SUPPORT THE TROOPS! DON'T GIVE MONEY TO SEAN HANNITY & OLLIE NORTH!

Oliver North’s Freedom Alliance, which is supposed to be a charity supporting the families of fallen soldiers, has it’s rating returned to four stars by Charity Navigator after the controversy surrounding the fact that it wasn’t as charitable as they were supposed to be, and it is no longer in the news for the controversy. And right on cue, North’s buddy Sean Hannity is hoping you will let bygones be bygones and give them money again. For years, Hannity went around the country touting these so-called Freedom Concerts every summer which raised money for the Freedom Alliance, but then the issues came to light in 2010, and Hannity avoided the concerts this summer. But as the holiday season approaches, Hannity thinks you might want to give him money to go to one of his concerts in Atlanta. Look, there are more reputable charities that truly benefit soldiers. Some we don’t agree with politically, but we can still trust them more than these two idiots. Stay away from this concert and direct your money to those more responsible charities. It doesn’t have to be a debate. We don’t need the Freedom Alliance. UPDATE, 10/21/11: Hannity has added dates for New York (Nov. 27), Pittsburgh (Dec. 2), and Washington, DC (Dec. 3).

One People’s Project

ATLANTA, GA–Despite the controversy that has surrounded ex-Lt Col. Oliver North’s charity the Freedom Alliance, radio and television host Sean Hannity will hold a concert to benefit them for the holiday season in Atlanta.

On Dec. 18, Hannity will hold a “Christmas Salute to the Troops” at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre with North, Christian singer Michael W. Smith and John Ondrasik, a/k/a Five For Fighting scheduled to appear. Monies will go to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund for the education of children of U.S. service members who have been killed or permanently disabled in an operational mission or training accident.

Freedom Alliance has been a longtime concern for watchdog groups because very little of the monies they receive were actually going to whom they professed to benefit. After years of this issue being raised, it came to a head last year when conservative blogger Debbie Schlussel began to levy the same charge after determining it was a valid one after studying the Alliance’s tax records. “(L)ess than 20% and in two recent years, less than 7% and 4%, respectively of the money raised by Freedom Alliance went to these causes, while millions of dollars went to expenses, including consultants and apparently to ferry the Hannity posse of family and friends in high style,” she wrote in an article.  “And, despite Hannity s statements to the contrary on his nationally syndicated radio show, few of the children of fallen soldiers got more than $1,000-$2,000, with apparently none getting more than $6,000, while Freedom Alliance appears to have spent tens of thousands of dollars for private planes.

“Moreover, despite written assurances to donors that all money raised would go directly to scholarships for kids of the fallen heroes and not to expenses, has begun charging expenses of nearly $500,000 to give out just over $800,000 in scholarships.”

Because of this issue, in April 2010 the charity evaluator Charity Navigator downgraded their rating for Freedom Alliance to two stars, down from four, saying it needs improvement. Since then the rating had been returned to four stars. For several years, Hannity has held “Freedom Concerts” over the summer months across the country to raise money for Freedom Alliance, but no such concerts took place this year.

Hannity used to work as a radio show host on WGST in Atlanta, where he was once touted on their website as “making a proud name for himself by insulting lesbians.”