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MN GOP PRESS RELEASE: “REPUBLICAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA CALLS FRANKEN TO DIVULGE HIS ROLE IN AIR AMERICA AND BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SCANDAL”
By Michael B. Brodkorb | September 15, 2008
St. Paul- At a State Capitol press conference today, Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Ron Carey called on Al Franken to provide more detailed answers to his role in the cover-up involving nearly $900,000 that was stolen from the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club by Franken’s Air America company.
“Al Franken did nothing to help return nearly $900,000 to the New York Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club while his employer, Air America, continued to use the money to possibly pay Franken’s salary and benefits,†said Carey. “At a time when Franken’s temper tantrums and bad behavior could have been put to good use by publicly demanding and threatening to expose his employer’s role in this massive fraud, Franken remained silent. But, while he negotiated for a multi-million contract, he was well aware that his nearly bankrupt Air America employer had stolen money from the Boys and Girls Club and he did nothing and said nothing to get the money returned.â€
In 2004, Air America, through a series of financial irregularities, and under the leadership of Franken’s former CEO, took an unauthorized “loan†of $875,000 from the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club to pay for operating costs, possibly including “operating costs†at the struggling radio network.
Franken, who repeatedly denied any role in the scandal, finally was forced to admit on-air that his company did indeed take the money, and that it was likely being used to cover the station’s operating costs.
At the time, Franken was also negotiating a huge salary increase, while Air America was continuing to delay returning the money to the Boys and Girls Club. And, Franken, who was caught misrepresenting when he was aware of the scandal, never called on the station, or the management of the company to return the money.
According to Chair Carey, while Franken may not have been involved in taking the money in the beginning, his lack of effort to get the money returned raises questions about what his role was after the fact.
“Al Franken said his company had no legal obligation to pay back the money they stole. So, while kids, senior citizens, and thousands of people who were looking for services from the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club weren’t getting them, Al Franken remained silent – and never once called for an audit, or an investigation or any type of oversight in the matter. Why did Franken stay quiet? Was he afraid of jeopardizing his contract negotiations? Or, was it because he didn’t want to raise any suspicions about how deeply involved he was in the station’s financial situation? He needs to answer these questions.â€
Chair Carey also raised questions about Franken’s signature on a document that clearly showed that Air America owed money to the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club.
“Franken claims he never saw the list of creditors that were owed money by Air America when it filed bankruptcy, and therefore, couldn’t have known that Air America still owed $875,000 back to the Boys and Girls Club. Isn’t it ironic that once again Al Franken has a sudden loss of memory when it comes to financial irregularities with a company and business that he is involved in. He didn’t know he was supposed to pay taxes – he didn’t know he was supposed to pay workers compensation premiums – and he claims he didn’t know Air America stole money from poor kids. There’s a pattern here, and it’s one that has dogged Al Franken for years.â€
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24 Responses to “MN GOP PRESS RELEASE: “REPUBLICAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA CALLS FRANKEN TO DIVULGE HIS ROLE IN AIR AMERICA AND BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SCANDAL””
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September 15th, 2008 at 4:35 PM
As part of his role in the swindle, didn’t he sign some documents? I know I’ve seen them.
I believe one of the swindle documents was a promise to pay the money back. Franken made that promise. Has he fulfilled it?
September 15th, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Wasn’t this story discredited four years ago or something? This has nothing to do with Al Franken. Why not go back to your commercials where Al talks about how shameless you guys are and asks liars to apologize.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:52 PM
It is about time Angry Al shows how or if they paid back the Boys and Girls Club. Just because it happened a while ago doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be looked into and explained. You DFLers think if it is swept under the rug,its the right way to deal with it. Not everyone thinks like a Democrat.
September 15th, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Aaron, are you saying that Al Franken didn’t sign the promissory notes to pay the charity back the money it had swindled from it? … or does this look familiar? http://tinyurl.com/5clf8k.
I just want to know if Al Franken fulfilled his promise to pay back the money he and Air America stole from this kid’s charity.
September 15th, 2008 at 5:18 PM
“Wasn’t this story discredited four years ago or something?”
No Aairhead, it wasn’t…and I’m confident you know that.
The fact is that PornORama tried to deny his involvement until a set of legal documents with his signature on them, proving beyond any doubt that he was fully aware of where his paychecks were coming from, was put under his fat, hypocritical, greedy nose.
This guy sets a new low for the term “scumbag”….stealing from kids while he sits on the radio spouting “it’s for the children”.
If this despicable behavior doesn’t make a voter change his or her mind about voting for him, they are just as bad as PornORama himself.
September 15th, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Oh wait… that’s right… Al Franken knew nothing about the loan and the repayment docs that carry his signature. His accountant must have signed it for him… or his door man… or what’s the excuse de jeure why Al Franken conduct his adult life/business life responsibly, and why we can’t hold the only track record we have… one as a hate monger, liar and thief against him?
September 15th, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Are Enron employees paying back stock holders who lost their life savings in the crash of that company?
Sure, Kenny Lay and his pals are the ones who where crooking the books, but by this standard, the responsibility to make everyone whole again should rest squarely and equally on the shoulders of all who worked there at the time of the crash.
September 15th, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Leroy, are you suing your parents for malpractice? WTF.
September 15th, 2008 at 5:43 PM
So Leroy…Angry Al ripped off kids so he could be more like Ken Lay?…How sick is this puppy?
September 15th, 2008 at 5:48 PM
“Leroy, are you suing your parents for malpractice?”
LOL!
September 15th, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Ken Lay died of a heart attack a couple of years ago before he was sentenced.
I would prefer that Al is regulated to the AM station in Crookston doing the farm report for the next decade.
September 15th, 2008 at 7:05 PM
I’ve been waiting for this to come up.
September 15th, 2008 at 7:29 PM
I’m surprised it came up so soon. Was waiting for it to be the “October Surprise” the democrats keep talking about. Hmm. What IS the October Surprise really going to be now that this is out of the bag?
September 15th, 2008 at 8:31 PM
The October surprise is going to be when Democrats realize how bad a candidate they allowed to be forced on themselves, and that the other third of Democrats may have been onto something.
September 15th, 2008 at 8:52 PM
If this is the level of stuff Mikey has in his reserves, get ready for a new Senator in town.
This “scandal” involved Al’s former employer, and at no time was he a participant, other than to sign a document to ease the sale of the network from the corrupt former owners to the new owners. The New York media covered this extensively. And even the guys who were convicted of the swindle said that Al Franken played no role.
With fishing expeditions like this, republicans should prepare to starve.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:14 PM
“This “scandal†involved Al’s former employer, and at no time was he a participant..”
Right..doh, except he pocketed a lot of the loot.
Typical Democrat puke. Let others do the dirty work and then sleeze on in for your cut.
Keep treading water, asshat.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:46 PM
I assume you have some sort of evidence to prove that Al Franken had any knowledge, direct or indirect, about this issue?
I keep waiting, and y’all keep throwing out allegations like they are facts. But when pressed for facts, you simply pile on more allegations.
All smoke. No fire.
Another day for Norm on the campaign trail without a breath of what he has done or will do for the voters. I am exceedingly happy to see that the voters have begun to reject him and his slimy message.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Yeah, at no time was he a participant, except when signing legal documents pertaining to the swindle.
That’s like the man who killed his parents asking for leniency because now he’s an orphan.
September 15th, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Norm Coleman is being investigated by the FBI for a number of phone calls he has apparently made directly to the cell phone of Osama Bin Laden in recent months. The transcripts of the conversations make it appear as if he was offering to trade the United States for, “that whole 72 virgins thing”.
(See, this is what a crazy unsubstantiated claim from the other side looks like).
September 16th, 2008 at 5:25 AM
Leroy, you are obviously a morning person…it may be time to get some sleep now??
September 16th, 2008 at 7:51 AM
News Flash – Minneapolis
Angry Al Franken is admitting that he is a complete and total scumbag. By being Al Franken and for taking $900,000 from kids and then signing a promissory note that has never been re payed. This admission completely disqualifies him from being human, much less than getting elected to represent Minnesota values in the US Senate.
His Kool-aid drinking followers were overheard to remark – Huh??
September 16th, 2008 at 8:17 AM
That is not the real gopgal up there…
September 16th, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Quid-
Other than the fact that Al never signed a promissory note, had nothing to do with this case, that the money was repayed in full by the company that took it, and that Al Franken, rather than being a scumbag, is a very nice and intelligent person, your point was right on.
I guess what I am saying is, you are pointless.
September 16th, 2008 at 11:57 PM
PB: Please, not Crookston. I have relatives there and I don’t want their ears to bleed having to listen to Angry Al on the air! Gosh, he’d probably cause crop failure, too!