Buffalo News Story — War Kids Relief More Hype Than Help
The Buffalo News had a great story “Powers’ Iraq outreach ends up as more hype than help” on Jon Powers’ War Kids Relief. According to the Buffalo News:
Now, on the campaign trail, Powers continually touts stories in Newsweek, the New York Times, The Buffalo News and NBC News about his plan to raise as much as $7 million for Iraqi orphanages and youth centers.
But while Powers’ Web site highlights War Kids Relief as “quickly recognized for its path breaking work,” critics say it accomplished little beyond shipping a few soccer balls and backpacks to Iraq –and paying Powers about $77,000 worth of salary over 18 months.
They also say that while the good intentions even of congressional candidates are entitled to fail, Powers never mentions that War Kids Relief fell far short of accomplishing its goal.
(snip)
Powers, 30, acknowledges that War Kids Relief never accomplished many of its goals, mainly because Congress declined to fund the program. He also said he is not required until Aug. 15 to file Form 990 to the Internal Revenue Service to account for receipts and expenditures. He acknowledged that the organization raised between $150,000 and $250,000 over the course of its existence, with a substantial percentage dedicated to his salary.
(snip)
Under King’s leadership, the program began to receive some attention around his hometown of Worcester, Mass. The class of Cynthia Bazinet, a high school government teacher in Auburn, Mass., adopted it as part of a senior peace studies course and raised $262.
But when it came time to donate the money in December of last year, War Kids Relief had terminated it Web site. She contacted King, who said they ought to find another charity to help.
Bazinet said that she tried confronting Powers about the situation in various conversations on political blog sites but that he always avoided giving a direct answer. He offered to discuss the matter privately, she said, but never online. “If you go out and [raise money], you had better be prepared to answer questions,” she added. “I don’t care if he is a vet.”
King said he did his best to raise funds privately but found limited success. He did continue to push the program in Congress and sent a shipment of soccer balls and backpacks to Iraq.
“I’m just not a very good fundraiser, I guess,” he said. “And without money, you can’t accomplish much.”
Let’s see, the only leads they had was government funding from Ted Kennedy and John Kerry. All they sent was a shipment of soccer balls and backpacks. And he pays himself $77,000 in salary — it’s starting to look like our hunch back in April — that War Kids Relief was little more than a resume builder for a congressional wannabe was almost right on. We should have realized that it was also the source of a nice paycheck for Jon Jon. Kind of like when he tried to get his campaign to pay his rent — a violation of FCC guidelines.
If Jack Davis is successful getting this story out, it should be lights out Sweet Prince. Jon Jon is in big trouble. I really thought those Buffalo Bills schedules were going to do the trick!
13 Responses to “Buffalo News Story — War Kids Relief More Hype Than Help”
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and somehow you missed the story of Jack Davis having the DA investigate him for petition fraud?
what about the fact that our own government hasn’t done more than two veterans?
what did Davis do to help anyone over in Iraq?
You are only against Powers so Lee can beat Davis. I should know because even I’d vote for Lee over Davis.
jon jon, do you like apples?
how ’bout them apples
Believe it or not, I really do hate to say this, but Jon Powers is the lowest of the low, and sadly this proves it. It’s never good when a person screws over children, especially poor and underpriviledged children, lying to them that he’s going to help them, but instead using the vast majority of the money people gave him to instead line his own pockets.
At around 27 years old, Jon Powers collected $77,000 (nice salary) for possibly 3 years to mail a few soccer balls and backpacks over to Iraq, when he was supposed to, according to all his news stories, television coverage, self adoration andhis political website, rebuild recreation centers for these kids.
My question now is, if he did collect $250,000 for this fake organization and paid himself $77,000 per year for say 3 years, that’s $231,000 in salary. What went to the kids? Oh, a few soccer balls and backpacks.
To me, this appears to be more about Jon Powers apparently embezzling contributions made by average people who thought their money was going towards helping children. Instead, Jon Powers pocketed the money.
This realization brings me no joy.
And Jon Powers makes me want to puke.
Jon Powers: Of Himself, By Himself and For Himself.
After all the terrible things Jon Powers has done since becoming a politician, I can’t see his campaign continuing on for much longer. Especially if there is an investigation into any mishandling of money for the organization or whatever it was. You reap what you sew. Bad things happen to bad people.
Are you kidding me! Powers says he’s proud of his War Kids Relief scam? Sure. He’s proud it paid him almost $80k a year until the donations ran out. If my business struggles, I’m the LAST one to take a paycheck. My employees get paid first.
For Jon Powers, HE gets paid FIRST and the poor kids get a couple of soccer balls. You really did a lot for those kids Jon. You exploited them so you could make a ton of money. Good work there buddy. Only a sick person like you would be proud of taking advantage of children. I hope we never meet.
Hey Jack, I don’t see your other website talking about Jon ripping off the kids. Why should these people have to write about the accusations against Davis? As far as I’m concerned, both Powers and Davis can go pound salt anyway.
Just looked at the Buffalo News story again.
Is that a picture of Jon Powers stealing a baseball bat and glove from a kid? Probably.
Jackson Smiles
What does any of that have to do with the price of rice in China?
How about responding to the allegations, instead of pointing to other irrelevant facts.
If this is true, Its over for Jon Jon. If he is lucky to survive the onslaught of advertising Davis will do on the 15th of August when the dismal IRS 990 come out, the Lee campaign will pick it up with plenty of time.
Those kids didn’t deserve to get the shaft from Jon Powers.
But Jon Powers definitely deserves what he’s going to get for using these children to make money.
Lokks like one more is out of the Dem race for 26th CD.
Bye, bye Jonny boy. Good riddance.
Just checked out Powers’ political website. His campaign workers are scrambling to rewrite the sections about the SMFK (stealing money from kids) Program. My prediction, Jon Powers will back out of the race and start finding ways to access his campaign funds for personal use. It’s easier when no one’s paying attention anymore. I can’t believe Power’s people are defending his stealing money from children and using kids to personally profit.
“But Jon Powers really cares about kids! I’ve seen it! It’s almost like the feeling you get when you find money in your coat pocket! It’s so sincere!”
Ya. Wake up you idiots. He sincerely only cares about using them to make money. Oh, and taking money from scumbags who exploit women for money. That too. Jon Powers is one heck of a sweet guy.
I like that InsidePolitics… Jon Powers really is Of Himself, By Himself and For Himself.
It looks like Jon Powers only ripped off $77,000 total from WKR.
But we’ll wait and see what the 990 paperwork says.
I hope he didn’t use any of that money for drinks and lap dances at that contributor’s strip club.
Jon Powers road the gravy train right over the cliff of destruction.
Since the Democrats are very versed in using the downfall of GOP candidates against other Republicans running for office, Jon Powers has to worry about how his actions will affect his colleagues running for Congress and in other races. We heard Powers invited RICHard Dollinger to join him at a press conference recently. Strange bedfellows.
“and somehow you missed the story of Jack Davis having the DA investigate him for petition fraud?”
Nice try jacksonsmiles. I read up on the accusation by Jon Powers and that Democrat County Chairman who is in hot water for inappropriately touching a female committeemember.
The DA is not investigating Jack Davis. I obviously don’t suport Davis, but lying about who is involved with allegations of petition fraud needs to be set straight.
If Jon Powers’ staff did this, you would most likely defend Powers and say that since he didn’t sanction the illegal collection of signatures, he shouldn’t be held accountable. Do you agree that Jack Davis deserves the same defense? Or is it different because you support Powers and not Davis?
So far, three of the four Democrats in the primary for the 26th Congressional District are complete failures.
Kathy Konst was lured away, most likely by the promise of millions of dollars from Tom Golisano. Pretty shallow.
Jack Davis is a two time millionaire campaign loser who is completely out of touch with the people. Pretty embarrassing.
And Jon Powers breaks election law, takes money from strip club owners and enriches himself instead of helping children. Pretty nasty.
You people are making it pretty easy for this to end up being a race between Kathy Kryzan and Chris Lee.
Why not just let the voters in the 26th decide between these two decent folks? If you don’t, the democrats are basically on the verge of blowing their chances here.
Lock-Step Powers is utterly ridiculous, although we’ve know that here at Monroe Rising since the blog was started in December. What truly mesmerizes me is the blind alliegnce that some people dedicate to him when they probably don’t even know the truth behind Jon Jon and his questionable dealings. Two of the most Democratic/Progressive/Liberal/Socialist blogs both have posters that any time he gets into the muck, will not hesitate to write a full fledged defense of her boy. I wonder how he does it. His position on issues is not wonderful even for those liberals, so I wonder how it’s done. Anyway, I’m sure there will be more on that from me later.
I know some substitute teachers who can’t survive and be able to campaign at the same time; I always wondered how Jon Jon did it. Now we know, he raised all this money…and then paid himself. Jacksonsmiles is so quick to point out when republicans break the law. I wonder what he’ll have to say, in his legal opinion, on starting a non-profit and giving the vast majority of the money to yourself and a limited amount to the actual people who need it.