May 23rd, 2012

#CNN/@AC360 Reporting Prompts Senate Investigation

As a result of several reports on Anderson Cooper 360° on the Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF), Senators Max Baucus (D – Montana) and Richard Burr (R – N.C) announced today that they will start an investigation into possible abuse of the foundation’s tax-exempt nonprofit status. The senators requested documents and records relating to their fundraising and marketing activities.

The Disabled Veterans National Foundation claims to raise money for disabled vets. According to their tax filing they have raised close to $56 million in the last three years.  Anderson Cooper 360° and CNN’s Drew Griffin have been investigating this group for years and what they found is shocking. Of the $56 million dollars, AC360° has found that none of that money has actually gone to help veterans groups directly. Much of the donations are things that the group did not want, ask for or need – like 11, 520 bags of coconut M&Ms!
Drew Griffin has tried for more than a year to speak with the president of DVNF, Pricilla Landry Wilkewitz, to find out what happened to the money they raised. Griffin even went to her home but she declined an interview.