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Meeks Says He'll Open Books On Katrina Charity, Doesn't
By
Ben Muessig
Published Mar 17, 2010
Modified Mar 17, 2010
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By
Ben Muessig
Published Mar 17, 2010
Modified Mar 17, 2010
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Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens) has taken a lot of criticism for founding a nonprofit accused of pocketing nearly $30,000 of money raised for Hurricane Katrina victims. So the Congressman told the press he would open his books. "I'd love to have you come to my office. We can show you the files of the individuals that we helped," Meeks told NY1. But when a Post reporter took him up on his offer, the Congressman's staff turned the journalist away.
One day after Meeks said he would open the books on New Yorkers Organized to Assist Hurricane Families—a charity that raised $31,000 in donations but reportedly only gave $1,392 to Katrina victims—a Post reporter visited the Congressman's Jamaica office. When the journalist arrived at 9:15 a.m., an office administrator refused to hand over the files due to "client confidentiality." The office worker then said that Meeks' chief of staff Robert Simmons would come at 2 p.m. to help the reporter go through the documents. But an hour before Simmons was supposed to arrive, the reporter was informed that Simmons was "stuck in a meeting," and was told to contact Meeks spokeswoman. The spokeswoman then said the documents couldn't be shown to the press until some of the information is redacted.
Meeks—who was once accused of asking for favors from Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez on behalf of an alleged Ponzi schemer—insists he's doing everything he can to find the missing money. "The first time I heard of any allegations in regards to the money not being spent the way it was, was when it was reported," he said. "And I, like you, want a full accounting of those funds." Meeks also said he has no connection to New Directions Local Development Corporation—a nonprofit that was supposed to help direct the funds towards Katrina victims, and happens to be under investigation for its role in the Aqueduct Racetrack scandal. However the charity's website notes the nonprofit was founded "by the initiatives of congressman Gregory Meeks."
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charity
gregory meeks
Hurricane Katrina
hurricane katrina victims
katrina
katrina victims
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New Directions Local Development Corporation
new orleans
new Yorkers Organized to Assist Hurricane Families
noah-f
nonprofit
rep. gregory meeks
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