AG James Focuses on Obscure Nonprofit While Local Corruption Thrives
In a curious turn of events, while local charities and insiders pilfer millions from New York taxpayers, Attorney General Leticia James has set her sights on a small, dissolved nonprofit—Vdare, an obscure anti-immigrant website. Founded decades ago in New York but now based in West Virginia, it seems rather odd that James would choose to direct her office’s efforts toward this site, especially regarding its donor money used to acquire a headquarters in Berkeley Springs, which also serves as the founder’s residence.
The motives behind James’s long-standing vendetta against this little-known right-wing blog remain unclear, but it’s noteworthy that there’s a substantial team—including a Section Chief and several assistant attorneys—working on this case.
Meanwhile, “service providers” with political connections appear to operate with impunity, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars each year through government contracts. It’s as if there’s a code of silence when it comes to investigating these entities. No press releases, no lawsuits—just quiet cooperation.
The city’s Department of Investigation has uncovered persistent patterns of self-dealing, nepotism, and other serious irregularities within the multi-billion dollar homeless services sector. Yet, the AG’s office remains silent on these issues.
Consider SEBCO, a so-called nonprofit that has engaged for-profit companies to handle security services—surprise, surprise: these security firms were chosen through a non-competitive process and pay their executives extravagant salaries in the hundreds of thousands. Additionally, executives’ spouses have formed partnerships with for-profit subcontractors offering various services.
Then there’s Acacia Network, another homeless shelter operator, which compensates a top executive with nearly $1 million annually—a staggering amount for a shelter with a troubled safety record.
Before losing its city contracts, Core Services amassed hundreds of millions in taxpayer money intended for the homeless while employing its own for-profit subsidiary for various services, including food, at a hefty price tag.
The Department of Investigation has revealed similar scams across multiple homeless service providers. Though some have faced federal indictments and imprisonment, AG James seems more inclined to focus on ideological pursuits rather than tackling tangible corruption.
While Vdare may have mistakenly received some small donations, it does not profit from taxpayer money—its donors are individuals. In contrast, many social service nonprofits in New York seem primarily designed to siphon taxpayer funds, enriching their leadership in the process.
James may be adept at seeking headlines through prosecutions aimed at ideological foes, but she has evidently neglected to address the significant theft occurring right under her nose within charities meant to help New Yorkers.
