Feed the Children?

The Oklahoman is reporting on developments in he scandals surrounding the "christian" charity, Feed the Children and it's founder, evangelist, Larry Jones who was fired/resigned his leadership of the organization.  Jones filed a wrongful termination lawsuit on November 10th after being forced out by a board of directors that Jones tried to overthrow with a slate of prominent ministers hand-selected by him.  Instead, the Board fed up with scandals relating to bribery and kickbacks to Jones from the media group that receives millions of doallars to mount the charity's television commercials nationally--forced Jones' resignation. 

According to the American Institute of Philantrophy, Feed the Children, one of the nation's richest charitable groups has long received an "F" from it and other watchdog organizations for precisely the sort of financial irregularities that prompted the dismissal of Jones.

Now, attorneys for the Board are revealing evidence seized a sweep of Jones' office at the charity which include a cache of hardcore and incest pornography.  The Oklahoman reports, "Evidence of other wrongdoing was found after his termination, the charity and its attorneys said. 'The unexpected discovery of pornographic material, along with other personal items found in his offices, leaves this board of directors saddened, but certain the right decision was made,' the charity said in its media statement Tuesday. In the countersuit, the charity’s attorneys described the material as publications and excerpts from publications ranging 'from hardcore pornography to incestuous sexual family relationships.' The attorneys said the material was found hidden in his charity office and a nearby private area. The attorneys identified some of the publications as Family Affairs, Taboo’s Family Heat, Best of Family Touch, Penthouse Secret Fantasies, The Penthouse Sex Files, Penthouse Forum, Best of Forum Letters, Penthouse Letters, Penthouse, Penthouse Variations and Playboy." 

The Rev. Jones, says he was just "doing research."  Yeah, good luck with that. 

Cy-Pres Doctrine

One of my legal heroes is Cleveland attorney Pat Perotti who has pioneered the use of Cy-Pres, an equity doctrine, in the area of charitable giving.

Perotti, a plaintiff's attorney is a highly successful class action attorney, was troubled that large class action settlements and verdicts would go back to "wrongdoer" corporations when persons entitled to class action money failed to file for it.  He and others borrowed the concept of Cy-Pres (pronounced sigh-pray) a doctrine that allows equity courts to do the "closest thing" to what someone who set up an estate, trust or fund of money would have wanted done with their money when the original conception or plan becomes impossible, no longer relevant, or illegal.

Now according to Perotti, corporations and insurance companies are fighting to keep the money they were ordered or agreed to pay for doing legal wrongs.  Perotti and his allies are asking States to enact legislation allowing them to use this money for charitable giving in local communities.  Sounds like a no-brainer.

for more:  http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/11/ohio_lawmakers_should_pass_bil.html