus of the Family had more reach. But just in terms of hard reported data, the stats are showing Dr. Dobson's House of Homo-Hostility® as having given gays the most costly anti-wedding gift.
From the AP:
A Colorado Springs-based evangelical group spent more than three times the amount spent by the Mormon church to support a California ballot initiative that outlawed gay marriage.
FULL: Focus gave $689K to support gay-marriage ban [AP via Denver Post]
$689K. All to destroy our equality. To the benefit of no one at all. Wow. Just wow.
Though no, that's actually not true that nobody benefitted from these major Prop 8 donations. After all, they do give Bernie Madoff a corrective go-to for when people cite him as being the worst investment of 2008. So yay for you, Bernie!
**NOTE: We should say that we actually think this is more of an example of LDS PR, less an actual story. After all, even though FOF does. on paper, show a higher donation, you can't possibly estimate the total cost of the Mormon effort.
Your thoughts
I wonder if the many that were laid off from their jobs at FOF feel it was justified?
just my 2 cents
aj
Posted by: aj | Feb 4, 2009 9:22:20 PM
The Knights of Columbus gave $1.1 million.
Don't we feel all warm and fuzzy inside?
Posted by: Buffy | Feb 5, 2009 12:54:11 AM
The cumulative donations of both the "official" spendings of the LDS Church - still counting LOL - and what the church demanded it's members to donate to the yes on prop 8 - is far greater than any other funds donated to ruin marriage in CA.
Posted by: Voose Lagina | Feb 5, 2009 11:06:13 AM
"The cumulative donations of...the LDS Church..is far greater than any other funds donated to ruin marriage in CA."
Agreed, VL. It actually makes me wonder if FOF is putting out this press so as to run cover for the LDS church.
Posted by: G-A-Y | Feb 5, 2009 11:16:39 AM
Exactly. Let's be aware that there's a Mormon PR effort behind this latest meme. To quote the latest LDS press release verbatim:
"Understanding the extent of donations from other organizations may help the media and the public better understand the context in which the Church's donations were made."
Sorry, but that last paragraph is nonsensical. If it's not, I'm gonna assume that next time the IRS asks me about my tax returns, I can just point them to the millionaire next door and expect my troubles to be over.
B-b-b-b-u-t he owes more ... as if compliance was relative.
Good grief.
Sorry, but any way you slice this, the Mormons own at least 50% of the funding for the Yes on 8 campaign. No matter how hard they might try to spin it, nobody else even comes close.
Posted by: Chino Blanco | Feb 5, 2009 1:18:59 PM
The following chart shows the amounts of cash contributed by both in-state and out-of-state individuals and groups to each side.
In-State Donations Out-of-State Donations Total Donations
For Proposition 8 $25.4 million $10.7 million $36.1 million
Against Proposition 8 $26.5 $12.0 $38.4
Totals $51.9 $22.7 $74.5
Source: Tracking the money, Los Angeles Times
Note that out-of-state contributions to the "No" side were over $1.3 million higher than the out-of-state contributions to the "Yes" side. Another claim is that Churches violated their tax-exempt status by participating in the “Yes on 8" campaign. According to IRS rules, a tax-exempt organization may not support particular candidates or parties. However, the churches did not participate in or intervene in any of the political campaigns for any of the candidates running in the 2008 election. The IRS does, however, permit a Church to take positions on issues.
Focus on the Family donated $657,000 in money and services to ProtectMarriage.com, a California coalition that supported Proposition 8, including $448,406 in cash contributions.
The data also indicate the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated $189,000 to support Proposition 8, all of which was non-cash time or logistical support.
Posted by: Bot | Feb 7, 2009 2:07:49 PM
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