If your great grandma got ripped off, maybe you can get some of it back.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
From AARP's "Bulletin" May 2005

The College Republican National Committee, which came under fire during the 2004 presidential campaign for aggressive fundraising tactics that targeted older people, has terminated its long-standing relationship with the company that generated the high-pressure appeals and has invited unhappy donors to request refunds.

The CRNC, which is not affiliated with the Republican National Committee, raised more than $12 million in the last election cycle. While the Washington-based organization claims 120,000 members on more than 1,100 college campuses, more than two-thirds of the money came from people who identified themselves as retired ($8 million) or homemakers ($780,906), according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington nonprofit group. The Seattle Times reported last year that the median age of the CRNC's 50 top donors was 85.

Among the donors who want refunds is Monda Jo Millsap, 68, of Van Buren, Ark. Last year, after being told that her money was need to help re-elect President Bush, she emptied her savings account and took out a loan to send nearly $60,000 to the CRNC. "I wanted to help ," she says. "But I didn't want to lose as much as I lost."

In all, Millsap sent in 185 checks, ranging from $3 to $1,500, in response to appeals from "Republican Headquarters 2004," " Republican Election Committee" and other names used by the CRNC in addition to its own.

Since 2002 the CRNC has raised more than $20 million, with almost all of it going to pay for more fundraising. More than half has gone to Response Dynamics, direct-mail company in Vienna, Va., and four affiliated firms.

In March, the CRNC announced that it was ending its 13-year relationship with Reponse Dynamics, effective June 1.

"When the situation arises where there's a person who's given more than they can afford or who is confused, we want to be able to refund that money," Doug McGregor, the CRNC's executive director, says. "We will do what we can to honor those requests."

by - Susan Q. Stranahan

_________________
90% of people are caused by accidents.

Among the donors who want refunds is Monda Jo Millsap, 68, of Van Buren, Ark. Last year, after being told that her money was need to help re-elect President Bush, she emptied her savings account and took out a loan to send nearly $60,000 to the CRNC. "I wanted to help ," she says. "But I didn't want to lose as much as I lost."


I think this woman needs more than a refund.

This reminds me of the case of my sister's father-in-law.

When his mental and physical health declined in the early to mid 1980s he came to live with them as his financial resources were exhausted. As it turned out he died a few days later and willed most everything to his son married to my sister. Later as they tried to sort things out they found his bank accounts and check book, etc. They discovered that except for a few dollars his bank accounts were empty. He had recently written a couple of checks for $5,000 each to the Reagan campaign and they had send him some photo reproductions with rubber stamped signatures to thank him. Also at that time there was a group calling themselves the "Moral Majority" and over a year or two he had sent them over $10,000. The elderly are not the only victims of this sort of bilking procedure but them do seem to be very vulnerable.

Irrelevant part of the story: Among the poor old man's few belongings was a television set that my brother-in-law gave to me. I still have it and use it over 20 years later.

_________________
"Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other." -Baha'u'llah