Debunked: United Way (Sandy Hook Donations) refuses FOIA requests

deirdre

Senior Member.
Claim: Wolfgang Halbig continues to claim the United Way of Danbury Connecticut, which helps Newtown with collection of donations, keeps refusing to answer his FOIA requests or let him view documents at their office.

Wolfgang Halbig says:
[bunk]
May 12 at 1:05pm ·
Despite the fact that the law requires that any 501(c)(3) non-profit grant access to the public to inspect their financial records, United Way employees advise the police "we are not letting anyone in the building" https://www.facebook.com/SandyHookJustice/posts/800354579999349http://archive.today/pldAU

We were confronted by 8 police units from the Danbury Police Department when simply trying to enter the UNited Way Western Ct in Danbury .
The federal laws by the IRS are crystal clear but it made NO difference to law enforcement. https://www.facebook.com/SandyHookJustice/posts/800023320032475http://archive.today/rRKuh

Take a look on how they stopped me from looking at the IRS records of the United Way Western Ct since per IRS rules anyone can inspect those documents. https://www.facebook.com/SandyHookJustice/posts/798259180208889http://archive.today/bI5vH
[/bunk]
Video of Wolfgang Halbig 's trip to the United Way office in Danbury

note: at 2:24 Halbig thanks police officers for issuing him a $150 ticket. I called the Danbury Police Department to find out if it was for trespassing or harassment, but they told me that information is not public.

However United Way has no obligation to let him in the building, or provide him with physical copies, because:

  • Their tax filings are available online
  • The law specifically allows organizations to ignore requests if the documents are widely available on the internet
  • The law specifically allows organizations to ignore requests if the IRS determines they are being "harassed"
  • There is no provision under the law for immediate viewing of documents, he has to make a request, and allow a reasonable amount of time for a response (or a denial)
  • Connecticut (unlike many states) does have an appeals process if an FAIO request is denied.
  • United Way Chief Executive Officer
    said "the group was told that all financial documents for the non-profit agency can be found online."


Non Profits in Connecticut
Organizations that make their materials widely available through publication on the Internet do not have to provide copies;
if the Internal Revenue Service determines that the organization is being subjected to a

harassment campaign,
copies do not have to be provided;
and 501(c)(3) organizations not classified as private
foundations are not required to publicly disclose the list of names and addresses of individual contributors and may block out that section of Form 990 and other materials for public viewing

http://www.ctnonprofits.org/ctnonprofits/sites/default/files/fckeditor/file/resources/publications/PrinciplesAndPractices_Web.pdf page 8
Content from External Source
United Way Chief Executive Officer says:
Earlier Tuesday, a group of Halbig's supporters visited the Danbury offices of the
United Way of Western Connecticut, demanding records about the use of charitable funds collected on behalf of the Sandy Hook community. Chief Executive Officer Kim Morgan said the group was told that all financial documents for the non-profit agency can be found online.

"I would prefer not to give them a voice in the mainstream media, and to reassure the public that all of our financial documents are online and can be accessed by anyone,'' Morgan said. http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Newtown-school-board-greets-Sandy-Hook-skeptics-5458442.php#photo-6267949
Content from External Source
United Way financial statements available online here
United Way form 990 (june 2012- june 2013) page 32-33

Connecticut FOIA Law: http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/Law/foi.htm

How to file a FOIA appeal in Connecticut.
There is no form for filing an appeal with the Freedom of Information Commission. Simply write a letter and send, fax or e-mail it to the Freedom of Information Commission, 18-20 Trinity Street, Hartford, Ct. 06106 (Email: foi@ct.gov; Fax: 860-566-6474). The letter must contain all the relevant facts pertaining to the alleged denial of access to a public meeting or to public records. Complete contact information (name, address, phone number) for both the complainant and respondents must be provided. An appeal must be filed with the Commission within 30 days of the alleged violation, except when the appeal concerns an unnoticed or secret meeting. In that case, the appeal must be filed within 30 days after the person filing the appeal receives notice in fact that such meeting was held. Consult the FOI statutes or contact the FOI staff if you need to confirm that your claim is indeed a violation of the Freedom of Information Act. http://www.ct.gov/foi/cwp/view.asp?a=3171&Q=531378#AppealCommission
Content from External Source
From the New Haven Register : Newtown Sandy Hook Foundation
The Newtown-Sandy Hook Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization established to oversee the distribution of the more than $11 million that the Sandy Hook School Support Fund has received to date. It was established by United Way of Western Connecticut and Newtown Savings Bank to support the Newtown community following the Sandy Hook School tragedy.

The United Way transferred all of contributions made to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund to the foundation in March. All subsequent donations also will be transferred to the foundation on a monthly basis

NEWTOWN -- The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation Inc., which controls more than $11 million that is the largest fund formed in the wake of the Dec. 14 school shootings, has increased its initial release to the 40 most affected families to $7.7 million....

Attorney Kenneth Feinberg, a nationally-recognized expert in managing relief funds created after tragedies and disasters, will serve as a special adviser, the foundation said in a press release...

The Foundation is very pleased that Judge Nevas has agreed to lead this distribution committee," said Dr. Charles Herrick, a member of the foundation's board of directors. "Throughout his distinguished career Judge Nevas has been known for his thoughtfulness, fairness and integrity....

http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20130425/newtown-sandy-hook-foundation-to-release-77m-to-families-2http://archive.today/ckxEp
Content from External Source
 
Last edited by a moderator:
IRS FOIA harassment Law and some examples of Wolfgang calling for harassment campaigns:



from I.R.S FOIA publication: page 34/35 www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicc03.pdf

Applications A tax-exempt organization is not required to disclose the following excepted from application materials:

disclosure · An exemption application for tax exemption filed by an organization that has not yet been recognized; · Any application for tax exemption the organization did not have on hand as of July 15, 1987; Reg. 301.6104(d)-3(b)(3)(iii)(A)-(C) · Any material not open to public inspection under IRC 6104 and 6110 and material not open to public inspection because of certain circumstances such as a harassment campaign.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Exempt organizations may disregard requests in some situations. The regulations specifically state that a tax-exempt organization may disregard any request for copies of all or part of an exemption application or annual information returns beyond the first two requests received within any 30-day period or the first four requests received within any one-year-period from the same individual or from the same address. The organization may follow this rule regardless of whether the IRS office has determined that it is the subject of a harassment campaign. Reg. 301.6104(d)-3(c).
-----------------------------------------------------------
Facts and Some facts and circumstances which indicate that an organization is the circumstances subject of a harassment campaign include: that indicate · A sudden increase in the number of requests; harassment ·

An extraordinary number of requests made through form letters or similarly worded correspondence;

· Evidence of a purpose to significantly deter the organization’s employees
or volunteers from pursuing the organization’s exempt purpose; · Requests that contain language hostile to the tax-exempt organization; · Direct evidence of bad faith on the part of the organizers of the purported
harassment campaign; · Evidence that the tax-exempt organization has already provided the requested documents to a member of the purported harassing group; and · A demonstration by the tax-exempt organization that it routinely provides

copies of its documents upon request. The regulations suggest that one indicator is not determinative of a harassment campaign. See example 2 in Reg. 301.6104(d)-3(f).


-------------------------------------------------------
A tax-exempt organization may suspend compliance with any request it receives if it reasonably believes it is part of a harassment campaign, provided that it files the application within ten business days from the first day of suspension. The organization may continue suspension until it receives a response from the Service. Reg. 301.6104(d)-3(d).
If the Service determines that the tax-exempt organization is the subject of a harassment campaign and it is not in the public interest to require that the organization continue to respond to the disclosure requests, then the organization is not required to comply with requests that it reasonably believes are part of the campaign
Content from External Source


Examples of Halbig calling his followers to flood agencies with FOIA requests:

http://archive.today/ovcf7 THE United Way

Please write and call these non-profits and demand their financial records especially the board minutes showing how they were going to spend those millions and millions of solicited donor funds.
Content from External Source
Other Agencies:

http://archive.today/VVuw0 Newtown School Board et al
Please write and call these non-profits and demand their financial records especially the board minutes showing how they were going to spend those millions and millions of solicited donor funds.
It will take all of us in seeking the truth

http://archive.today/VZ5QA The Newtown Bee
I am asking all my friends to contact this editor Mr. Clark and request copies of those pictures since you are not Wolfgang W Halbig. Please read their policy that I have provided you it shows that you can purchase those pictures.

Photographs: Suggestions for photographs should be directed to the Editor at 203-426-3141 or by e-mailing editor@thebee.com. Reprints of photos taken by staff photographers are available to the public through The Bee's online photo galleries

The offices of The Bee are located at 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown; telephone 203-426-3141, fax 203-426-5169. Mailing address is PO Box 5503, Newtown CT 06470. Email: editor@thebee.com. R. Scudder Smith is the Publisher, and Curtiss Clark is the Editor.

http://archive.today/btLKg The Connecticut State Police
Those of you who are looking to file a FOIA request to the CT State Police can use this template as a starting point. Just copy and paste into Word or Notepad, fill it out, print it, and mail it.
Thanks to Tonya G. for this template.
This is the form I found online Connecticut Sample FOIA Request
[Your Name]
[Street Address]
[City, ST ZIP Code]

http://archive.today/nMGe1 The "Porta-Potty Company"
Be careful if you check them out you will get a call from the Southbury, Ct Police Department as I did for just asking questions.
Our Freedom of Speech is also now being attacked
Content from External Source
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